France Records 105°F Highs for Ten Days, Driving AC Installs Despite 'Maladaptation' Policy

{"Technician Dhafer Kahri fields hourly calls for AC repairs in Paris apartments, rejecting zinc-roof jobs where surfaces reach 150°F. Residents now rig sheets and chalk powder by day and open windows only at dawn, yet nighttime lows stayed above 80°F for most of the recent heat wave. Schools closed and trains canceled, exposing the limits of shutters and fans that worked in prior events.","France's official stance labels AC a wasteful amplifier of climate impacts, embedded in national adaptation plans that prioritize behavioral measures. This stance enabled far-right messaging on basic comfort while unregulated window units proliferated. Data from Météo-France show the current streak broke prior records by multiple days, with health services reporting overloads tied directly to prolonged indoor heat exposure.","The pattern reveals an institutional mismatch: preservation rules and energy-incentive structures block efficient retrofits on historic stock, pushing inefficient DIY solutions. White-collar offices already run AC, creating a class divide in adaptation capacity. Without coordinated grid and permitting reform, rising residential demand will hit summer peaks already stressed by electrification targets.","Forward pressure points to incremental policy reversal. Cities may quietly expand balcony approvals while utilities model demand spikes, testing whether France can integrate AC without abandoning efficiency mandates. The next heat episode above 100°F will likely accelerate installations before formal rule changes."}