As temperatures climb across France, cities face a defining challenge of the heat-wave era: how do you keep a country cool when it's philosophically resistant to air conditioning? According to France 24, the answer isn't found in thermostat settings, but in how cities are redesigned from the ground up. Urban planners are embracing green infrastructure, strategic shade, water features, and architectural innovation to combat extreme heat. Rather than defaulting to air conditioning, the French are exploring how cities can be naturally cooler—through better urban design, more trees, improved airflow, and community cooling strategies. It's a window into a broader question: as climate change heats the world, will adaptation come from technology, or from reimagining how we build and live in our cities?

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