Paris: France experienced an estimated 1,243 excess deaths during the heat wave from July 3 to July 22, as reported by local media on Wednesday, citing figures from the Health Ministry. The data was extrapolated from 5,000 municipalities across the nation and linked to an increase in all-cause mortality during the heat wave.

According to Anadolu Agency, the excess mortality during this period was about four times lower than the previous heat wave from June 17 to July 2, which saw nearly 5,800 excess deaths nationwide. A shorter heat wave in late May resulted in around 300 excess deaths.

Certain regions, such as the southeast and the island of Corsica, did not experience excess mortality during the June 17-July 2 heat wave, while the Paris region was notably affected. The Grand Est and Pays de la Loire regions were among the hardest hit during the July heat wave.

Guillaume Boulanger, head of the unit for the quality of living and working environments and population health at Public Health France, stated that the exact causes of the excess deaths remain unknown. He noted that specific studies of death certificates will be necessary to analyze the causes and profiles of these deaths.

The data suggests that individuals under the age of 15 were spared during the previous heat wave, while older populations faced the greatest impact. There was a significant increase in deaths among people aged 45 and older.

While excess mortality recorded after a heat wave does not allow for the formal attribution of individual deaths to high temperatures, historical data shows that in 2025, 1,900 deaths were attributed to three heat waves, with 5,700 heat-related deaths recorded over the entire summer season.

Currently, France is experiencing another heat wave in August, which has yet to conclude in the southeast of the country. A comprehensive human toll for the summer of 2026 is anticipated to be published in September, with a final assessment following further studies.