A first assessment of the historic heatwave which affected France from June 22 to 28 has been published by Santé Publique France.
Extreme heat is dangerous for the body, especially among the most vulnerable, children and the elderly. The heatwave of June 2026 is proof of this with 2,025 additional deaths recorded in France during the week of June 22 to 28, according to figures published by Santé Publique France on July 3. This heatwave episode was recognized as “historic” in France by meteorologists, and affected all regions.
Deaths increased by 29% during this very hot week, compared to the previous one. In total, 8,973 deaths of all ages and all causes were recorded in the week of June 22 to 28, 2026 compared to 6,948 in the week of June 15 to 21. The 2,025 additional deaths linked to the heatwave mainly concern people aged 45 or over (+2,001 deaths) at home. Deaths at home increased by +91% during the heatwave compared to +37% in EHPADs and +19.7% in health establishments. “The 2025 additional deaths concern 60% of electronic death certificates, there are paper certificates which are not yet consolidated so these figures will certainly evolve” said Minister of Health Stéphanie Rist, on the set of the TF1 program Bonjour la matinale, on July 3.
Ile-de-France and Centre-Val de Loire: the 2 most affected regions
This increase in deaths is recorded in all regions, except in Occitanie and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The increase is particularly observed in Ile-de-France (+62.8%, or +619 deaths), Center-Val de Loire (+47.3%, or 121 deaths), Normandy (+53.1%, or 216 deaths), Brittany (+36.0%, or +129 deaths), Pays de la Loire (+62.0%, or +178 deaths) New Aquitaine (+28.1%, or +264 deaths) and Hauts-de-France (+27.7%, or +155 deaths).
The 2,025 additional deaths recorded in June remain, for comparison, lower than those of previous heatwaves. That of the summer of 2003 – the worst climate-related health crisis in France to date – resulted in nearly 15,000 deaths between August 4 and 18, according to Inserm and Santé Publique France. The historic summer of 1976 saw around 6,000 excess deaths. More generally, Public Health France reports recall that heat now represents, in a stable manner, between 1% and 4% of summer mortality each year.
