French Citizens Escape Heat in Hotels

French Citizens Get Relief from Historic Heat Wave by Seeking Shelter in Air-Conditioned Hotels

In view of one of the most severe heat waves to have hit France ever since there is a record, several citizens of the country have been looking for relief from such hot conditions through air-conditioned hotels. In a period when heat wave has been hitting the European region in general and the country in particular with unprecedented intensity, the country is experiencing high number of reservations in its hotels due to lack of cooling facilities at their residences. The city of Paris in France experienced the record breaking temperature of 40.9°C (105.6°F), which was also a record for June. This record comes after a day when France had witnessed its highest temperature ever recorded nearly 80 years ago.

Escaping the stifling heat of their homes has now become essential for many Parisians rather than a luxury. Wherein most countries offer air conditioning systems in their residences, very few French houses have such devices installed. The problem is further complicated in Paris because of the city's signature roofs made of zinc that retain the heat and make the apartments, especially the higher floor ones, scorchingly hot. With the rise in indoor temperature, hotels providing air-conditioned rooms, pool, and cooler surroundings are very much in demand. Hotels in Paris and other parts of France have seen an influx of people from the neighborhood looking for a temporary relief from the heat wave.

The phenomenon is not limited to the capital. In Tours, a western city that is considered historic, hotels providing air-conditioned rooms have been almost completely booked during the height of the heat wave. Most of the people checking into these hotels are not tourists but locals seeking a more comfortable place to sleep and recuperate from the harsh weather. One such tourist is Veronique Savoye from Tours who has checked herself into a nearby hotel for four nights due to un-bearable temperatures in her house."'I could not really focus because of the heat,' Savoye commented, saying that the most appropriate step he could take during that time was staying at an air-conditioned hotel for a few nights."

The growth in reservations from locals reflects how the population of France is getting accustomed to this change in climate due to more frequent and severe heatwaves. Previously meant only for guests, hotels are becoming climate shelters for the inhabitants of urban areas seeking safe and comfortable accommodation in case of severe weather conditions.

Moreover, for hospitality companies, this experience was quite profitable since their season is usually filled with foreign visitors. Meteorologists claim that heatwaves occur more often, last longer and become more severe on the continent due to global warming.For the time being, however, many French citizens find immediate help in rooms of hotels with air conditioning systems, which provide them with a pleasant stay until the weather becomes cooler."