During heat wave periods, there are certain areas of the capital to avoid like the plague, unless you fancy feeling like you've stepped into the antechamber of hell. Public transport, for starters, since temperatures exceeding 55° have been recorded on some buses. But also parks in direct sunlight, sweaty and smelly public squares, and Rue Coriolis too…
A striking difference
No one could, when passing through Rue Coriolis in winter, in the 12th arrondissement, ever suspect that this seemingly ordinary street transforms into an oven as soon as the fine weather returns. Yet, according to locals, interviewed by Le Parisien, this street is unbearable when temperatures soar.
Le Parisien, the verdict is crystal clear: they really do live on "the hottest street in Paris". An allegation that didn't come out of thin air, since some residents went out of their way to find proof of this injustice. So one of the neighbors took it upon himself to establish temperature readings under equivalent conditions on nearby streets, only to discover a difference of no less than... 10°! On the third floor of one of the buildings, from a balcony, the mercury even climbed as high as 50.7° at 6 p.m.La rue la plus chaude de Paris? Ce serait la rue Coriolis, dans le XIIᵉ arrondissement (surprise!) : 50,7 °C à 18h 30. La Ville de Paris affirme que la végétalisation y est «impossible», tout en reconnaissant que les bacs végétalisés à Paris sont utilisés comme des poubelles.… pic.twitter.com/nVxj7G4ykK
— BVH (@BVHparis) July 30, 2026
A Perfect Storm
But then how do we explain such a dramatic temperature difference? In several ways, actually. First of all, this street, located facing the Bercy train station tracks, is completely open, with no buildings opposite and therefore bathed in sunshine all day long. On top of that, the street has absolutely no vegetation. Not a single tree, not one flower box to help bring the temperature down a bit. Finally, since the street is entirely concrete, the thermometer shoots up drastically each evening around 6pm, as heat escapes from the asphalt. A perfect combination of factors that turns this street into a microclimate.
Les habitants de la rue Coriolis #Paris12 demandent de l’ombre et des solutions innovantes. Réponse : câbles, gaz, égouts, entretien… Bref, depuis 25 ans, la ville de #Paris a surtout cultivé les raisons de ne rien faire. #Inaction https://t.co/QwFkcxJEXR
— Valérie Montandon (@VMontandon) July 30, 2026
What solutions?
Faced with this situation, many residents have contacted the town hall and launched petitions in hopes of seeing things change. Unfortunately, the simplest solution, which would involve adding greenery to the space, is currently out of the question. Indeed, beneath the pavement lie telephone cables, gas pipes, a sewer, as well as a high-voltage SNCF rail network, making any planting impossible. Along the same lines, the town hall is currently refusing the installation of planted planters, which are often mistaken for trash bins and therefore require too much maintenance. The ecological mayor of the district, Lucie Castets, has nonetheless assured that this issuewould be part of those addressed during his term.