Summers in southern France no longer feel like they used to. What was once considered an exceptional heatwave making headlines has now become the new normal in many places. This development is especially clear in Albi, the capital of the Tarn department. There, temperatures regularly climb above 40 degrees Celsius during the hottest weeks. The crucial question is no longer whether the climate is changing, but how a city can cope with this reality.
Albi is now regarded as a kind of open-air laboratory for adapting to extreme heat.
For years, the city has been working to mitigate the effects of increasingly longer and drier summers. The pressure to act is significant. Cities store heat particularly intensely. Concrete surfaces, asphalt roads, and sealed plazas absorb enormous amounts of solar energy during the day and release it only slowly at night. This creates so-called urban heat islands, which ensure that it barely cools down even after sunset.
Anyone walking across a sun-exposed square on a midsummer day feels this effect immediately.
One of Albi’s most important responses to rising temperatures grows from the ground: trees. They are now seen as the city’s natural air conditioners. Their shade protects against direct sunlight, while evaporation through leaves and branches noticeably cools the surrounding air.
For this reason, the city is increasingly focusing on greening. Existing trees are to be preserved, and new plantings are carefully selected to suit the climatic conditions of the coming decades. At the same time, more green spaces are being created that not only beautify the cityscape but also serve as retreats on hot days.
This change is already clearly visible, especially along the Tarn River, in parks, and in newly designed public squares. Where stone and asphalt once dominated, space for vegetation is gradually increasing.
But trees alone are not enough.
Another focus lies on so-called unsealing. For decades, it was considered modern to pave as many surfaces as possible. Today, the downsides of this development are recognized. Sealed soils prevent rainwater from infiltrating. At the same time, they heat up significantly and amplify summer heat.
Albi is therefore trying to reverse this trend. On public spaces and partially even in schoolyards, impermeable surfaces are gradually being removed. Instead, permeable soils are introduced. This not only improves the microclimate but also helps to keep rainwater longer in the natural cycle.
One could say: The city is learning to breathe again.
At the same time, so-called cool islands are being created. These are areas that offer more pleasant temperatures even on very hot days. More shade, water features, and cooler materials play an important role. Often, such measures seem inconspicuous. Taken together, however, they noticeably change the climate of a city.
Public buildings are also increasingly coming into focus.
Schools, gyms, administrative buildings, and senior homes were originally designed for a much milder climate. Today they must withstand temperatures that were considered exceptional only a few decades ago. For this reason, Albi is investing more in energy-efficient renovations and solutions that improve heat protection.
The goal is not to install air conditioning everywhere. A comprehensive cooling would consume enormous amounts of energy and additionally emit heat into the environment. Instead, the city relies on better insulation, intelligent architecture, and natural cooling.
But adaptation means more than construction projects.
Heat affects people differently. Especially older individuals, chronically ill people, infants, or those who work outdoors carry an increased risk. Therefore, the social dimension also plays an important role. The city has expanded its precautionary measures in recent years and offers special support services for vulnerable residents.
Because the most dangerous effects of a heatwave often remain invisible.
While thunderstorms or floods immediately draw attention, extreme heat has a gradual impact. Precisely for this reason, it is now one of the greatest climate-related health risks in France.
Albi is not alone with these challenges. Many cities in the south of the country are undergoing a similar adaptation process. Nevertheless, the example of this historic episcopal city impressively demonstrates what climate adaptation looks like today. More greenery, less concrete, better water use, and more resilient buildings shape the transformation.
The real test, however, lies in the pace.
Because while cities plan their future, temperatures rise year by year. Albi is building its resilience—but climate change does not wait for the completion of the next construction site.
By C. Hatty