Half of France is now under a “red alert” for extreme heat, the highest level on the national weather scale, prompting officials to impose a sweeping ban on public alcohol consumption during this weekend’s Fête de la Musique.
The emergency measures, announced by the Interior Ministry, target the annual nationwide music festival. With temperatures expected to surge past 40°C (104°F) in several regions, authorities fear that the combination of alcohol and heat will overwhelm emergency services already bracing for a spike in heatstroke cases.
“We aren’t taking any chances,” a spokesperson for the Paris Prefecture said. “Street drinking creates a safety risk when the pavement is radiating this level of heat. We need people alert, hydrated, and able to find shade.”
The heatwave is part of a persistent weather pattern trapping hot air over Western Europe. Meteorologists at Météo-France warn that the intensity of this event is unusual for this time of year, with nighttime temperatures failing to drop significantly, denying the population any physiological relief.
For the organizers of the music festival, the directive is a logistical headache. Many outdoor stages are being relocated to indoor venues or shaded public parks, while others have been canceled outright. Performers are being advised to keep sets short and ensure that stage lighting—which adds significant ambient heat—is kept to an absolute minimum.
Public hospitals are already on high alert. The government has activated the “Plan Canicule,” a national contingency framework that mandates regular wellness checks for the elderly and vulnerable, along with the opening of “cool rooms” in municipal buildings across the country.
Retailers have also been instructed to assist. In many cities, shops are being asked to provide water stations, and some mayors have threatened fines for businesses that do not cooperate with the temporary alcohol sales restrictions.
The heat is not expected to break until at least Tuesday. Until then, the message from the government is blunt: stay indoors, avoid physical exertion, and keep water nearby. Public festivities, even those as culturally ingrained as the Fête de la Musique, are currently a distant second to basic public safety.
