France will close at least 845 schools and colleges on Monday, June 22, 2026, due to a severe heatwave [1].

The closures represent a critical public health response to extreme temperatures that threaten student safety and exceed the cooling capacities of many educational facilities.

Édouard Geffray, the Minister of National Education, announced the measures on Sunday. He said the closures will occur primarily in departments currently under red heat-wave vigilance [2]. This high-level alert is triggered when temperatures are expected to locally exceed 40°C [3].

In addition to the full closures, approximately 1,800 other educational establishments will adapt their class schedules to avoid peak heat hours [4]. The government is prioritizing the safety of students and staff as 39 departments remain under red vigilance [5].

"845 écoles et collèges seront fermés lundi, principalement dans les départements en vigilance rouge," Geffray said [2].

The decision comes as the heatwave paralyzes various sectors of the country. School administrators in the affected regions are coordinating with local authorities to ensure that students remain indoors, and hydrated, during the peak of the temperature spike.

"845 écoles et collèges ferment lundi et 1 800 adaptent leurs horaires," Geffray said [6].

Officials have not yet specified if the closures will extend beyond Monday, though they continue to monitor meteorological data across the affected departments. The move highlights the increasing difficulty of maintaining standard academic calendars during extreme weather events in Western Europe.

“845 schools and colleges will be closed on Monday, June 22, 2026, due to a severe heatwave.”

The widespread closure of schools in France underscores the growing impact of extreme heat on national infrastructure. By triggering red-alert protocols for 39 departments, the French government is treating the heatwave as a systemic emergency rather than a localized weather event, signaling a shift toward more aggressive preemptive closures to prevent heat-related casualties among youth.