Charles Guyard (in Saint-Brévin) with AFP, edited by Laura Laplaud 9:54 a.m., August 2, 2022

The Julyists experienced it two weeks ago, the Augustians are preparing to undergo it by the end of this week: the heat wave.

At the lifeguard station on the beach of Saint-Brevin in Loire-Atlantique, we are preparing to change the flags according to the state of the sea, but also the temperatures.

After going through the driest month of July ever recorded, France woke up on Tuesday to a third wave of summer heat which rose and intensified in the south of the country, making the consequences of global warming more and more noticeable.

On the beaches of Saint-Brevin, in Loire-Atlantique, rescuers are ready and hoist flags to warn of possible temperature shocks.

>> Find Europe Matin in replay and podcast here

Beware of thermal shocks

"Even with practice, we have to gallop to extricate ourselves from these very hot zones".

These areas mentioned by Alexandre, the head of the lifeguard station at Saint-Brévin beach, are simply the sand which, when the sun is beating down, becomes very hot.

“We sometimes have to help people get back up,” he says. 

>> READ ALSO - 

Weather: what are the right actions to take in the face of the coming heat wave?

Vacationers who, after swimming, can no longer put a foot on the ground to reach their towel.

But when it's very hot, it's especially before going into the water that you have to be particularly vigilant.

"People should not jump into the water as some can do. It's true that there can be accidents," he says.

Change the color of the flag according to the temperatures

To avoid incidents due to thermal shock, the first aid stations have adapted their signage.

Until now, the color of the famous green, yellow, red flag indicated a possible danger due to the state of the sea. This time, the thermometer is also taken into account.

"It is something that is being done more and more, to change the color of the flag according to the temperatures. From the moment, we will see between 10 and 15 degrees of difference between the air and the water, we will change the color of our flame, we will go from green to yellow."

However, there is no question of raising the red flag, since swimming remains the best solution for cooling off.