France has officially had its hottest ever day with temperatures hitting 44.3C.
The soaring temperature was recorded in the southern town of Carpentras, just topping the previous record of 44.1C set in 2003.
Schools in the area have been closed and Mayor Étienne Baudu has said officials will be checking in on vulnerable people during the heatwave.
The weather in France has prompted an unprecedented red alert for four areas - all in the south, while most of the rest of the country is on orange alert, the second highest level of weather warning.
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Health minister Agnès Buzyn has warned residents to take the heat seriously and avoid activities such as jogging between the hours of noon and 2pm.
She also warned parents not to leave their children in cars.
As some accuse the French government of going overboard with its reaction to the heatwave, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said: "This heatwave is exceptional by its intensity and its earliness.
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"Measures have been taken for the most vulnerable people. But given the intensity of the heatwave, it's the entire population who must be careful today... both for oneself and for loved ones and neighbours."
As the hottest ever temperature was announced, the country's weather service said it was only a provisional record as it could get even higher later.
Sweltering temperatures are being felt across large parts of mainland Europe, including Spain, Germany and Czech Republic.
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A huge wildfire has raged in Spain, reportedly due to a mound of chicken dung combusting in the heat.
Meanwhile, in the UK temperatures could reach 30C today in parts of southern west England - with London expected to hit 33C tomorrow.
As ever, if you are out and about in the sun, stay safe, use SPF, keep hydrated and don't do anything silly.
