Paris landmarks reduce opening hours amid renewed heatwave
Major Paris attractions are closing early as a new heatwave brings red alerts to parts of France and affects communities across western Europe.
- Major Parisian landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and the Musée d’Orsay, are shortening their opening hours.
- The closures are a direct response to a new heatwave in western Europe, which has prompted high-level heat alerts in France.
- The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre will close at 4 pm on specific days, while the Musée d’Orsay will close at 5 pm through the middle of the week.
- France's weather service has issued a red heatwave alert for 24 departments, with temperatures forecast to reach 35-39°C.
The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, two of Paris’s leading tourist attractions, have announced shorter opening hours over the weekend and into the following week after a new heatwave spread across western Europe, prompting high-level heat alerts in several areas.
The Eiffel Tower said it would close exceptionally at 4pm local time on Saturday (July 11, 2026) and Sunday (July 12, 2026), as temperatures in Paris were expected to be particularly high.
The Louvre Museum will maintain the same 4pm closing time until July 13.
Musée d’Orsay announced that it would close at 5pm from July 11 to 15, inclusive.
The measures followed an announcement by Météo-France that 24 departments in the north-west of the country were under a red heatwave alert on July 11, affecting more than 22 million people.
Many parts of France were forecast to experience temperatures of 35°C to 38°C, while some areas stretching from Burgundy to Pays de la Loire could reach 39°C.
Most of the rest of the country remained under an orange alert as people prepared to celebrate Bastille Day, France’s national day, on July 14.
France is experiencing its third heatwave since May.
Emmanuel Grégoire, Mayor of Paris, convened an emergency meeting on July 10 to prepare measures for the extreme heat.
It was agreed that Paris would extend the opening hours of parks and swimming pools, add drinking-water points and provide further assistance to older people and vulnerable groups.
Neighbouring Spain, meanwhile, is facing one of the most severe wildfires in its history.
Firefighters are intensifying efforts to bring the blaze under control, aided by improving weather conditions, after it spread across a wide area in Almería province in the country’s south-east, killing at least 12 people and forcing more than 1,400 residents to evacuate.
Spanish authorities believe the fire may have been caused by a fallen power line.
Northern Italy is facing a sharp decline in water reserves, affecting the agricultural sector.
The Po, the country’s longest river, is experiencing drought conditions because of the extreme heat.
The River Po District Basin Authority said the situation was “critical” and could have widespread effects on water use and agricultural output if the heatwave continued.
Source: Euronews
