A punishing heatwave has descended on France, forcing the closure of 150 schools and rescheduling oral baccalauréat exams for some 4,000 students. Despite the extreme conditions, Paris prefect Laurent Nuñez affirmed that the iconic Fête de la Musique — France’s beloved midsummer night music festival — will go ahead as planned.
The heatwave is part of a broader pattern of extreme summer temperatures now routinely disrupting European public life, from education schedules to infrastructure planning. The decision to keep the Fête de la Musique on track, even as schools shutter, is likely to provoke debate about where authorities draw the line between cultural tradition and public safety.
