‘Hell on earth’: French city battles record heat

RENNES, France - Shutters tight shut in her ground-floor flat, Ancuta Lacatus said there was no way she was going outdoors as temperatures climbed to 40 deg C in the French city of Rennes.

“It’s tough but I’m staying put,” the 49-year-old cleaner told AFP.

“My doctor has advised me not to go out. It’s dangerous for me,” said Lacatus, who has heart problems.

But “even at night, it’s very hot,” she said.

France has seen record-breaking temperatures this week that have contributed to several deaths, closed schools and disrupted daily life.

The government says one in three homes in the country is not equipped to withstand extreme heat.

Renovation work to improve the insulation on the building where Lacatus lives, due to begin in September, could bring relief during future heatwaves.

But for now, she prepares cold meals such as salads to avoid heating up her flat and occasionally switches on a fan.

Though “just for a few minutes because electricity is too expensive,” she said.

Temperatures in the northwestern city of Rennes reached 40 deg C on June 22 and were forecast to hit a record 43 deg C on June 23, leaving residents of the working class district where Lacatus lives searching for ways to stay cool.

Elsewhere in the neighbourhood, dominated by tower blocks and concrete, with some trees dotting the landscape, locals have been struggling with the high temperatures.

“There are lots of energy-inefficient buildings,” said Djibril Themond, a youth worker.

The 46-year-old said he kept his two sons home from school because the classrooms were not “suitable” in the heat without air conditioning.

Similar concerns prompted school closures across the country, with more than 1,350 of France’s 60,000 schools shut on June 22 over concerns about high classroom temperatures, according to the education ministry.

“The more time we spend at home, the better,” Themond said.

“We’re just popping out to do some shopping because we’ve got no choice.”

A dog sitter cooling off her canine charges in a mist fountain in central Paris on June 23. PHOTO: AFP

For Rosa Nzaba, a 49-year-old construction worker, the heat is “hell on earth”, she said, pouring water on herself.

Her building site closed on June 22 after France for the first time issued its highest heat warning across half the country.

“The sun shows no mercy,” she said, still wearing her orange work uniform.

Rennes this week activated its crisis unit in response to the extreme heat, which forecasters have warned could rival the 2003 heatwave that claimed nearly 15,000 lives nationwide.

Swimming pools have extended their opening hours, neighbourhoods have set up paddling pools and misting systems, and parks are open around the clock to offer respite.

For some residents, taking a dip has become one of the few ways to escape the high temperatures.

“The heat? There’s nothing we can do about it. We just try to cope,” said Houmadi Lailidine, a 25-year-old forklift operator, sitting in the shade of a block of flats with a friend.

“We go out, we head down to the river or the swimming pool for a bit.”

But officials have urged caution around waterways after reporting that 40 people had drowned in the past five days while bathing to cool off.

Maiwenn Degres, a 23-year-old student, said her flat on the seventh floor, wedged between four other buildings, has no air circulation.

“In the flat, we keep everything shut. And then out on the street we look for shade, buy a little fan, go under the trees, and drink cold water or lemonade,” she said.

Others, like 64-year-old Pascal Branchu, have gathered the supplies they need – including a sense of humour – to get through the heat.

“Here you’ve got a lovely view of the concrete,” he said, opening the window of his apartment.

“I’m ready. I’ve got my little glass of water, the bottle, everything I need,” said the former social worker.

But Branchu is not only looking after himself. He has installed two nesting boxes outside his window for the birds of Rennes, a city he said lacks trees.

Home to a brood of tree sparrows and a blue tit, the boxes even feature a “swimming pool” – a little water in a plastic container to help the birds stay cool too. AFP