When the Heat Drives Away Business: Lyon's Shops and Terraces Remain Empty

Lyon lives through its streets. Between the narrow lanes of the old town, the elegant shopping streets of the Presqu'ile and the spacious squares around Place Bellecour, the scenes that normally define the city's character unfold: people stroll, sit in street cafes or browse in small shops. But this summer, an unfamiliar sight can be seen in many places. Recurring heatwaves are silencing public life - with noticeable consequences for retail and hospitality. On particularly hot days, the thermometer climbs to nearly 40 degrees Celsius. The densely built-up city center ...