As heat waves intensify across Europe, France is turning to Spain for strategies to manage rising temperatures, seeking both regulatory and cultural adaptations to cope with climate change-related challenges. Recent wildfires near Madrid and Bordeaux have underscored the urgency, forcing over 300,000 residents to evacuate or seek shelter amid rapidly spreading blazes that have consumed vast forests, fields, and homes.
France’s engagement with Spain extends beyond fire management to broader lifestyle shifts. Hervé Farandou, a French government official and former head of the national railway company S.N.C.F., emphasized the importance of cultural adaptation in addressing extreme heat. Spanish customs, such as midday siestas and late-night dinners, evolved as practical responses to hot climates, but adopting these habits in northern France presents difficulties. “Adapting through regulations is one thing, but the real, major challenge is cultural adaptation,” Farandou remarked.
In the wake of the deadly 2024 floods in Valencia, France implemented mandates encouraging workplace protections during heat events. The Greens have even floated a proposal for five days of paid vacation annually to shield workers from extreme heat, though this initiative faces significant political hurdles.
Experts highlight that behavioral changes like modifying daily schedules are cost-effective compared to substantial investments in infrastructure such as widespread air conditioning or carbon-neutral “net zero” policies. Urban anthropologist Sonia Lavabidna noted that adjusting routines “doesn’t cost a penny,” explaining why governments are interested in promoting such changes.
Nevertheless, observers caution against viewing Spanish practices as a panacea. Many traditional heat-adaptive customs are not universal across Spain and are inaccessible to sectors most exposed to heat risks, including agricultural workers, construction laborers, and cleaners. Moreover, Spain continues to grapple with cooling inadequacies; roughly one-third of Spanish households cannot adequately cool their homes during summer months, according to Christian Oltra, a senior researcher at a Madrid-based governmental think tank.
Oltra described Spain’s adaptation as “partial and uneven” rather than comprehensive, suggesting it offers lessons but not a complete blueprint for France. Farandou himself acknowledged that while Spain is somewhat better prepared, there is room for improvement. He supports relaxing workplace dress codes during heat spells, allowing government employees to forgo ties, jackets, or long pants, for example.
Architectural insights also inform the dialogue. Older Spanish homes traditionally feature thick walls, narrow windows, shutters, and awnings that mitigate heat, while many modern French apartments favor large glass windows and Parisian zinc roofs, which intensify interior temperatures. Installing air conditioning remains controversial in France due to environmental concerns, as critics argue the systems consume substantial electricity and exacerbate climate change by releasing hot air externally.
Farandou advocates for targeted installation of cooling in sensitive environments such as schools, hospitals, and nursing homes but opposes widespread adoption of American-style air conditioning in France. He reasons that Spain offers a more culturally and geographically relevant model than heavily air-conditioned regions in the United States, Asia, or the Middle East.
Ultimately, Farandou expressed a firm belief that France must undergo significant cultural shifts to endure increasingly prolonged and severe heat episodes. “Deep down, I have this conviction,” he said, “the French people will have to change something relatively profound in order to adapt to these very long periods of intense heat.”