France Bans Public Alcohol During Fête de la Musique as Heatwave Red Alerts Cover More Than a Third of the Country
The French government banned public alcohol consumption during the annual Fête de la Musique celebrations on Sunday, June 21, in all departments placed under a red heatwave alert, as Météo-France issued its highest-level warning for 35 of France’s administrative regions — the most ever placed under red alert simultaneously. The ban was announced on Saturday, June 20, following a crisis meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Paris is among the departments on the red-alert list, alongside much of central and south-western France.
“Prefects will issue decrees banning alcohol consumption in public spaces in the departments under red alert,” the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement following the crisis meeting. Deccan Chronicle
“For all events organised by the state and its agencies, instructions have been given not to offer alcohol,” the statement added. Tempo
The Scale of the Heat Emergency
Météo-France predicted that starting Monday, temperatures could reach 41 degrees Celsius in some places, and that the average reading across the whole country could reach its highest ever recorded level. The forecaster said the duration of the heatwave was “uncertain.” Deccan Chronicle
“It is likely that the heatwave will continue — or even worsen in some areas — for much of next week,” Météo-France said. thelocal
According to AFP’s calculations, around 26 million people are to be affected by the red alert. Another 45 departments will be under orange alert. Nationally, the heatwave will be comparable to those in July 2019 and August 2003 in terms of day and night temperatures, Météo-France said on X. The LocalTempo
The heatwave, which began earlier in the week, has already disrupted the country. It forced the cancellation of dozens of trains and the suspension of classes. The Local
Why Alcohol Was Targeted
The government framed the ban explicitly around protecting the public health system and the most vulnerable. The Prime Minister’s office said the restrictions were introduced to “preserve emergency and healthcare services and allow medical staff to focus on caring for the most vulnerable.” thelocal
Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire had sounded the alarm the previous evening. “The combination of alcohol, heat and proximity to water — those are three risk factors that don’t mix well,” Grégoire said late Friday. The Local
Specific Restrictions in Paris
In Paris, the Prefecture of Police issued Decree No. 2026-00773 banning the sale, consumption, possession, and transport of certain alcoholic beverages — specifically those in groups 3 through 5 — on public spaces across several areas of the capital on June 21. In the 10th arrondissement, the prohibition on consuming stronger alcoholic beverages in public spaces took effect from 8:00 a.m., except in areas regularly occupied by restaurants and licensed drinking establishments. Sortiraparis
To help Parisians and tourists cope with the heat, authorities kept parks and gardens in the French capital open through the night. thelocal
What Is the Fête de la Musique
The Fête de la Musique is an annual nationwide celebration held each year on June 21 — the summer solstice — in which musicians of all kinds take over the streets of French cities and towns for free outdoor performances, drawing millions of revellers who typically party through the night. The event was first organised in France in 1982 and has since been adopted by dozens of countries worldwide. Its coincidence with Europe’s longest day makes it one of the most heavily attended outdoor events on the French cultural calendar, drawing particularly large crowds to Paris.
Background
France has a formal five-level heatwave alert system, with red being the second-highest level, reserved for exceptional heat events expected to have significant health impacts across the general population — including those in good health. A red vigilance alert signals an exceptional heatwave likely to have significant health impacts on the entire population, including those in good health, with expectations pointing to difficult nights and heat building up in buildings, on public transport, and in public spaces. The 2003 European heatwave killed approximately 15,000 people in France alone, a toll that transformed how successive French governments approach extreme heat events. The Iran war’s disruption to global energy markets has kept European energy costs elevated heading into summer, compounding the economic pressure from sustained high temperatures on both households and energy infrastructure. Sortiraparis
What Happens Next
Météo-France said it was still unclear when the heatwave would end, stating it was likely to continue — or even worsen in some areas — for much of the following week. Prefects across the 35 departments under red alert were tasked with issuing individual decrees to implement the alcohol ban locally. The government’s Canicule Info Service public helpline — reachable at 0 800 06 66 66 — remained operational throughout Sunday. Whether alcohol restrictions will be extended beyond June 21 will depend on how the red alert map evolves as Météo-France updates its warnings across coming days. thelocal
