France has experienced its hottest night in decades, with the national temperature indicator reaching its highest level since records began in 1947, the state weather service Météo France said on Tuesday.
The national temperature indicator - an average of 30 reference weather stations on the French mainland - reached 21.6 degrees Celsius, according to preliminary data.
The heatwave continues to spread across the country. At midday, 54 French regions were under the highest weather warning level, red. Never before, since the warning system was introduced just over 20 years ago, had so many areas been simultaneously affected by such a heat warning.
France has been groaning under enormous heat since Thursday, with temperatures climbing to as high as 43 degrees in places.
The authorities have described it as an exceptionally severe heatwave. There is no sign yet of when people can expect relief.
Some schools have closed and in some cases school-leaving exams have been postponed. According to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, 40 people have drowned in the country since Thursday, many of them minors.
