Paris Mayor Orders 1,200 School AC Units as 108-Degree Classrooms Upend France’s Anti-AC Stance
Updated
Updated · The Atlantic · Jun 27
Paris Mayor Orders 1,200 School AC Units as 108-Degree Classrooms Upend France’s Anti-AC Stance
3 articles · Updated · The Atlantic · Jun 27
Summary
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire ordered 1,200 air conditioners for city schools after unrenovated classrooms hit nearly 108 degrees during France’s record heat wave.
Ten straight days above 96 degrees in Paris — with a peak of 105 and nights barely dropping below 80 — have made shutters, fans and other low-tech cooling measures increasingly ineffective.
The move cuts against France’s long-held view that home AC is a climate “maladaptation,” reinforced by building codes, preservation rules and fears that widespread cooling could raise Paris temperatures by nearly 4 degrees Fahrenheit.
Heat stress is already disrupting daily life, with schools closed, hospitals strained and renters in top-floor apartments relying on inefficient or illegal units while more than 40% of French homes still lack window solar protection.
The policy shift is widening into a national political fight, with Marine Le Pen pushing a broad AC plan and even some Greens conceding that schools, hospitals and other vulnerable buildings now need active cooling.
France's grid is low-carbon, but can it handle millions of new air conditioners during a major heatwave?
Can France cool its historic buildings without sacrificing its architectural soul or climate goals?
France’s €130 Million Heatwave Response: How the 2026 Paris Crisis Is Forcing a National Shift on Air Conditioning and Climate Adaptation
Overview
In June 2026, Paris and much of Europe faced a record-breaking, intense heatwave with temperatures soaring above 104°F. The French government responded quickly, with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu leading emergency meetings to coordinate national action. Authorities implemented urgent measures such as school closures, event cancellations, and public alcohol bans to protect citizens and reduce exposure to dangerous heat. The crisis highlighted that most French schools were not built to handle such extreme temperatures and lacked proper air conditioning, prompting a nationwide effort to modernize infrastructure and ensure public safety during future heatwaves.