French heatwave forces residents to sleep in car parks and corridors

During a red‑alert heatwave with temperatures approaching 40 °C, many French residents are abandoning their overheated apartments in search of cooler spaces. Some, like 30‑year‑old Gwen from the Paris region, have taken to sleeping on their balconies and later in underground parking garages, posting on TikTok: “Je suis partie chercher la fraîcheur coûte que peut .” Others, such as a pregnant woman in Metz, have resorted to sleeping in the hallway of their building because studio‑size homes become unbearable.

The improvised shelters often lack basic comforts; Gwen notes she “a un peu souffert du dos” while sleeping on a makeshift raphia mat in her car. These coping strategies highlight growing concerns about health risks, sleep disruption and inadequate housing conditions as France endures an extreme heat spell.

Authorities have issued a red alert, warning of heat‑related illnesses, but many citizens report that the only viable relief is to find any cooler micro‑environment, even if it means sacrificing privacy or comfort.