France Suffers Through Hottest Day In Its History — 113 Fahrenheit

"In the small, quaint town of Villevieille, southern France, the temperature soared to 113.2 degrees on Friday."

"Météo-France, the national weather service, issued its highest warning level for four regions of the country."

"'Tons of all-time records in the Mediterranean area, very wildly hit,' Météo-France meteorologist Etienne Kapikian wrote on Twitter. He said the temperature at Montpellier airport, 110.3 degrees Fahrenheit, 'surpassed the previous all-time record' by 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit, with measurements first taken in 1946."

"French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe described the heat as "exceptional in its precocity and intensity," saying government preparations were not an overreaction but a necessity."

"Some 4,000 schools closed for the day out of concern for children's safety, he said. As part of emergency heat wave plans, public cooling rooms had opened in Paris and other cities, and parks and pools stayed open for extended hours. Parisians could also use a smartphone app to find places to cool down."

"But at least four people have drowned in France this week, according to France 24."