French race to get hold of air conditioning as yet another heatwave looms
Key takeaways
- Issued on: 02/07/2026 - 12:25Modified: 02/07/2026 - 12:29
- By: FRANCE 24 An air conditioning unit is installed in a home in Mericourt, northern France, on June 19, 2026.
- Read moreHealthcare in a heatwave: French hospitals and aged care homes bear the brunt of rising temperatures
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Police were called to supermarkets in the Paris area on Thursday as huge crowds descended on discount stores hoping to get hold of affordable air-cooling units before the third heatwave of the year engulfs the French capital this weekend.
Issued on: 02/07/2026 - 12:25Modified: 02/07/2026 - 12:29
By: FRANCE 24 An air conditioning unit is installed in a home in Mericourt, northern France, on June 19, 2026. © François Le Presti, AFP Hundreds of people were besieging Lidl supermarkets in and around Paris on Thursday, with scuffles and shouting matches breaking out as residents scrambled to get their hands on bargain air-cooling units before the next heatwave hits the French capital.