Paris Bans Public Alcohol Drinking Amid Heat Wave

Thousands of French soccer fans are expected to congregate in Paris on the evening of June 26 to watch the country’s World Cup match against Norway.

A sign reading 'During intense heat protect yourself' inside an air-conditioned room open to the public inside the 17th arrondissement city hall in Paris on June 25, 2026. Alice Sacco/Reuters

The head of the Paris police has imposed temporary bans on public alcohol consumption, saying it is necessary to take pressure off the city’s hospitals, which are struggling to cope with increased intake due to the heatwave affecting France.

Patrice ​Faure told BFM TV on June 25 that ⁠there would also be a ban on the sale ⁠of ​alcoholic products from ​midday local time on June 26 until 7 a.m. on June 27, repeated on Saturday and Sunday.