Saharan Bubble comes to the boil: France on 113F heatwave RED alert for first time ever amid warnings the 'worst is still to come', two die of heatstroke in Italy and animals are roasted alive in 'out of control' Spanish wildfires
Bubble of Saharan air bringing scorching heat across the continent this week, which is due to peak on Friday
Highs of 102F (39C) hit France yesterday - and will likely break all-time record with 113F (45C) tomorrow
Two men aged 70 and 75, and a woman aged 62, have died in south of France from suspected cold shock
All three suffered cardiac arrests after going into the cold sea from hot beaches during European heatwave
Wildfires fanned by wind have ripped across parts of Spain sparking evacuations and killing farm animals
Germany and Greece have also been hit by forest fires as the continent suffers in record temperatures
By Nick Enoch and Chris Pleasance for MailOnline
Scorching France has issued red heatwave alerts for the first time ever as southern regions brace for 113F (45C) temperatures on Friday.
The country's national weather service upped the alert level from orange for the departments of Herault, Gard, Vaucluse and Bouches-du-Rhone warning 'all members of the public should be concerned, even if they are in good health'.
There were further warnings today that the 'worst is still to come' in France, with the Saharan Bubble set to come to the boil tomorrow.
Meanwhile, farm animals have been roasted alive in Spain after 'out of control' wildfires ripped across parts of Catalonia, fanned by hot, powerful winds.
Blazes have also broken out in Greece and Germany as Europe suffers through an 'unprecedented' spell of June heat. On Wednesday Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic recorded their highest-ever June temperatures.
In Italy, two elderly men have died from heatstroke while seven cities have been put on red alert for extreme temperatures.
Helicopters drop water over a fire during a forest fire near Bovera, west of Tarragona, Spain. Officials said today that the blaze, fanned by hot winds, is 'out of control'
A forest fire in Spain raged out of control on Thursday amid a Europe-wide heatwave, devouring land despite the efforts of hundreds of firefighters who worked through the night, local authorities said
Flames rage close to a house amid a fierce forest fire ripping across La Torre de l'Espanyol in Tarragona, Spain today
The blaze broke out on Wednesday afternoon in Torre del Espanol in the northeastern region of Catalonia and by Thursday it had destroyed more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres), the region's interior minister Miquel Buch said
A fireman works on the extinguishing of a forest fire in Ziltendorf near Frankfurt an der Oder, northeastern Germany, close to the border with Poland. Wild fires have broken out amid stifling conditions in the country
Authorities raised alerts as Europe's record-breaking June heatwave threatened to intensify with temperatures heading past 100F. The choking heat has prompted traffic restrictions, sparked forest fires and fanned debate over public nudity as sweltering Germans stripped off
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Scorching France has issued red heatwave alerts in the south as the region braces for 113F (45C) temperatures on Friday. This was the scene in Nice as people cooled off in the sea
A man is pictured jumping from a bridge in the Aare River during the sunny and warm weather, in Bern, Switzerland, this morning
A woman cools off at a fountain in Turin, Italy, today. Hot temperatures and high levels of humidity have gripped the country today
A young man dives into the waters of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris. The capital has banned the most polluting cars from the city amid stifling temperatures
In Spain, soldiers have been called in to help tackle the raging forest fire in Catalonia which is devouring land across Torre del Espanol as Spain roasts in 109F (43) heat.
But officials admit the fire - fanned by strong winds and soaring temperatures - is 'getting bigger' and warned it could eventually destroy 20,000 hectares in what presented an 'extreme risk.'
Dozens have already been evacuated, water-dropping aircraft are helping emergency crews on the ground and distressing images show farm animals lying dead after being caught up in the blaze. The region's interior minister Miquel Buch said the fire may have been caused by 'an accumulation of manure in a farm that generated enough heat to explode and generate sparks.'
Firefighters in Greece are battling to contain a blaze near an arms factory just 30 miles from Athens with the fire already having forced the evacuation of a small refugee camp. Wildfires are common during Greece's hot, arid summers and last year, 101 people died after a blaze swept through a seaside resort east of the capital.
A large area of southern France has been issued with a red alert - indicating a 'dangerous weather phenomenon' - for the first time since the warning system was brought in in 2004.
Authorities also extended restrictions on vehicles, already imposed in Paris and Lyon, to Marseille and Strasbourg in an effort to curb air pollution.
Some schools postponed summer examinations and parts of northern France were put on drought alert, with water supplies to businesses, farmers and ordinary residents restricted. Agriculture Minister Didier Guillaume announced a ban on the transportation of animals until the heatwave has ended.
The Midi Libre newspaper reported that three people have died on beaches in the south of France so far this week because of the heat, though Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said on Thursday it was too early to give an accurate estimate of the death toll.
'Calls to the emergency services are on the rise nationwide. We are seeing the beginning of a clear impact of the heatwave,' said Jerome Saloman, head of national public health. 'For us the worst is still to come.'
Earlier this week, three people died from suspected cold shock after diving into the sea from a hot beach in southern France.
A 70-year-old man suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday at Marseillan Plage, near Montpellier - the day the heatwave began - before a 62-year-old woman and a 75-year-old man died on Tuesday in the same region.
Temperatures in central France are expected to rise to 113F (45C) by Friday, which would break the all-time record set in 2003 at 111F (44.1C).
The wildfires in Catalonia are among the worst it has seen in 20 years, the regional government said, adding that around 30 people had been evacuated from farmhouses in the affected area. Two horses are pictured dead after fires hit their farm
Distressing images show the bodies of a flock of sheep after their barn was hit by fierce forest fire in La Torre De L'Espanyol
A digger was destroyed as a fire ripped across a farm near the village of La Torre De L'Espanyol, in Tarragona, Catalonia
A firefighter tries to extinguish a blaze near Flix as a forest fire raged out of control in the northeastern region of Catalonia today
A farmer looks at burning trees near Flix. Pictures show how dozens of farmyard animals have been killed in wildfires today
Hundreds of firefighters and soldiers battled a wind-fuelled forest fire in Spain amid a Europe-wide heatwave that has sent temperatures soaring to record highs in several countries
The blaze, which spread quickly due to strong winds and temperatures which reached 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit) in the area, forced the evacuation of about 20 people and the closure of several roads, the regional government of Catalonia said
A burnt forest area in Tarragona, Catalonia, northeastern Spain. The fire started in the late evening in the area of Ribera d'Ebre and has burnt at least 4,000 hectares so far
Emergency: Catalonia's regional government warned a wild fire in Spain's north east could eventually devour 20,000 hectares in what presented an 'extreme risk'
This was the scene in Germany where a forest fire ripped through wiidland in Ziltendorf near Frankfurt an der Oder
Fire crews have been battling a fierce forest blaze in Ziltendorf near Frankfurt an der Oder, northeastern Germany
Dozens of schools have already shut across the country due to insufficient air conditioning while in Paris more than a million of the most polluting vehicles were yesterday been banned from the capital for the day, with the city especially prone to smog in heatwaves.
However, French winemakers said the hot weather was more than welcome as it could produce a superior vintage.
There was at least relief for northern Germany on Thursday as temperatures slid to more normal levels for June.
Meanwhile, in parts of north-east Spain, exceptionally hot air could result in temperatures of 113 F (45C) - close to its high of 117.1F (47.3C), recorded at Montoro, Cordoba province, in 2017.
The Aemet meteorological agency in Spain said on Wednesday there was a 'significant risk' in five northern provinces with temperatures of 107F (42C) expected. 'Hell is coming,' one Spanish TV weather presenter tweeted.
The worst is expected on Friday, when 33 of the 50 Spanish provinces face extreme temperatures, which could reach 111F (44C) in Girona.
In Berlin, authorities raised alerts yesterday as the record-breaking June weather threatened to intensify.
The 70-year-old record for the highest temperature recorded for June was beaten in Germany as 101.5F (38.6C) was recorded in Brandenburg, the German Weather Service (DWD) confirmed Wednesday.
The choking heat has prompted traffic restrictions, sparked forest fires and fanned debate over public nudity as sweltering Germans stripped off.
In Greece, where around 100 lives were lost in last year's deadly fires at the coastal resort of Mati, hospitals and officials were on red alert with temperatures of around 113F (45C) nationwide.
Meteorologists blamed a blast of hot air from northern Africa for the heatwave so early in the European summer.
A sunbather showed signs of sunburn as she lay on the beach at the seaside resort of Lyme Regis in Dorset today
The gates to Glastonbury Festival opened yesterday as festival goers transformed the Somerset farm into a city of more than 200,000 people as revellers prepare to bask in a 91F (33C) heatwave
Swimmers at Gourock Pool enjoy an open air swim on a hot sunny summers day on the banks of the River Clyde
A woman swimmer enters the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park, London, as warm weather arrives across Britain today
Festival goers continue to arrive throughout the day in the hot sunny weather on the first afternoon of the festival Glastonbury Festival
Italy's health ministry, meanwhile, has issued a maximum red alert for heat for six cities on Thursday and for 16 on Friday, Ansa reports. (Above, women drink water in front of the Duomo in central Milan on Wednesday)
In France - where the mercury hit 102F (39C) yesterday - three people died from suspected cold shock after diving into the sea from a hot beach. (Pictured, a woman in a bikini walks through a water feature in Parc Andre Citroen, Paris.) Temperatures are set to rocket beyond 100F in France today - before climbing further at the end of the week
A woman enjoys the sun on the banks of the Rhine river in Mannheim, Germany. Temperatures are set to soar in the country
A 'vicious' Saharan Bubble could see temperatures soar above 104F (40C) in France, Spain and Greece today and Friday. In Germany, authorities raised alerts as the record-breaking June weather threatened to intensify. (Above, a woman enjoys the breeze next to a fountain in Berlin yesterday afternoon)
People walk at La Concha beach in the northern Spanish city of San Sebastian at the start of a heatwave tipped to break records across Europe
Weather maps in France showed residents in the far south can expect temperatures of up to 113F (45C) on Friday. The area affected by those stifling conditions is shown in purple in the map
Scientists warn that global warming linked to human fossil fuel use could make such scorchers more frequent.
'Global temperatures are increasing due to climate change,' said Len Shaffrey, professor of climate science at the University of Reading.
'The global rise in temperatures means the probability that an extreme heatwave will occur is also increasing.'
In France, temperatures 'unprecedented' since 1947 - when detailed surveys started - were expected to reach 102F (39C) over two-thirds of the country, said weather service Meteo-France.
... but it's good news for French wine producers
Wine producers in France have taken cheer from the heatwave.
'Two of three days of heatwave in Bordeaux at this time, it's magic!' Philippe Bardet, head of the Bordeaux Wine Council, told AFP.
Temperatures above 104F (40C) would help burn off any of the mildew caused by residual damp, which is 'very, very good for quality', Bardet said.
Authorities were taking no chances after a heatwave in August 2003 was blamed for 15,000 deaths in France, with television and radio broadcasts issuing warnings.
The French government on Wednesday put another 13 districts on orange heatwave alert - the second-highest level - bringing to 78 out of a total 101 the number facing extreme temperatures.
Some schools are expected to close today and on Friday, while several cities including Paris and Lyon restricted traffic to limit a build-up of air pollution yesterday.
Parts of the southeast were sweltering in 104F (40C) heat on Wednesday, with a peak of up to 111F (44C) expected on Friday in the region.
A spokesman for the far-right National Rally, Sebastien Chenu, accused the government of 'blowing a lot of hot air'. He said the country had already learned the lessons of the devastating 2003 heatwave.
In Berlin, a blaze 90 kilometres (55 miles) southwest of Berlin, which started Monday and ravaged around 100 hectares (250 acres), was finally brought under control on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, police in Brandenburg cautioned a naked man for driving his moped wearing only his helmet and sandals.
And in Munich, security guards ordered a group of women sunbathing topless on the banks of the river Isar to cover up.
Hot air blown in from North Africa by an unusually strong jet stream is roasting Europe in an early-June heatwave that has seen threat-to-life warnings issued across France, Germany and northern Spain. Sunbathers relax on La Concha beach in San Sebastian, Spain amid sweltering conditions yesterday
In Germany, rescue services urged people to look out for young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems who are at particular risk in high temperatures. Pictured: Young people cook off in a fountain in Lustgarten park, Berlin yesterday
Refreshing: Children cool down at the fountains of Parc Andre Citroen, during a heatwave in Paris on Wednesday
Temperatures climbed across Germany on Wednesday with many taking to outdoor pools to cool off (pictured, a public pool in Berlin yesterday)
The move backfired, according to the Munich daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, which quoted another sunbather as saying that she and others took their tops off 'out of solidarity'.
It said an urgent motion was introduced in a city council meeting Wednesday to allow topless bathing.
In Austria's Innsbruck, the world-famous carriage horses were given time off as the city recorded 98F (36.7C) late Tuesday, breaking the 2012 record for Tyrol state.
Scores of people have drowned in Poland and Lithuania as they tried to cool off in lakes and rivers, authorities said.
The Polish weather institute IMGW said the country's highest ever June temperature was recorded on Wednesday in the southwest: 107F (38.2C).
June could be a record-breaker! Saturday could be hottest... Let's get this party started! Thousands of music fans arrive... Don't forget your wellies! Hundreds of glamping yurts and...
The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute also recorded the country's highest June temperature: 102F (38.9C) in the northern town of Doksany.
In Belgium, vastly different temperatures were expected with 66F (19C) on the north coast and 91F (33C) in the south, according to broadcaster RTBF.
What is cold shock?
Cold shock, otherwise known as hydrocution, occurs when the human body is subjected to a sudden decrease in temperature.
It typically occurs when someone falls through ice into very cold water, but can be triggered when a body goes from a very hot place - like a beach - to cold water such as the sea.
Hydrocution causes blood vessels to quickly constrict, placing strain on the heart.
While this is not typically fatal, it can cause lethal cardiac arrests in people with heart conditions.
Medics advise entering water slowly during heatwaves to avoid it.
June records are set to be broken this week in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In Britain, yesterday's temperatures of around 80F (27C) are expected to climb further at the weekend when highs of 93.2F (34C) are possible.
In Trier, Germany, it reached 99F (37C) on Tuesday, with slightly cooler temperatures of 95F (35C) expected in Berlin today. Overnight temperatures peaked at 79F (26C), bringing no respite from the heat.
Further north, in the state of Hesse, 38 swimmers, many of them children, who flocked to a swimming pool amid soaring temperatures suffered injuries due to an increased chlorine concentration in the water.
Stefan Rahmstorf, of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, tweeted: 'At our Potsdam station, operating since 1983, we're set to break the past June record by about 2C.'
And in the south of the country, some female sunbathers who went topless at Munich's Isar river touched off a row as five fully-clad security men walked over to tell them to put their bikini tops back on, Sueddeutsche daily reported.
Burly security guards ordered a group of women who were sunbathing topless on the banks of the Isar, Germany to put their bikini tops back on
People swim in the Eisbach river that runs through the English Garden in Munich, Germany amid soaring temperatures on Wednesday
Paris woke up to a thick cloud of smog on Wednesday as strong jet stream winds drew clouds of dust up from the Sahara
A man stands in a park in Madrid at the start of a heatwave tipped to break records across Europe
Taking the plunge: Swimmers cool off in the Eisbach river that runs through the English Garden in the German city of Munich
A woman cools off in a water fountain in Madrid. Experts say such heatwaves early in the summer are likely to be more frequent as the planet heats up - a phenomenon that scientists have shown to be driven by human use of fossil fuels
Several other sunbathers nearby stood up for the women at the weekend, with one telling the newspaper: 'We took off our bikinis out of solidarity.'
The south of France, where the three people died, has been among the regions worst affected by the European heatwave, with temperatures topping 92F (33C) on Tuesday.
The highest reliable June temperature previously recorded in France was 106.7F (41.5C) on June 21, 2003.
The country's highest ever temperature, recorded in southern France on August 12 in the same year was 111.38F (44.1C).
Guillaume Woznica, a French forecaster, said Meteo France was predicting temperatures as high as 113F (45C) on Friday. He added: 'The latest forecasts leave little room for doubt: we are heading for a new national record.'
Prime Minister Edouard Philippe cited the heat wave as evidence of climate destabilization and vowed to step up the government's fight against climate change.
In Paris, vehicles carrying 'Crit'Air 3' stickers will be barred from roads. More than a million cars are registered in that category under the sticker scheme, which assigning vehicles with ratings from one to five based on how polluting they are. Level five vehicles have already been banned.
People sunbathe during warm weather on the grass of a public swimming pool in Prague, Czech Republic, yesterday afternoon
Germany saw a new national temperature record for June on Wednesday as torrid weather gripped large parts of western and central Europe. Authorities in Germany imposed speed limits on some autobahns amid fears of buckling road surfaces, and some French schools staying closed as a precaution. People cool off at a lake in Haltern am See, western Germany
People cool off at a lake in Haltern am See, western Germany as temperatures topped 38C. Europeans are baking in what forecasters are warning will likely be record-breaking temperatures for June
Two women resorted to standing next to sprinklers in front of the Chancellery during scorching conditions in Berlin, Germany, yesterday morning
Sunkissed: Beaches were crowded on the Spanish island of Menorca yesterday as temperatures climbed. This was the scene at Arenal Dien Castell beach
A woman lets herself fall backwards into a swimming pool before drifting around on a tyre on a hot summer day, in Kaprun, Austria
A man cools himself with water at Ada Ciganlija lake in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, amid scorching temperatures on Wednesday
Children are pictured splashing around and playing in the water at Bilzbad outdoor pool in Radebeul, Germany,yesterday
Italy's health ministry, meanwhile, has issued a maximum red alert for heat for six cities on Thursday and for 16 on Friday, Ansa reports.
Forecasters predict temperatures rising even above the record 2003 heat wave with more than 104F (40C) conditions expected in the worst hit areas. Officials warned against exposure to the sun between 11am and 6pm.
Doctors in Rome have warned of possible health hazards caused by overflowing rubbish bins in city streets as the Italian capital struggles with a renewed waste emergency aggravated by the summer heat.
Waste disposal is a decades-long problem for the Eternal City. Rome was left with no major site to treat the 1.7 million metric tons it produces every year when the Malagrotta landfill was closed in 2013.
In Switzerland, a level four warning of severe danger is now in place for the Basel region, central Valais and Ticino with 102F (39C) forecast.
A child cools off in a fountain in Milan, Italy, yesterday . Authorities warned that temperatures could top 104 F in some parts of Europe over the coming days
Kayakers from Port Edgar Watersports, South Queensferry practice by the pier in the Forth of Forth as the weather begins to get warmer
Bathers refresh themselves at Arenal Dien Castell beach in Menorca. Spain will be hit by a heatwave during the week, in which temperatures will reach over 40C
Row your boat: A woman tries to cool off with water during a boat ride at Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain, yesterday afternoon
Summer, Switzerland-style: Tourists headed up snow-capped mountains near Engelberg in Switzerland as they looked to escape from the stifling heat on Wednesday
Children took inflatable tyres up Titlis mountain, near Engelberg, Switzerland, as crowds headed up to avoid the heat
Men, women and children took their toboggans up a mountain in Switzerland - a country that is in the grips of a heatwave
In Poland, the interior ministry said 90 people have drowned this month while seeking to cool off in lakes or rivers.
Likewise in Lithuania, 27 people were reported to have drowned so far as temperatures in the Baltic state soared.
Meanwhile, about half of Spain's provinces are on alert for high temperatures, which are expected to rise as the weekend approaches.
The northeastern city of Zaragoza was forecast to be the hottest on Wednesday at 102F (39C), building to 111F (44C) on Saturday, according to the government weather agency AEMET.
In southwestern Europe, however, some people had other reasons to complain during their summer vacation: the Portuguese capital Lisbon, on Europe's Atlantic coast, awoke cloudy and wet Wednesday.
School exams due to take place later in the week in France have been cancelled to keep students safe, while officials at the women's World Cup - which is taking place in France - are considering letting players take water breaks during games to keep cool.
Large parts of western and central Europe sweltered in scorching weather Wednesday, with German authorities imposing autobahn speed limits amid fears of buckling road surfaces and some French schools staying closed as a precaution. Pictured: A woman cools off by a fountain in Berlin
A stand-up paddler and a sailing boat make their way over the Ammersee lake as sun rises in Diessen, southern Germany, yesterday morning. The country is facing baking conditions over the coming days
People queue up at the entrance of a public bath in Berlin, Germany yesterday morning. Weather warnings are in place across large parts of Europe
Berlin residents could be seen cooling off in fountains and sprinklers as temperatures crept up in the German capital
The Montparnasse Tower covered by high levels of air pollution as seen from Meudon in Paris, France, on Wednesday
People in bathing suits walk through the English Garden in Munich, Germany, as temperatures continue to soar
Stocking up: A man fills bottles with water for his dog at a fountain, as a heatwave hits Ronda, southern Spain
Young people cool off in a fountain in Lustgarten park during sweltering heat in Berlin, Germany. Temperatures across Europe are set to soar to up to 104F
French forecaster Ruben Hallali joked that a heat map of Spain this week looked like Edward Munch's The Scream in a tweet which has been widely-shared this week. It is not clear when the forecast covers
Basque country in Spain was also placed under an orange heat warning, meaning danger to life, with other areas under a less-severe yellow warning
French President Emmanuel Macron said that vigilance was the watchword for the week and insisted the 'whole government' was focused on the crisis.
'As you know, at times like these, sick people, pregnant women, infants and elderly people are the most vulnerable,' he said.
'So we must be vigilant with them and have prevention measures in place in order to intervene as quickly as possible.'
French health minister Agnes Buzyn insisted that authorities 'are not scaremongering' over the heat, which has been compared to the 2003 heatwave which occurred around the same time of year.
Early summer heatwaves are especially dangerous because people's bodies have not adjusted to seasonal norms, making them more deadly than heatwaves that occur in July or August.
The 2003 heatwave led to the deaths of an estimated 70,000 people across Europe, and 15,000 in France alone.
Britain is also set to swelter in temperatures above 86F (30C) following the recent widespread downpours and flooding.
In Austria, Vienna's famous horses were taken off the streets Tuesday amid concerns they could overheat.
In Spain, a TV weather presenter tweeted 'el infierno (hell) is coming', with the centre and northeast put on alert for soaring temperatures. Pictured: people cool off in a fountain in Madrid yesterday
Bishops shelter from the sun as they wait for the start of Pope Francis' weekly audience at the Vatican on Wednesday
Hot wheels: In bizarre scenes yesterday, police in Brandenburg posted on Twitter two pictures of a moped-riding man clad in only his helmet and sandals
Spanish forecaster Silvia Laplana tweeted this heat map of Spain on Monday, joking: 'El infierno (hell) is coming'
Why are temperatures so high and conditions so dangerous?
The heatwave sweeping Europe is being caused by a 2,000-mile wide plume of hot air dubbed the 'Saharan bubble' blown in from North Africa by an unusually strong jet stream.
In particular officials have warned of the dangers of dehydration and heat-stroke while in Germany motorists have been warned of the dangers of 'blow-ups' on autobahns - when the road surface disintegrates and shreds car tyres.
Those attempting to cool off quickly in the sea have also been warned of the dangers of cold shock - otherwise known as hydrocution. This occurs when the human body is subjected to a sudden decrease in temperature.
Parts of Europe, including north-eastern Germany are also at high risk for forest fires.
Meanwhile, powerful winds from the south are also bringing with them a high concentration of small particles PM2.5 which stay in the air for a long time because they are so light.
These fine particles can come from various sources including the likes of power plants, cars, airplanes, forest fires and dust storms.
Fine particles tend to stay longer in the air than heavier particles, increasing the chances of humans and animals inhaling them.
Officials across Europe have released guidelines for surviving the scorching weather and hospitals are on high-alert for a surge in admissions related to dehydration, heat-stroke and other weather-related conditions.
In Germany, rescue services urged people to look out for young children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems who are at particular risk in high temperatures.
Authorities in Saxony-Anhalt, west of Berlin, imposed 60mph speed limits on the usually limit-free autobahns amid fears the heat could cause the road surface to disintegrate and shred car tyres, as it did in 2015.
In Paris, officials pledged to open 'cool rooms' inside public buildings, set up temporary water fountains and leave the city's parks and gardens unlocked and accessible at night.
City workers would also distribute water to the homeless and install fans in schools and nurseries.
France's second city and key tourist hub Marseille has enforced temporary swimming bans on several beaches amid pollution concerns, disappointing locals and tourists hoping to take a dip as temperatures soar.
Seven of the city's 21 beaches have raised a purple flag - which means no bathing - since the start of the month, on days when hygiene inspections revealed high levels of faecal matter.
Marseille is a tourist hotspot, attracting five million visitors per year thanks to its Mediterranean coastline and sun-kissed climate.
But the city, France's largest port, struggles with pollution from industry and shipping.
'It's mostly caused by sanitation problems, but there are also increasing numbers of boats spewing out their grey and black waste before they enter the port,' said Sarah Hatimi, head of the water quality programme at Surfrider Foundation Europe environmental group.
Swimming bans are nothing new in Marseille. Last year, authorities enforced 153 bans amid fears of a pollution spike after heavy rainfall.
Canicule : trois morts sur les plages de l'Hérault depuis le début de l'alerte - LCI
Europe braces for 48 hours of Saharan Bubble heatwave hell
its blowing a gale here in Kent and I have a coat ...
by Dennis Long 212