France and the rest of Europe are still in the grips of the first major heat wave this summer even as conditions began to improve in some parts of the region

Paris extended a red alert for high temperatures on Tuesday, with the top of the Eiffel Tower shut, polluting traffic banned and speed restrictions in place as a searing heat wave grips Europe.

Dozens of the country's mainland regions are currently under the second-highest alert as the heatwave continues.