Rare May Heatwave in France: Parisians Choose Adaptation Over Air Conditioning

Summer has not officially arrived, but France is already experiencing a rare May heatwave. Paris has seen frequent rain recently, so many people are taking advantage of the sunshine to go out and play in the water or sunbathe. Some believe that one should try to adapt to climate change rather than rely on air conditioning. The temperature in Paris rose to 34 degrees Celsius today, while late May usually sees temperatures around 20 degrees. Météo-France announced that the orange heat alert will be extended to 17 departments tomorrow, including Paris, with temperatures expected to reach 32 to 34 degrees, or even 35 degrees. Under the 'heat dome' effect, record-breaking temperatures have appeared in many parts of France, but many Parisians still choose to enjoy the sun during less dangerous hours, such as dining at outdoor cafes, taking children to play in parks, or sunbathing on the grass. Christophe, who was playing in the water with his children in a park in the 15th arrondissement, told reporters, 'I'm glad the rain has finally stopped. Now that the sun is out, we are enjoying it.' Based on his long-term experience living in Paris, such high temperatures in May are indeed rare, but for him, it is not too hot yet, and he sleeps well at night. He does not have air conditioning at home and does not think it is a necessary piece of equipment. 'One should try to adapt to a life without air conditioning. This might be a simple solution,' he said. Sacha, who was sunbathing with a female friend, also believes that healthy people should try to adapt to the weather rather than rely on air conditioning. He owns a large apartment with excellent ventilation, so he can cope with the heat without air conditioning. He also expressed concern about climate change: 'Extreme weather events have occurred frequently in the past 10 years, not only in France but all over the world, so it is obviously worrying.' To provide residents with places to cool off, the Paris municipal government has extended the opening hours of some parks until midnight. In addition, the city encourages people with health problems or those living alone to register with the city's Reflex system to receive phone notifications during special events like heatwaves. La Chaîne Météo estimates that over 1,000 high-temperature records have been broken across France in the past six days, and temperatures are expected to drop by the weekend.