Letter from Paris: August 5, 2026 News Digest

France continues to battle record wildfires, even after the inferno in the Gironde has been brought under control. Scientists say Europe is the fastest warming continent — the wildfire risk is amplified by drought, winds, and high temperatures. Summer 2026 is shaping up to be one of the hottest ever recorded in the country.

To help ensure the health and safety of older people, French postal workers are making house calls. As reported by the New York Times, this countrywide emergency policy was introduced in June by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu: “Through their daily rounds, postal workers are often the only ones who have regular contact with elderly or isolated individuals,” Mr. Lecornu said in a letter to mayors listing measures and recommendations to face the heat.

Speaking of the heat waves, the New Yorker’s “artist at large” created a cartoon we can all relate to: “Ma Vie en Rouge: One sweat-soaked American’s adventures in A.C. deprivation.” Check it out here.

 

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Despite the high temperatures, tourists have not been deterred from visiting Paris. The French capital reported a 2.4% increase over last year, with 3.8 million tourists in June. These visitors are hitting up the major monuments and museum exhibits. The summer season is packed with art and cultural events in Paris. A sampler: the Paris en Seine festival, Alexander Calder at Fondation Louis Vuitton, Matisse at the Grand Palais, jazz in the Parc Floral, open-air cinema at La Villette.

In case you missed it, French lawmakers approved a ban on social media for children under 15. France is the first European country “to pass a blanket ban on the platforms as concerns grow worldwide over the harmful effects of digital content on kids,” explains the Associated Press. The use of mobile phones in school is also banned. This legislation is a “flagship initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron’s second term.”

For those who love good food as much as we do, Le Monde is running a terrific series on culinary institutions that are “more than a restaurant.” From the Art Nouveau landmark in Nantes called La Cigale to Frédéric Anton’s three-star universe at Le Pré Catelan in Paris, the series is a fun celebration of the best of French gastronomy. Other Paris restaurants highlighted in the series include our favorite La Coupole brasserie and the Tour d’Argent.

The Grand Mosque of Paris recently celebrated its 100th birthday. Located next to the Jardin des Plantes in the heart of the Latin Quarter, the mosque was built to honor Muslim troops who fought in the French army during World War I. As reported by rfi, “it was officially opened on 15 July, 1926, at a time when France still ruled over a vast colonial empire that included swathes of Africa and the Middle East.” Nowadays it’s the largest mosque in France and “a prominent symbol of the country’s roughly 5 million Muslim residents.” Read rfi’s full interview with rector Chems-Eddine Hafiz here.