- France is currently experiencing a lasting heat wave, and 45 departments are placed in orange vigilance.
- Ice cubes in front of the fan, a wet towel at bedtime, a rechargeable atomizer…: several of you have shared your tips with us for getting through this heat wave.
- These tips do not replace the recommendations of the health authorities: drink water regularly, eat lightly or avoid physical exertion.
- A toll-free number has been set up by the government: accessible 24 hours a day, 0.800.06.66.66 allows people to ask questions related to the heatwave.
It's hot ! France entered a new heatwave episode on Thursday which should last a week in some regions. A peak of heat is expected this Friday over much of France, with peaks between 37 ° C and 41 ° C. Météo-France placed 45 departments on orange vigilance this Thursday, located on a wide band going from the South-West to Hauts-de-France.
Several of you have responded to our call for testimonials to find out your tips on how to best weather this heat wave when you do not have air conditioning. Beyond the general recommendations - hydrate regularly, eat light, ventilate in the morning or at night and close the shutters "as soon as the sun begins to lick the edges of the windows" -, Zoubida, 65, shares several of his advice : “Put water bottles in the freezer. Once frozen, place them in front of a fan, or wrap them in a terry towel and put your feet on them. Or: "Refresh hot spots under the tap - wrists, inner elbows and knees, back of neck. Dress in large pieces. "
Celine, 51, also advises "to pass a glove of cold water on the forehead" as soon as the heat is felt. “I use a hot water bottle filled with ice water. It is a real happiness! », Writes Elisabeth, also in his fifties. Maria, 61, has a tip that is not accessible to all mugs: "I put my head under the tap then dry lightly and tie my hair in a ponytail at the top of the head to keep it as long as possible. wet hair as a conditioner. "
Wet towel in bed and electrical appliances off
“When the nights are very hot and stuffy and you can't sleep, moisten a towel […] and lie down by placing it on your body from the chest to mid-thigh,” advises Cathy. , 67 years old, who promises: “You can fall asleep calm and cool! In the same vein, other people have tested and approved the vaporization of the sheets to keep out the heat at night.
At Terrance, 30, “all appliances are unplugged: no fixed computer, television, no oven and no cooking plates during the heatwave, at most the microwave! "Georges, 56, uses a mist" filled with tap ". “If you have an interior courtyard, watering the concrete or the paving stones in the evening allows you to limit the restitution of heat”, underlines Jérémy, “Southerner exiled in Paris” aged 34. To "prevent the sun beating down on the windows or doors", one of our readers residing in Greece and answering the pseudonym "Zozéphine" recommends having "fabrics, for example, always outside".
Strategic outputs
Some of you go so far as to adapt your lifestyle, like Florent, 34 years old: “In a period of great heat, I am more nocturnal, work (because I can) and live at night, sleeping on in the morning in a slightly refreshed environment. "
For outings, it is "preferably in the morning", recalls Mina 37, who thus applies the advice of the health authorities. “I no longer go out without my fan and I use a fogger,” says Marion, 26 years old. And for walks, green spaces are to be preferred, underlines Yara: “I take my dog out when the weather is still good. I'm lucky to have a wood next to it and we take an hour's walk. “In Paris and in some large cities, parks remain open at night during the heat wave. In the capital, the wearing of the compulsory mask in the gardens in the days to come, a time mentioned, has finally been ruled out.
Recommendations from health authorities
These tips do not replace advice from health authorities. The Ministry of Health has also just launched a toll-free number, 0.800.06.66.66, to answer questions from French women and men 24 hours a day during the heatwave episode. And the main recommendations were recalled by Public Health France on the occasion of this heat wave episode:
- Drink water regularly without waiting to be thirsty;
- Cool off and wet your body (at least face and forearms) several times a day;
- Keep your accommodation cool (close windows and shutters during the day);
- Eat in sufficient quantity and do not drink alcohol;
- Favor the cooler hours to go out and, if it is hot at home, spend several hours a day in a cool place (cinema, municipal library, supermarket, museum, etc.);
- Avoid physical efforts.
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Heatwave: Forty-five departments placed in orange vigilance
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