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By Audrey Sommazi
Published yesterday at 5:49 pm (Paris)Subscribers only
FeatureAfter a summer marked by repeated heatwaves, high temperatures lingered in the southern French city on Friday, where national weather service Météo-France recorded 37.2°C, a record for Toulouse in September.
At the Pont-des-Demoiselles social solidarity restaurant, located in a residential area of Toulouse, the air conditioning thermostat displayed around 20°C. That was about 10 degrees cooler than the outdoor temperature at midday on Friday, September 4. The dining room buzzed with lively conversation as around 50 retirees gathered for lunch. But at Dominique Fabre's table, the topic of heat quickly came up. "It was unbearable doing nothing," said the 89-year-old Toulouse resident with a smile, as she prepared to resume her gym classes on Monday, September 7. "It's better now because the days are getting shorter."
Chantal Schaeffer, meanwhile, took advantage of the restaurant's air conditioning. "There's no fan in my apartment. But that's not the only reason I come here: Every lunchtime, I share a friendly meal before going back home across the street to paint and sew. I never get bored," explained the 68-year-old former waitress. "If I do get hot, I cool myself off with cold water."
As Toulouse was just starting to recover from the third heatwave, which ended on August 19, another spike in temperatures hit the city on Friday. The mercury soared to 37.2°C, a record for the city in September, according to national weather service Météo-France.
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