Some of Europe’s most visited landmarks are cutting their hours as a brutal heat wave strains cities built for crowds, not 104-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. In Paris, the heat upended peak tourist season, forcing the Louvre to close two hours early, the Eiffel Tower to shut ahead of schedule, and other major attractions to shorten hours or close sections.

Heat Wave Disrupts Travel

The Louvre said it would close at 4 p.m. from Wednesday through Saturday, with final admissions at 2 p.m. and automatic refunds for visitors holding later reservations. The Eiffel Tower’s reduced hours cut into a summer schedule that normally runs well into the night. During peak season, the monument is typically open from 9 a.m. until 12:45 a.m., but it closed to visitors at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, with last entries at 12:15 p.m.

The decision affected one of the world’s busiest paid landmarks. The tower’s operator said more than 6.75 million people visited its upper levels in 2025. Travel was also disrupted in other parts of Europe. London’s Changing of the Guard ceremony was scaled back because of the extreme temperatures, while Florence’s Uffizi Gallery temporarily halted ticket sales after an air-conditioning malfunction.

Heat Wave Impacts Daily Life

The disruption also hit schools, with France closing 845 of them on Monday and allowing students at roughly 1,800 others to leave early. Sports were disrupted as well. French authorities canceled some outdoor sporting events, while Spain’s Basque region suspended outdoor competitions. In some cases, the heat wave has become deadly. At least 48 people in France have drowned while attempting to cool off since the heat wave began. In Spain, two elderly people died from heat-related illnesses.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.