'This Is a First': Scorching Heat Triggers Early Closures at Major Tourist Attractions

Tour de France Also Shortens Course in Unprecedented Move

Due to the heatwave sweeping across Europe, the famous tourist landmark Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, has decided to shorten its operating hours.

On July 11 (local time), AFP reported that the Eiffel Tower would close early on July 11 and 12 due to abnormal high temperatures, operating only until 4 p.m. The Eiffel Tower, which attracts 7 million tourists annually, typically remains open past midnight during the peak season. However, as its iron structure can warp in extreme heat, the decision was made to close early for safety reasons. The Eiffel Tower also closed early at the end of last month due to an intense heatwave that pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, and just two weeks later, its operations have been disrupted again.

Not only the Eiffel Tower but also leading attractions such as the Louvre Museum and the Orsay Museum have decided to shorten their operating hours. The Louvre announced it would close at 4 p.m. from July 10 to 13, and the Orsay Museum will close at 5 p.m. until the 14th.

Even the world’s most prestigious road cycling race, the Tour de France, which kicked off on July 4, has shortened a 185.5 km segment of its hilly course by 30 km out of concerns for athletes’ health. Tim Merlier, a Belgian cyclist participating in the Tour de France, remarked, "The race has been going on for a week now, and it has always been above 35 degrees Celsius," adding, "It's really hard to get water, ice, and drinks from the support vehicles."

The Tour de France, first held in 1903 and boasting a history of 123 years, has previously altered routes or faced operational disruptions only for major reasons such as wars or landslides. This is the first time that a course change has been made solely due to heat.

Currently, France has issued the highest-level heatwave warnings for more than a quarter of its mainland, including the capital Paris. The heatwave is expected to continue through July 14. Amid the heatwave, concerns about the eruption of wildfires have also been raised. France has even canceled fireworks displays that were scheduled to take place in several locations on July 14, which is Bastille Day.

France recorded over 2,000 excess deaths due to the record-breaking heatwave in June. The number of deaths has increased particularly noticeably among those aged 45 and above.

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the climate monitoring agency of the European Union (EU), the average temperature in Western Europe last month was 20.74 degrees Celsius, the highest ever recorded for June. Health authorities across Europe have implemented emergency measures around the clock to protect the elderly and those with chronic illnesses.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.