Eiffel Tower and Paris museums close early amid France's extreme heatwave

A severe heatwave sweeping France has triggered red heat alerts for 24 departments, affecting roughly 22 million people, with temperatures forecast near 40 °C. In response, the Eiffel Tower will close exceptionally at 16:00 on Saturday and Sunday, instead of its usual midnight opening. The Louvre Museum has also moved its closing time to 16:00 through Monday, and the Musée d’Orsay will shut its doors at 17:00 from Saturday until Wednesday. Ticket holders with later bookings will receive automatic refunds. Authorities advise visitors to stay hydrated, use sunscreen and take advantage of water points. The heatwave, the third since May, has already caused more than 2 000 excess deaths in June and around 300 in late May, and has doubled the area burned by forest fires compared with the same period last year. President Emmanuel Macron warned that nine out of ten fires are human‑caused and urged vigilance. Additional measures include extending park and pool hours, opening extra drinking‑water stations, and canceling fireworks for the Bastille Day celebrations to reduce fire risk.