The heat wave, which began earlier this week, has already affected the country and led to train cancellations and school closures, among other things.
The French weather agency is now warning of temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, and even higher in some areas from Monday. Paris is one of the areas covered by the red alert, which applies to a large area southwest of the capital.
The Eiffel Tower and other places in Paris have installed water vapor cooling systems to cool visitors as part of measures by authorities to reduce risks, ABC News reports.
Alcohol consumption banned
On Saturday, the government also announced that alcohol consumption would be banned in certain areas during the annual music festival being held across the country on Sunday.
"County administrative boards will issue decisions to ban alcohol consumption in public places in the areas covered by the red alert," the government said in a statement after a meeting led by Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu.
The aim is to protect healthcare and emergency services so that they can focus on the most vulnerable.
The authorities have also put the military on standby for forest fires, among other things, and canceled certain outdoor sporting events.
In Spain, forecasts indicate that the country could experience the warmest June days since measurements began in 1950. Authorities are warning in particular that outdoor activities can be risky, especially for the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
Cool off in fountains
Italy also expanded its heat warnings on Sunday, from seven to eight cities in the northern and central parts of the country. Temperatures are expected to exceed 30 degrees Celsius, but could reach as high as 40.
On a farm outside Milan, owners set up fans and sprinklers to keep cows cool, the AP reports. In Rome, tourists tried to cool their arms and faces in the city's famous fountains.
Germany is also affected by the heat, with several areas under heat warnings.
More than 200,000 people in Europe have died from heat-related causes in the past four years, and most of those deaths could have been avoided, according to the WHO.
