Key Points

• The Pays de la Loire region was hit by another heat wave—the third of the season—which began on July 6, 2026, and ended on July 16, 2026. This was the third heat wave in two months in the Pays de la Loire region.
• It triggered a red alert and lasted 11 days, making it the longest heat wave since the beginning of 2026.
• A regional analysis of emergency care utilization indicates an increase in the composite health indicator iCanicule (which includes hyperthermia, dehydration, and hyponatremia), albeit to a lesser extent than was observed during the second heat wave in June 2026, but over a longer period. An increase was also observed in SOS Médecins calls in Loire-Atlantique related to heat-related iCanicule conditions (hyperthermia and dehydration).
• Trends in the indicators monitored at the departmental level show that the Loire-Atlantique department was the hardest hit.
• Heat poses a health risk to the entire population. The observed health impacts underscore the importance of implementing preventive measures to mitigate the effects of heat.