Day 2270 (Saturday) 26th August 2023

Today’s photos…

This is Villefranche sur Mer – you can just about see our balcony behind the pale green house with pale green shutters.

and this is David Niven’s house in Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat

We had yet another check-out/check-in today so Huw, Suzanne and I spent the whole morning getting it ready. 

This is the back of the apartment.

It was very hot again but the forecast says there’s going to be a big storm tomorrow, which will spoil my petanque picnic plan. Tamsin has offered to have it at their place under an awning, so we’ll just have to wait and see how it is tomorrow. It hasn’t rained since Easter – why tomorrow?

This was poor Badger trying to keep cool last night.

'Avoid iced water and air-conditioning on max' - How the French stay cool in a heatwave

With France sweltering under a long-lasting heatwave, much of the conversation in the country is about how to keep cool - and some of the solutions might not be what you would expect.

As temperatures rise France's local and national government activates emergency heat plans and issues advice on staying safe as the temperatures rise. Much of it is common sense - stay in the shade, drink plenty of water, limit physical activity during the hottest part of the day.

And when temperatures soar you'll also hear lots of advice from friends, neighbours and media on good practice in a hot climate  - such as shutting the shutters, staying indoors during the hottest part of the day, wearing loose clothes in natural fibres like cotton or linen and wearing hats outdoors.

Then there are the 'fausses bonnes idées' - things that sound like a good idea but actually aren't. Here's the French advice on some common behaviours that might actually not cool you down as much as you think.

Turning the air-conditioning up to max

Entering a room where the AC is set to 'Arctic' can feel delightful on a hot day - but it's actually better to have it set to a slightly higher temperature.

Why is that a bad idea? There are some people who will tell you that air-conditioning is inherently unhealthy. There isn't much evidence to support that idea, but very abrupt changes in body temperature between a scorching outdoors and a freezing indoors can cause headaches, mild nausea or cold-like symptoms, according to Dr Michel Cymes.

Engie - which controls the French energy grid - says the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature should not exceed 8C, pointing out that "the aim is not to be cold, but to improve comfort". 

It recommends a temperature of between 23C and 27C in the bedroom to give the optimum sleeping temperature, and suggests a gradual lowering of the temperature in the main rooms, rather than setting the air-con directly to its coldest setting.

The French government's energy-saving guidelines recommend not turning on the AC until the outdoor temperature is above 26C.

Drinking iced drinks

We all know that drinking plenty of water is vital when it's hot - but although iced water sounds like the most refreshing choice, it might not be as cooling as you think.

Why is it a bad idea? Drinking iced water won't do you any harm, but might cool you down less than un-iced water. The reason for this is that the stomach has temperature sensors, which when confronted with very cold liquids will instruct the body to warm up - which is not what you want.

Paris-based cardiologist Alain Ducardonnet told French TV channel BFM: "The ideal is to drink water at room temperature or a little cooler."

The French Ministry of Health also recommends avoiding sodas and sugary drinks, as well as those with high caffeine content as these have a diuretic effect (they make you pee) and are therefore dehydrating.

Drinking a cold beer/wine

There was once an entire movie made about a man in a hot desert who really wanted a cold beer or chilled rosé can sometimes feel like the only solution on a scorching day.

Why is it a bad idea? The Health Ministry recommends avoiding alcohol entirely when it's very hot, as it will dehydrate you and ultimately make you feel worse.

If you really can't face that idea, low-alcohol wines are recommended. La Revue du vin de France wine guide recommends "a fresh white wine", from Savoie for example.

France also has an increasing range of alcohol-free beers which are refreshing on a hot day.

Taking a cold shower 

Regularly cooling down with a bath or shower is highly recommended when it's hot - but an ice cold shower is not recommended.

Why is it a bad idea? The body wants to regulate itself at the standard temperature of 37C. If you're under an ice cold shower it will try to warm itself up with shivering, goose-bumps and other warmth-generating techniques that will continue once you're out of the shower, making you hotter overall.

The ideal is a tepid or lukewarm shower. Dr Ducardonnet also advises against towelling yourself dry - let the water evaporate off your skin and it will act like sweat and cool you down.

Jumping into cold water 

When you're hot and sweaty and uncomfortable the idea of taking off your clothes and diving into the nearest body of water can be a very appealing one.

Why is this a bad idea? Swimming in general is an excellent idea and a great way to cool off. Likewise French cities allow you to cool off in fountains or water features on hot days (although you probably shouldn't strip off entirely. Unless you're a toddler, they get away with it).

But jumping into a cold lake or river can be dangerous - every summer in France around 1,000 people drown doing exactly that. In addition to the usual risks of swimming in unregulated spaces, very cold water can cause hydrocution - when the body cools too rapidly on entering the water.

"This thermal shock can lead to unconsciousness in the water, resulting in drowning", notes the French Ministry of Health. However, there are signs that can alert swimmers before they feel faint, such as "cramps", "headaches" or severe "anxiety".

On very hot days you should enter the water gradually, wetting the back of your neck first, rather than jumping straight in.

To finish here are some more French idioms…

entrer quelque part comme dans un moulin – to waltz in somewhere as you please
Literal Translation: to go inside a place as inside a mill

être le dindon de la farce – to be the butt of the joke
Literal Translation: to be the turkey of stuffing

être au four et au moulin – to wear too many hats
Literal Translation: to be at the oven and the mill at the same time

être bien dans sa peau – to feel good about one's self
Literal Translation: to be good in one’s skin

être long(ue) à la détente – to be slow on the uptake
Literal Translation: to be slow on the trigger

être à l’ouest/à la ramasse – to run on empty
Literal Translation: to be in the west/picked up
After studying all night for a test you might use this idiom to say Je suis à la ramasse.