Heatwave - dreading holiday in Paris next week

[HotGrapefruit]

DH and I are booked to go to Paris next week. The average highs in June are around 23 degrees, which is about the max I can handle. But the forecast is up to 40 every day. This wasn't what we were expecting at all.

I'm dreading it. The metro doesn't have aircon and neither do any of the places I've booked to eat (I've now cancelled them all). We had an assortment of walking routes planned, but none are going to be realistic.

We've spent a fortune on a lovely hotel room and Eurostar travel, so I can't bear to cancel the whole thing.

Does anyone have advice or reassurance or am I just going to absolutely hate it?!

After four days they'll have done something, don't worry. After the first day's worth of fainters they will have to.

It might be portable A/C units. It could be that many people will have cancelled and you can whisk right through. It might be cancelling/ rescheduling trains.

I kind of suspect the latter, given our experience last year when our seats on the TGV from Strasbourg- Paris was cancelled because the A/C was broken in a heatwave (We threw ourselves on the mercy of the ladies in the Grande Lignes travel centre, and they eventually found us seats - in first class!- that evening (did I mention it was the feast of the Assumption? 😬) And we had a wonderful bonus day in Strasbourg). Obviously SNCF does not = Eurostar, but I strongly suspect that all French railway personnel will down tools if it gets to 43 degrees.

I don't think this is your problem to worry about. I think it will get sorted, one way or the other.

The wooden doughnut of doom.

There's your contingency plan, if the Eurostar check in is hellish/ the trains get cancelled. In the time it takes you to queue for Eurostar/ get to CDG and wait for a flight, you can be on an air conditioned train to Calais (taxi to the port annoyingly) and crossing with P&O as foot passengers. The sea breezes! 🧡 Yes, you have to get from Dover to London, but a small price to pay to be cooler and more relaxed, surely?

Not going to lie, Paris is like London in high heat - quite a challenge. But you have had good advice and the French have good heatwave protocols. Look at online information from the local Maire - they will list things like water stations, air conditioned public buildings where people can go to cool off and misting stations.

You may just have to accept changing how you deal with your holiday. We were in Narbonne last year where it was 39 degrees for the first two days of our holiday. Anticpated trips to archaeological sites and bike rides to the lagoons were swapped for trips to air conditioned museums and galleries and long siestas with later nights.

Don't fight the heat, work with it.

And I am sorry you may have to accept GdN is horrid (strong memories of being kettled in the egates at 37 degrees when the power failed 🥴) If you are concered allow plenty of time for check in.

Also OP it does sound like you are letting yoir anxiety get the better of you, take some time to think about this and it may be better to cancel if you are going to be in a state and not enjoy your holiday.

A word about warnings, it sounds scary but remeber the French government and H&S culture can be a little differnt to ours, there will be a lot more proactiv stuff from government and organisations. You should listen to warnings and follow advice carefully, but these warnings do not mean you are going to be in danger. I think we gst "canicule" advice and warning texts from SNCF pretty much every summer travelling through France.

@Ginmonkeyagain

A word about warnings, it sounds scary but remeber the French government and H&S culture can be a little differnt to ours, there will be a lot more proactiv stuff from government

Yep, fair point, that's certainly true as far as heat warnings go and that's mostly the result of the infamous 2003 Canicule...lessons were learnt from that one.

I’m guessing that is because you are only changing by a day or two, ie the prices are high because it is only a few days out.

How about if you try to change it to October? Eurostar you only pay the fare difference, so if you go for well in advance it should be much less to change the ticket, if not free.

I too agree with other posters; on balance, I’d cancel at this point. The money you’ve already spent is gone regardless of if you go or not.

If you go, then you are actively spending MORE to sit in 40 degree heat for four days. It is going to be brutally hot and more of an endurance event than a holiday, plus you’ll have spent more money.

Gutting to make that call, but I think that is what I’d do.

I was in Paris yesterday. It was hot but its a dry heat unlike the UK so evaporative cooling works quite well. It was also quite windy, which was hot but helped. Battery powered hand held fans were common. The RER wasn't cold but wasn't unbearable. Down by the river the cafes had mist sprays for cooling. I walked around with an umbrella for shade, because im past caring what anyone thinks!

I hope you can find a way to relax and enjoy the time you have there.

Yeah the Paris metro isn't as deep or small as many London tube lines so you don't get the really sweltering heat like on the tube.

Another tip for staying cool in Paris (where I am at the mo): Picasso museum. Gorgeous space, relatively cool inside and wasn't too busy (today at least).
The Maris District was lovely and quiet around 10-11 am but was very rammed later in the day and unpleasantly hot/stressful

Just had lunch inside a Paris restaurant that had no air-con. They had a number of fans and were happy to direct them at our table seeing how we had 2 75+year olds in our party. It was absolutely fine - we were slightly outside main tourist area in the 7ème which may also have helped. Tuesday however, I would look for restaurants with air-con as it’s predicted to be the hottest day ever. I live just outside Paris, mornings are currently glorious so get up early and snooze from 14h-18

Makes you wonder how people who live there manage.🙄

Survival strategies basically atm. It’s unsual for it to get so hot ( but it’s happening more often ) it’s nice until about midday then it’s downright miserable.

I live here. I am going to be a bit controversial here but I honestly would cancel. Even the evenings are hot. Nothing good about traipsing about in a hot city at over 34 degrees.

Up at the crack of dawn to get everything done, then chill inside until 19h. Shutters. A pool. Also don’t work😂.

Not controversial at all. I am honestly baffled at many of the responses here. This is 'bad' weather as surely as harsh winter conditions. You wouldn't advise someone who feels the cold very badly for health reasons who was plunging into Siberian conditions 'you'll be fine! Enjoy it! Just wear warm clothes and have lots of hot drinks!'.

OK, apparently Eurostar are contacting travellers and offering them the chance to reschedule their journeys free of charge. Have you received an email about this OP?

Well the difference is that unless they can book a week away to somewhere cooler , they have to cope. And they won’t be enjoying it either. You are mistaking Paris, a city which rarely has these temperatures with a city that is set up for them such as Seville.

The OP has a choice whether she visits there or not. The people living there don’t.

Someone who can put as little thought into a post as you have @SourdoughSally shouldn’t be eye rolling at others .

I’m guessing you’ve not hit the menopause yourself? It’s not unusual to become extremely intolerant to heat.

But your idea of hitting the gym made me laugh! (I’m not overweight.)

We've decided to cancel and just forfeit the money. We’ve been trying to rebook the Eurostar tickets but their website has been crashing and their phone lines just cut you off due to high demand. So I guess a lot of people are having the same problem.

I’m not telling the hotel because if they won’t let me reschedule I don’t see why I should let them rebook the room! Am I mean?!

A lot of the comments on this thread saying it’s fine etc I think don’t appreciate that it might be fine at 30 but it’s going to be up to 45 which is very different!

Did you mean to be this rude?

I was meant to be in Paris for work meetings this week and they've just been cancelled, which is extremely unusual, so I think you've made the right decision, OP.

@Roonan I'm sorry you're struggling with your personality. I understand therapy can sometimes be successful in helping you learn to regulate that.

I think youve done the right thing.

I'd definitely keep on politely with the hotel, cancel the room, and keep trying for a rebook or any discount. Put it all in writing and keep asking- escalate it.

I hope you'll be able to rearrange the eurostar too.

GL.

You’ve made exactly the right decision @HotGrapefruit I know it’s galling to lose the money but I think better than going and suffering.