go away."

How hot could it get?

Much of France has been issued with an orange alert - the second highest level of warning.

Meteo France said Paris temperatures might hit new highs on Thursday. The record, set in 1947, stands at 40.4C.

Comparisons have been drawn to a heatwave France experienced in August 2003, during which heat contributed to almost 15,000 deaths.

The mercury is also expected to climb to 40C in a string of countries:

In an unprecedented move, Belgium has issued a code red weather warning for the whole country

Spain declared a red alert in its Zaragoza region, which was hit by devastating wildfires last month. The European Commission's Copernicus Climate Change Service says the risk of wildfires is high in Spain and in Portugal

In the Netherlands, the government activated its"national heat plan"

In the UK, temperatures are predicted to exceed 35C, and could be the highest ever recorded

What preparations are being made?

To limit the heating of water used to keep its nuclear reactors cool, French energy firm EDF said it would be shutting two reactors at the Golftech nuclear power plant in the southern Tarn-et-Garonne region.

Ice foot baths and extra water points are being made available to cyclists competing in the Tour de France - which is entering its final week - to avoid dehydration.

The French government is outlawing animal transportation "for economic reasons" between 13:00 (11:00 GMT) and 18:00 in areas affected by heat alerts.

How high have temperatures been already?

The French weather service has reported temperatures of 42C in areas of the south-west. It is expected the