France’s southwest baked under an intense heatwave on 11 August, with Bordeaux logging 41.6 °C, its highest temperature since records began in 1920 and eclipsing the previous mark of 41.2 °C set in 2019, according to Météo-France. Several other stations set new absolute highs, including Bergerac and Angoulême at 42.1 °C and Saint-Girons at 39.8 °C, while Toulouse touched 41 °C. The national weather agency placed 12 departments under its highest red-level alert on Monday, warning of “exceptional” conditions; the warning will widen to 16 departments on Tuesday, with much of the country remaining under orange alert. Forecasters expect temperatures to stay above 40 °C across parts of the Rhône Valley, Centre-East and the southwest through mid-week, heightening health risks for vulnerable populations and straining energy and transport networks as authorities urge residents to limit outdoor activity and stay hydrated.