Heatwave widens cooling gap in French suburbs and mountain towns

France’s recent heatwave has left residents in poorer Paris suburbs searching for unsafe or improvised ways to cool down, while wealthier households and mountain towns have more protection from rising temperatures. Al Jazeera reported from Saint-Denis and Chamonix that the heat is exposing gaps in housing, public space and access to cooling.

In La Plaine, near the Stade de France, Ibrahim Doukanthi told Al Jazeera he had been jumping into the Canal Saint-Denis even though swimming there is not allowed. He said the water looked green, which made him uneasy, but he still used the canal to escape the heat because his apartment building has no air conditioning.

Doukanthi said he also sprays himself with water and sits in front of a fan. The workaround is common in parts of the Paris region where older housing, limited green space and low incomes leave residents with fewer options during heatwaves, according to people interviewed by Al Jazeera.

Natifa Segli, a municipal employee in Saint-Denis, told Al Jazeera that offices were also too hot during the recent spell. She said she did not believe France had learned enough from the deadly 2003 heatwave and expected to rely on shade as temperatures rose again.

Residents say public cooling options fall short

Louiza Ammari, a childcare worker who lives in social housing, told Al Jazeera that her family had few ways to cool off. She said police stopped residents in her building from setting up an inflatable pool for children, renters were not permitted to install air conditioning, and a municipal pool with free swimming hours did not allow burkinis.

France recorded 2,025 additional deaths during the heatwave in the week of June 22, according to the national public health agency cited by Al Jazeera. The agency reported a 30 percent week-over-week rise in deaths nationwide and a 62 percent rise in the Paris region.

Bruno Villalba, a political science professor at AgroParisTech Paris-Saclay who studies political ecology and environmental policy, told Al Jazeera that extreme heat reflects social vulnerability, especially in housing. He said wealthier residents can insulate homes, buy portable air conditioners, eat fresh produce or leave the city during hot periods, while many lower-income residents cannot.

Mael Ginsburger, a lecturer at Universite Paris Cite who studies inequalities tied to the ecological transition, told Al Jazeera that people experience climate-related heat differently depending on health, housing and income. His research found that 70 percent of wealthy households in France consider their homes properly insulated against heat, compared with 46 percent of lower-income households.

Ginsburger’s research also found that 66 percent of people now report suffering from heat in summer, compared with 46 percent who report suffering from cold in winter. He told Al Jazeera that overcrowded and deteriorated housing is often poorly insulated and that cities such as Marseille and Lyon are especially exposed to heat.

Homeless people face higher risks

Paul Alauzy of Medecins du Monde, also a member of the activist group Le Revers, told Al Jazeera that people living outside have little relief during heatwaves. He said temperatures felt on asphalt can often reach 45C to 50C, and he called for longer-term policies to reduce the number of people on the streets.

Al Jazeera reported that French authorities usually add emergency shelter places and temporary water stations during heatwaves and cold spells. Alauzy said those measures are insufficient.

Villalba told Al Jazeera that trees help regulate temperatures but have been pushed out of many urban areas, especially deprived neighborhoods. Ammari said schools and other public infrastructure in places such as Saint-Denis are not equipped well enough for heat.

Altitude offers relief, but climate change is visible

In Chamonix, temperatures climbed above 30C during the latest heatwave, about 10C above normal for late June, according to Al Jazeera. The Bossons Glacier above the town has visibly receded, and conditions on routes up Mont Blanc and nearby peaks are becoming more dangerous because of rockfall risks.

Jean-Michel Bouteille, the recently retired director of municipal services in Chamonix, told Al Jazeera that the town benefits from its 1,000-metre altitude, nearby forests and accessible green spaces. He said nights remain comfortable there, even as climate change brings higher temperatures and visible damage to the glacier.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.