Heatwave Alert: Citizens Potentially in Peril Due to Canicule Condition
Keeping Cool in the Heatwave: Strategies for Valence Residents and Visitors
Valence, a city located in the Drôme region of France, is currently battling a heatwave, with temperatures expected to reach up to 40 degrees in the coming days. This has led to a variety of strategies being employed by residents and visitors to cope with the intense heat.
Romain Guenzi, a new resident of Valence, moved into his apartment on August 10, despite the 35-degree heat. Guenzi believes that his three-story apartment, which faces east with no opening to the west, is less hot than other apartments of the same style due to its height under the ceiling.
Odile Favrat, another resident in Valence, has resorted to using aluminum foil on her windows to reflect light and keep her apartment cool. While she finds the aluminum foil unattractive, she acknowledges its effectiveness in maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature.
Effective strategies to keep apartments cool during heatwaves include creating shade and blocking heat entry early, using natural ventilation at night, incorporating greenery nearby, utilizing low-energy cooling methods, avoiding or minimizing air conditioning use, and seeking public or communal cooler spaces.
Waiters in Valence are taking multiple showers during their breaks to cool off, while many tourists are asking for help to cope with the heat. Some tourists are using umbrellas to seek shade, and a tourist from Barcelona was surprised by the heat in Valence, as they expected it to be less hot than in Spain.
In an effort to combat the heat, customers in Valence are preferring cold food during the midday break, and the co-owner of a restaurant in Valence drinks approximately 4-5 liters of water per day to cope with the heat.
In the face of the heatwave, residents and visitors are finding creative ways to stay cool. While the heat did not deter Guenzi from moving, he and his unspecified companion enjoyed their Sunday move despite not having many friends available.
The city of Valence is barricading itself against the heat, and residents are encouraged to adopt energy-efficient cooling strategies to minimize the impact of the heatwave on their homes and the environment. By following these strategies, residents and visitors can make the best of their time in Valence during the current heatwave.
French visitors adapting to Valence's heatwave lifestyle are incorporating home-and-garden techniques such as using aluminum foil on windows to reflect light and keep their homes cool. Some even bring umbrellas from home to seek shade, as the weather in Valence during a heatwave can be unexpectedly hot, even compared to Spanish cities like Barcelona.
