Laikjõe is currently in Brittany, usually considered the coolest region of France, but even there temperatures reached 40–41 degrees in recent days.

She said giving tours in Paris has become nearly impossible. The heat has also affected major attractions, and the Louvre has already been forced to close its doors from midday on several days.

"My colleagues say it is practically impossible to work in Paris because it is too hot. People get exhausted, and walking around the city becomes pointless," she said.

Laikjõe said she has also changed the structure of her tours. Instead of long walks, she now makes stops in churches, where the temperature is noticeably lower. "Fortunately, churches in French cities are free and pleasantly cool."

She considers the situation in healthcare the most serious. She said there are fears that the 2003 heat wave, which claimed thousands of lives in France, could repeat itself. Elderly people living alone are especially vulnerable, as many French homes still lack air conditioning. Television channels are urging people to check on their neighbors to ensure no one is left alone in dangerous heat.

Laikjõe said authorities are trying to help by distributing free drinking water on streets and in train stations. At the same time, the heat is affecting transportation. "Everyone boards trains with fear, unsure whether the train will even make it," she said.

Schools are also affected, as the academic year in France lasts until July, and high temperatures make both classes and exams difficult.

But the crisis does not affect only people. "Agriculture is a problem. It is a very big concern. Animals are suffering in extreme heat. Everything is truly in crisis right now," she said. The risk of forest fires is also a major worry.

Laikjõe believes the country was not prepared for such an extensive heat wave. "They hope people will prepare themselves and buy cooling systems," she said, noting that stores have already been emptied of fans and other cooling devices. "They are being ordered in massive quantities from all over the world, and there still aren't enough."

She said the scale of the heat wave has not been taken seriously enough. What makes the situation especially worrying is that the extreme temperatures arrived already in June. "But what will happen in July and August? August is usually the hottest month in France," she said.

Laikjõe believes the heat will also change French vacation habits. While people have traditionally preferred to holiday within France or in Southern Europe, this year more may choose northern destinations. "I do think a smart French person will decide to vacation farther north this time."

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