Europe Heat Wave: Parisians sweat through hottest day on record

World
Europe

Europe is suffering from a record-breaking heatwave, the second in just four weeks. Many big cities are not built for high temperatures, so they're doing whatever they can to cope with the extreme situation. CGTN's Stefan de Vries reports from Paris.

At noon some thermometers already indicated 44 degrees Celsius. There is no doubt: this is the hottest day in the history of Paris. Everybody copes with the scorching summer day in their way.

TOURIST "Drinking lots of water, mainly. Sun cream!"

LOCAL RESIDENT "When it's too hot, you should stay at home. And make sure you stay hydrated."

Luckily, it is possible to escape the heat, at least for a little while.

STEFAN DE VRIES PARIS "The City of Paris has installed this giant temporary swimming pool in one of the canals in the heart of the city. And it's a success: over 2000 Parisians come here every day, to seek refreshment from the heatwave."

In another part of town, the attention goes to the most vulnerable group, the elderly.

XANA ROUX, DIRECTOR ELDERLY HOME, PARIS "The difficulty is the length of the heat wave, because, after a couple of days, the body gets very tired."

The largest retirement home in Paris has taken special measures.

XANA ROUX, DIRECTOR ELDERLY HOME, PARIS "We adapt the menus, we serve cold food. We go around regularly with fresh drinks. But old people don't like to drink, so we have to convince them with a varied choice. And we close the stores and the windows."

While the elderly are suffering the younger ones make just the best of it. They have turned a monumental fountain near the Eiffel Tower into a makeshift beach resort.

LOCAL RESIDENT "It's unbelievable. It's so shocking. It's unusual 42 degrees, for Paris."

LOCAL RESIDENT "It's ok, ok. We are having fun, it's hot, it's the heat wave, we're here with the little one. It's good."

STEFAN DE VRIES PARIS "To tourists and visitors, the heat and fountains, are just an extra attraction of the French Capital. But the people who live here, the Parisians themselves, well, they have to face a grim truth. The extreme temperatures of this week may well become the new normal in the future. This is Stefan de Vries, for CGTN in Paris."