Heat wave: taken by storm, bathing places in Île-de-France forced to close their doors – Le Figaro

Several leisure bases, saturated, had to close their doors to new arrivals on Saturday afternoon. France is suffering under the weight of an exceptional heat wave this weekend. And in the capital and its conurbation, the swimming pools and lakes and other bathing places are ideal for escaping the heat of the asphalt and Parisian traffic. Read also Heat wave: will we have to do without air conditioners in the future (and what to replace them with)? In the 15th arrondissement of Paris, the 7000m2 of Aquaboulevard, dedicated “to all aquatic pleasures” were overwhelmed with swimmers from the morning who came to cool off, as can be seen in many images published on social networks. Elsewhere in Ile-de-France, bathing places were also taken by storm, such as the Cergy Pontoise leisure center where attendance exploded during the day. Closures A sign of this overcrowding, traffic was quickly saturated around the Cergy-Pontoise leisure center, forcing the Val-d’Oise police headquarters to dissuade potential newcomers. “The capacity of the leisure base is reaching its maximum,” she posted on Twitter, pointing out too high a concentration of vehicles. From 8:30 this morning, traffic jams were forming on the A13, with Parisians leaving for the weekend and those going to these leisure bases. In Seine-et-Marne, many bathers fleeing the heat also swept over the Torcy leisure center with long queues in the heat. And as the Ministry of the Interior indicated in a tweet at the start of the afternoon, “temperatures inside a vehicle can climb excessively quickly”, and it is imperative not to leave children alone in a car in this context. In another video posted on social networks, we can also see several dozen people breaking into the Torcy leisure base, after forcing an entry. Read also Heat wave: the forests of Île-de-France under tension To minimize the risks, it is also in this spirit that the prefecture of Seine-et-Marne announced the closure of the base at the end of the afternoon of leisure activities in Jablines, “following a very high influx and to guarantee the safety of all”. “In order not to find yourself in the heart of strong slowdowns, avoid the area”, also warned the prefecture. Also in the Yvelines, the Etangs de Hollande leisure base at Les Bréviaires was closed due to overcrowding.