France heatwave raises drowning warnings

A heatwave across France, with temperatures reaching up to 37 °C, has triggered a surge in water‑related accidents. In the Pays de la Loire region alone, drownings rose 14 % in 2025, totaling 66 incidents of which 24 were fatal. Officials stress that children must never swim alone, that bathing is prohibited in unmonitored rivers and lakes, and that adults should keep constant supervision even when flotation devices are used.

Local authorities are responding with increased police patrols along the Loire and other waterways, and some municipalities, such as Paris, have opened temporary supervised swimming zones like the Canal Saint‑Martin to provide safer alternatives during the heat spell.