2025 Among France's Four Hottest Years Amidst Rising Climate Anomalies

France's climate in 2025 has marked a significant departure from historical norms, with the year ranking as the third or fourth hottest since records began in 1900. Météo-France's annual climate report, released on December 15, reveals an average temperature of approximately 14°C across France, exceeding the seasonal reference average of the 1991-2020 period by one degree. This anomaly means that nearly half of the year experienced temperatures above normal.

Virginie Schwarz, president of Météo France, highlighted that the intense heat of 2025 has propelled this year into the top four hottest years recorded in the country’s history, pushing the infamous heatwave year of 2003 out of the top ten—a list now entirely composed of years after 2010. Since the start of the 20th century, temperatures in France have risen by 2.1°C, a sign of accelerating human-induced climate change impacting all regions of the nation.

The decade starting in 2010 has seen the hottest years on record, with 2022 and 2023 still holding the first and second positions, followed closely by 2025 and possibly surpassing 2024. On a global scale, 2025 is also projected to be among the top three hottest years ever measured, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

These temperature anomalies have manifested in various extreme weather patterns throughout France in 2025, including heatwaves, widespread droughts, record wildfires, and extensive flooding, underscoring the profound effects of climate change already underway.