Another canicule 🙄

[Polly]

Bayleaf, I’m another who loves putting my feet in water, it’s so refreshing - a washing up bowl gets a lot of use on hot days both in the house and down the garden.

I definitely find high temperatures much more difficult to cope with as I’ve grown older, and feel for those of you who have to work in high temperatures.

It’s 28C here in Berkshire today, a bit high for my liking, but at our place in the Gard it’s around 39C most days just now, which I would hate - according to Meteo-France that's 8C higher than normal.

We visited in June and it was too hot, flew home 2 weeks early as it was in the high 30s each day, with 41C forecast for that weekend - horrible! I had difficulty breathing and spent a day on the bed with the aircon on a low temperature which decided us on returning home quickly.

[manonthemoon2]

There is no point at all in my getting dressed, everything just quickly gets damp. I can't bear it.

Meteo says this for our department "The heatwave episode is progressively extending to the north of the Rhone Valley and the southwest. Wednesday will be the hottest day on a national scale."

[Blaze]

Today we've gone from « alerte renforcée » to Niveau « crise ». It may not be anywhere near as hot as other parts of the country, but the lack of rain this year has led to a huge drop in water levels. Even farmers are not allowed to irrigate except for certain "cultures sensibles" (whatever they might be).
The only thing that affects us :

L’arrosage des pelouses, massifs fleuris, plantes en pot, espaces verts. L’arrosage des potagers de particuliers est autorisé entre 20h00 et 8h00.

We'll continue to water our pot plants with what we save from showering, washing, etc though what they mean is we mustn't use mains water, apart from potagers at given hours.
I'll start doing a rain dance but will have to Google it .....

[Lori]

You and me too. We are following your same rules. Absolutely horrible.

[Liz]

After an early morning walk with the dogs and a few jobs outside we stay indoors as far as we can.
Our garage is under the house so it's cooler, so we often lunch or have supper down there.
Very worried for friends arriving on Friday in a camping car and a guide dog, hope they are given a very shady pitch.

[Hotrodder]

Does anyone have a link to a site that gives the relevant information about water usage by departement? I had one (propluvia) but the site doesn't work, and it wasn't much good anyway. It just gave colours by dept. with no detailed info on the restrictions.

[Sparkle]

Again I've filled my hot water bottles with cold water and they're in the fridge so that I can poddle around with one up my T shirt - worked exceptionally well last time round - phew.

[Blaze]

Damp and foggy this morning, beautifully cool. It's brightened up a bit and a lovely balmy 25°C - perfect !

[Liz]

Does anyone have a link to a site that gives the relevant information about water usage by departement? I had one (propluvia) but the site doesn't work, and it wasn't much good anyway. It just gave colours by dept. with no detailed info on the restrictions.

This page on the dept 22 might help you, the Prefectures always have the info and you Mairie should too:
https://www.cotes-darmor.gouv.fr/Actual ... es-d-Armor

[Bayleaf]

I seem to remember several droughts and their restrictions, over the years. Common ones always include: Only watering between 8pm and 8am allowed - of potted plants only/veg patches (?), no lawns. No washing cars. Share baths (one after the other!), only rinse toilets when really necessary (if it's yellow, leave it mellow, if it's brown, better flush it down!) and suchlike. That was before we were all on water meters too.

Same with power cuts and bad weather - but that's another kettle of fish!

Droughts and saving water/not wasting water, I've known of most of my life. I watch an article about drought restrictions on TV, and now people need telling and explaining why they can't top up their pool, have water fights, splash the hose around for several hours a day.......or so it seems!

Also that they need warning of the dangers of laying too long in the sun - if it feels like you're burning, you are!!!