Paris Bans Public Alcohol Sales and Consumption During Heat Wave

Authorities in Paris imposed restrictions on the sale and public consumption of alcohol starting at noon on Friday, 26 June 2026, to ease pressure on hospitals during a record heat wave. The ban prohibits public drinking of beverages in groups 3-5, including spirits, liqueurs, beer, cider and wine, except in outdoor seating areas of bars and restaurants.

Takeaway sales of those beverages are also prohibited.

The restrictions run from 12:00 on 26 June until 07:00 on 27 June, then resume from 12:00 on 27 June until 07:00 on 28 June, according to the Préfecture de Police. Météo-France had placed Paris under its highest red heatwave alert for the week of 23–27 June.

Paris Police chief Patrice Faure said Thursday that hospital facilities are reaching a saturation point and the number of hospitalizations keeps increasing.

National sports minister Marina Ferrari stated Friday that at least 55 people have drowned across France in recent days while seeking relief in ponds, lakes and rivers, adding that the situation may worsen. The Netherlands issued its first-ever red alert for heat on Friday, with temperatures expected to exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

A study published the same day by the World Weather Attribution organization concluded that human-caused climate change is responsible for the intensity of the current European heat wave.

The study found that June temperatures now being recorded would have been virtually impossible 50 years ago and that heat waves like the present one are 10 times more likely than in 2003. Lead author Theodore Keeping stated that the chance of such an event has changed immensely and that it would not have been possible in June without climate change.