Parisians walked with umbrellas and water bottles near the city’s famed monuments on Thursday (May 28), as a pre-summer heatwave that has already set national record temperatures for the month of May dragged on.

The scorching weather episode has seen temperatures soaring above 30 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit) across the country ahead of the summer. France saw on Tuesday (May 26) its hottest day in May ever recorded, according to national weather service Meteo France.

Many of the capital’s residents blamed climate change for the weather phenomenon.

“It's just a question of climate change, so we have to get used to it, and we also have to change how we deal with it more generally, on the political but also on the individual level,” industrial worker Chadrac Loembet said.

Meteo France forecast a maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in the city on Thursday.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 28, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. ARC DE TRIOMPHE MONUMENT / THERMOMETER

2. PEOPLE WALKING, ONE USING PORTABLE FAN

3. TRAFFIC ON CHAMPS-ELYSEES AVENUE

4. PEOPLE WALKING, ONE WITH UMBRELLA

5. PEOPLE IN STREET UNDER UMBRELLA

6. (SOUNDBITE) (French) INDUSTRIAL WORKER, CHADRAC LOEMBET, SAYING:

"I think some years ago, the same thing happened in Spain, and I believe in Canada and the United States. But then it's just a question of climate change, so we have to get used to it, and we also have to change how we deal with it more generally, on the political but also on the individual level, with acts that we could do to preserve the planet. That's what I have to say."

7. PEOPLE WALKING

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) CONSULTING FIRM DIRECTOR, JULIETTE NICOT, SAYING:

"We try to take precautions. We talk about air conditioning, I have an office on the Champs Elysees, and for now, I still haven't turned the air conditioning on. We open windows, we try to make sure to close the curtains in rooms and air them out. Small acts like that are good for the planet."

9. PEOPLE IN FRONT OF LOUIS VUITTON STORE, ONE WITH UMBRELLA

10. (SOUNDBITE) (French) RETIREE, JACQUELINE PEDRON, SAYING:

"I think we don't realise the seriousness of the situation enough. Of course we talk about it when it's hot out, but once the heat has passed, I think we forget about it, especially our leaders."

11. EIFFEL TOWER / SUN SHINING

12. OLYMPIC RINGS NEAR EIFFEL TOWER

13. WOMAN DRINKING WATER IN FRONT OF EIFFEL TOWER

14. WOMAN WALKING WITH UMBRELLA

15. TOP OF EIFFEL TOWER, SUN

16. PEOPLE ON STREET, WOMAN USING FAN

17. PEOPLE ON BANK OF RIVER SEINE