Letter from Paris: May 27, 2026 News Digest

The heat wave continues in Paris with soaring temperatures that are unprecedented for May. Le Monde points out that the “heat wave in France illustrates temperature swings made more common by climate change.” Just a week ago, the weather seemed like the autumn, with Parisians wrapped in long coats and scarves. “This unprecedented episode underscores both the earlier arrival of extreme heat due to climate change and the growing intensity of sudden weather changes.” For tips on how to beat the beat during a Paris heat wave, check out Jill Amari’s article.

It’s a good time to hit up a sidewalk terrace- for fresh air, a cool drink, and people-watching. FYI for the summer season (from June 21 to August 30), the city of Paris has renewed authorizations for restaurants to keep their terraces open until 11 pm. Introduced in 2021, the popular concept extends terraces from sidewalks and into parking spots on the street.

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In the midst of the canicule (temps of 33 degrees Celsius, or 91 Fahrenheit), the French Open tennis tournament kicked off at Roland Garros Stadium. As reported by the Associated Press, Marta Kostyuk “fought back tears after beating Oksana Selekhmeteva 6-2, 6-3 on Court Simonne-Mathieu” after learning before the first-round match that a missile almost hit her parents’ home in Ukraine.

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Meanwhile the artist JR is hard at work on the talked-about art installation that’s transforming the Pont Neuf into an enormous inflatable cave. It will open to the public from June 6 to June 28. (Check out the BBC’s time-lapse video.) In an interview with AP News, JR explained that he wanted to “ juxtapose the rough and the wild with the refined elegance of Paris… There’s also a kind of unknown, of fear, of entering into a cave – and at the same time, a fascination.” For background on the Pont Neuf, the city’s oldest bridge, check out Marian Jones’ article here.

The Petit Palais has completed a big restoration of the peristyle around the garden courtyard. Carried out from April 2025 until spring 2026, the project restored the monumental fresco, considered one of the major decorative ensembles of the Belle Époque. It was created in 1910 and 1911 by Paul-Albert Baudoüin, a student of Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, and spans over 1,000 square meters.

The Louvre Museum has announced the architects for its expansion project, which will include new exhibition space for the Mona Lisa. As reported by The New York Times, the project is expected to increase capacity by three million visitors a year. The winning team is international: “Studios Architecture Paris, the French branch of an international firm founded in San Francisco, and Selldorf Architects, a New York-based firm led by the German-born architect Annabelle Selldorf, were selected from a shortlist of five competitors, according to the French culture minister, Catherine Pégard.”

And for fans of the hit TV show “Emily in Paris”: Netflix has announced that the upcoming sixth season will be the last. The final season will star Lily Collins, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Lucien Laviscount, Samuel Arnold and Bruno Gouery. Debuting in 2020, this series amassed 26.8 million views in 11 days the last season. As reported by the BBC, “The series has inspired memes and fashion trends, while its creator Star was honoured with the Legion of Honour by President Emmanuel Macron who praised the comedy drama for putting a spotlight on France. The show has received criticism for its idealised and clichéd view of Paris from some quarters, however, with critics suggesting it presents a theme park version of Paris.”