Escaping the Paris heatwave below the Eiffel Tower
STORY: Temperatures were set to reach 106 degrees Fahrenheit in the French capital on Tuesday, according to weather service Metro France.
"Abnormally hot, that's the right word," said tourist Mederic Deleglise, from Montpellier in southern France where high temperatures are generally more common. He joined dozens of people sitting by the fountains to get sprayed by water.
"The temperature there (in Montpellier) is about the same. But actually it's more pleasant in the south than here. It's really like an oven here," he added.
The city of Paris is keeping several parks open through the night, and opened up cooling rooms in town halls to welcome vulnerable residents. People are also encouraged to hydrate themselves, from one of the hundreds of drinking fountains across Paris.
The heatwave looks set to peak on Tuesday, but temperatures may remain above normal into the middle of next week, the World Meteorological Organization said, warning that such events could occur with greater frequency in the future.
