Eiffel Tower summit closed and parks open overnight as heatwave persists in France

Tourists and locals alike are struggling to contend with spiralling temperatures in France and beyond

Tourists cool off in the Trocadero Fountain at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

The summit of Paris’ Eiffel Tower has been closed to visitors due to the brutal heatwave sweeping across France and the rest of Europe.

“Due to the heatwave, and to ensure everyone's comfort and safety, the summit will be closed through July 2,” read a statement published on their social media account.

“To all my visitors, please protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated.”

Visitors are being advised to postpone their visit until Thursday (3 July).

Authorities in the French capital also announced that it would keep its parks open overnight on Tuesday for people to cool off amidst the punishing heat.

National weather agency Meteo-France issued a red alert for 16 departments, including Paris and all the departments of the Ile-de-France region, for Tuesday 1 July and Wednesday 2 July, with temperatures expected to soar to 40C in Paris today.

The number of schools shut across the country has surged to nearly 1,900, up from just 200 on Monday, in a dramatic response to the intensifying heatwave.

In Paris, parents were advised to keep children home on Tuesday and Wednesday, while towns such as Troyes and Melun closed all their schools.

In Marseille, public pools offered free entry for the duration of the heatwave, according to AFP.

And in Orleans, authorities offered free access to air-conditioned museums in an effort to help locals cool off.

The continent continues to grapple with an “extreme heatwave”, with two deaths linked to extreme heat in Italy so far.

Dozens of heat warnings are in place across France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and well as the Balkans.

“Extreme heat is no longer a rare event – it has become the new normal,” UN secretary general Antonio Guterres warned.

“The planet is getting hotter and more dangerous – no country is immune.”