Paris Bans Public Alcohol After 4-Fold Cardiac Arrest Surge as Heat Hits 40.9C
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 26
Paris Bans Public Alcohol After 4-Fold Cardiac Arrest Surge as Heat Hits 40.9C
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 26
Summary
Paris will bar public drinking from noon Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday and again Saturday to Sunday, while takeaway alcohol sales stop from 6 p.m., as authorities try to ease hospitals nearing saturation.
Four times the normal number of cardiac arrests were reported by Paris ambulance services over 24 hours, Health Minister Stéphanie Rist said, with even young people affected during the heatwave.
Temperatures hit a June record 40.9C in Paris on Wednesday and stayed near 40C on Thursday, while more than 44 million people across France were placed under the highest red heat alert.
The restrictions add to school closures, round-the-clock park openings and reduced hours at the Eiffel Tower and Louvre; nationwide, at least 48 people have drowned and France expects several more days of extreme heat.
France's 2003 heatwave killed 15,000. Are today's emergency measures enough to avert another disaster?
As record heat overwhelms hospitals, what unseen dangers threaten even the young and healthy?
Is Paris's alcohol ban a real solution or a distraction from its climate unpreparedness?
Europe’s 2026 Heatwave Crisis: Paris Emergency Alcohol Ban, Record Temperatures, and the Urgent Push for Climate Resilience
Overview
In late June 2026, Paris faced a severe heatwave with record-high temperatures and humidity, leading to a citywide red heatwave alert and major public health concerns. Iconic sites like the Eiffel Tower and Louvre reduced their hours to protect people. To address rising emergencies and disturbances, authorities imposed an emergency alcohol ban, building on the success of a similar measure during the recent Fête de la Musique festival. These actions highlight how Paris is urgently responding to extreme heat by prioritizing public safety and adapting city life to new climate realities.