The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre in Paris closed early for visitors on Tuesday in response to France's historic heatwave, as weather service Météo France raised its heat warning to red alert in 58 regions across the country.
No visitors were admitted to the Eiffel Tower from midday, with the landmark closing at 4 pm (1400 GMT). It was not yet known whether entry times would also be reduced in the coming days.
The Louvre said it will close at 4 pm instead of 6 pm from Wednesday to Saturday. The museum said the historic building was inadequately designed for climate change and that heat builds up in some areas towards the end of the day.
Temperatures of 39 degrees Celsius were expected in Paris on Wednesday, after Tuesday already saw 36 degrees.
Mont Saint Michel advises tourists: postpone your visit
Meanwhile, Mont Saint Michel (Saint Michael's Mount) in Normandy advised tourists to postpone their visit due to the extreme heat, France Info reported on Tuesday.
Temperatures of up to 37 degrees Celsius in the narrow alleyways of the rocky island were making conditions difficult for visitors.
Additional Red Cross and civil protection personnel were deployed on site to assist tourists experiencing health problems in the conditions.
The Météo France weather service raised its heat warning for the country again for Wednesday afternoon. Red alert - the highest warning level - is now in place in 58 national regions, with an orange alert in 31. France is thus almost entirely affected by the heatwave to a serious degree.
