Europe swelters under heatwave, France restricts alcohol consumption

A punishing heatwave sweeping across much of Europe prompted a partial alcohol ban in France, nationwide warnings in Germany and the closure of a soccer fan zone in Spain, as temperatures climbed towards record levels. France was expecting 35 of its 96 departments or regions to declare red heatwave alerts on Sunday, with temperatures of 39 to 40 degrees Celsius expected from the southwest through the Paris region into Burgundy, with some areas possibly reaching 41°C. After a crisis meeting, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu pre-emptively banned alcohol consumption on Sunday at the annual Fete de la Musique festivals and other public events to be held in those 35 regions on Sunday. Authorities in Paris ordered parks to remain open around the clock, however. A woman protects herself from the sun under an umbrella on the Trocadero square near the Eiffel Tower as temperatures rise in Paris during a second heatwave affecting a large part of France, June 20, 2026. — Reuters Heat alerts were declared in most of Germany, with temperatures approaching 38°C. The DWD weather service warned that a combination of heat and humidity could trigger severe thunderstorms. Cooling beneath a Roman temple Beyond the Alps, temperatures expected to reach 36 - 37°C were transforming daily life and tourism in some Italian towns. Visitors queued under a blazing sun outside the Colosseum as Rome’s summer heat turned sightseeing into a test of endurance. Some sought relief in the cooler underground spaces beneath the half-hidden remains of the Temple of Claudius. In the northern city of Bologna, one of the hottest in the peninsula, people splashed water on their faces at the 16th-century Fountain of Neptune and sheltered in the shade of the porticoes. But in Spain, the football federation decided to close the fan zone it has set up with giant screens in Madrid’s Plaza de Colon square, meaning fans will have to watch Spain’s World Cup match against Saudi Arabia elsewhere. Ironically, the teams th