Why is France behind on air-conditioning?

As France is going through its second wave of intense heat with temperatures reaching 38C - 40C across the country, the air-conditioning debate has come back in full force. 

Currently, 72 departments are under red heatwave alert, schools are closing and trains are cancelled due to the extreme heat and yet only one in four French homes are equipped with air-conditioning. In comparison, in Greece and Italy the figure is around 50%. 

A long political debate in France

In France, installing air-conditioning has long been viewed as an environmental issue. 

Politicians, urban planners and political groups have argued that air-conditioning could worsen climate change due to the increased electrical consumption, leaking refrigerant gases and releasing heat back into the city streets.

For that reason, France focused on insulation, shade, trees, green spaces and building design meant to keep homes cool naturally instead. 

This has resulted in only 7% of schools being equipped with air-conditioning, while many hospitals and public facilities also lack cooling systems, a fact that has seen around 3,500 school closures. 

Marine Le Pen has now called for a nationwide programme to equip schools, hospitals and homes with air-conditioning. Conversely, Jean-Luc Mélenchon has warned against "climatising everywhere", arguing it would increase environmental damage. He added: “I would not put my child, granddaughter, or great-granddaughter anywhere there is air conditioning from morning till night” according to France Info

Even the Greens, traditionally the strongest opponents of air-conditioning, have begun to soften their position. Party leader Marine Tondelier recently acknowledged that cooling systems are now necessary in some schools and hospitals. 

Why many French households do not install airconditioning 

An OpinionWay survey found that among people who do not plan to install air-conditioning, the main reasons are economic, environmental and practical. 

Nearly half cited electricity consumption as a concern. More than a third worried about the environmental impact. Others pointed to installation costs, maintenance costs, noise or the difficulty of obtaining permission in apartment buildings. 

In a 2021 survey, almost six in ten French people said they would rather endure heat than install air-conditioning if it helped protect the environment. 

The same attitude appears in more recent research. A survey from market research firm Ipsos published in June 2026 found that only 17% of French people consider air-conditioning environmentally friendly, even though 84% believe it is the most effective way to reduce heat discomfort. 

In order to cope with the heat, French people find alternatives: 75% close shutters during the day, 70% open windows at night and 62% create airflow in the early morning. Nearly half use fans, according to Ipsos. 

Only 22% said they had installed air-conditioning.

When asked what they want municipalities to do, French people overwhelmingly prioritise planting trees and creating green spaces. Adapting public buildings with insulation or air-conditioning comes much lower on the list.

Heat is changing attitudes 

The current heatwave though has started to cause a change. Ipsos found that 80% of French people already experience heat-related discomfort at least once a year, while 63% believe the problem will become worse in the future. 

Sleep disruption is the most common complaint, followed by fatigue and excessive sweating. 

At the same time, air-conditioning installation is rising. According to Ademe (an agency for ecological transition) figures cited this month, it increased from around 18% in 2023 to 24% in 2025.