France confronts exceptional drought with widespread water restrictions

France is facing an unprecedented drought and heat wave that officials have described as “exceptional” and “very worrying”. Seventy‑nine of the country’s 99 departments have imposed water‑use restrictions, with 43 of them placed at crisis level, the highest alert ever recorded since systematic monitoring began in 2012.

Prefectural orders in regions such as Isère, Hérault, Doubs, Moselle, Haute‑Marne and others ban or limit lawn watering, pool filling, vehicle washing and outdoor cleaning, often restricting irrigation to night hours and permitting only rain‑water use. These measures aim to preserve drinking‑water supplies, public health and ecological functions.

The drought has sharply reduced river flows, leaving a third of monitoring stations below historic minima and drying up a quarter of small streams. Agriculture is hit hard, with corn crops at risk of total loss in some areas and the agricultural chamber warning of up to 100 % loss for non‑irrigated fields. Industry has also been affected, with three reactors shut down. In response, the Urssaf has introduced financial relief for employers and self‑employed workers, including deferred payments and temporary contribution reductions.

The government is also planning investment to protect forests from fire, urging water‑storage measures and promoting responsible tourism to mitigate the broader impacts of the heat wave across France.