France has been one of the hardest hit countries as the heatwave has raged this week… with temperatures hitting the 40s in places. On Tuesday, temperatures climbed past 44C (111F) in the rural commune of Pissos in the country’s south-west, as France endured its hottest day in history.So, how are our counterparts across the Channel managing daily life – in many ways perhaps better than us here in the UK? The Daily Mail spoke to five residents across the country – from Lille to Montpellier – about their approaches to the heatwave, including the tips and tricks they’re using to stay cool. A photo of a normally packed square in Bordeaux’s old town taken on Thursday, when the weather in the city rose to over 40C A group of teenagers throw water at a young man driving a scooter next to the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris earlier this weekIn Brittany, one resident said la vie quotidienne has been upended since the highest temperatures kicked in, saying: ‘We’ve totally changed our day-to-day life. Total rest, no cleaning, no sport, no walks, minimum shopping, no cooking – we’re going to sleep much later, so the tiredness has really built up.’Work hours have been adapted, starting at 7.15am instead of 8am. ‘Dealing with this has been a horror. I don’t cope well with heat this aggressive. Lots of headaches, and I can’t do anything about it.’She added: ‘What’s even worse is that I feel like a big, sloppy slug.’In Lyon, in the country’s south, resident Louis, 47, said: ‘We’ve had to adapt as the temperatures are so high. Restaurants are adapting their menus and are promoting their AC. ‘Regarding work, construction sites are stopping at midday and are working adapted hours, starting at 6am or 7am. ‘The political debate now is around whether we should use air conditioning in hospitals and schools. Ecologists are saying that will just make things worse. ‘Instead, it would be better to adapt our towns, for example with trees, and construction in the heat instead of making the problem worse with AC.’ Work hours are changing amid the heatwave, with construction work timings shifting in particularFrançoise, 67, from Lille, told the Daily Mail: ‘I don’t go out much. I open the windows in the morning and close them around 10am – time to read and rest. ‘Also, the prefecture has banned sporting events while Lille is in a red danger zone of heat; group meet-ups and festivities have been cancelled.’We’re not used to these new changes. I’ve been thinking about putting things in place to better cope with the next heatwave – lots of shopping in advance, buying books and puzzles, buying modern, portable and budget-friendly air conditioners.’Over in the Loire Valley, Geneviève, 85, said: ‘I don’t really like water, but I’ve been forcing myself to drink lots. I put a bottle in the fridge so it’s bearable. ‘I have a nap when I feel like I’m in a daze. I avoid fatty, heavy foods, and eat salads, fruit and yoghurt instead.’Down in Montpellier, Maria, 41, revealed: ‘In the South of France in Montpellier, we haven’t really changed our daily life. ‘We’re adapting, most places have AC. Shops and restaurants remain open. We’re on the lookout for water – lakes, rivers, the sea, pools and fountains. ‘We keep shutters closed for most of the day, too.’ The hunt for water is on – the Miroir d’eau, Bordeaux’s largest reflecting pavement pool has become a late night attraction Meanwhile, swimmers sunbathe on the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin Many are also keeping their shutters closed during the day, to keep interiors cooler A pharmacy sign showed the temperature of 41C in Bordeaux on TuesdayIt’s not just the French struggling with the heat – Brits abroad have complained about the excessive temperatures.Tourists in France have been describing what it’s like to holiday in the country’s extreme weather, saying they’re largely trapped indoors as they try and avoid the dangerous heatwave that has taken hold.An hour north of Pissos in Bordeaux, where the country’s mercury hit 44C on Friday, one British woman told the Daily Mail that the popular tourist city feels ‘eerily deserted’ as people stay indoors or have already fled to the coast.Tori Thomas, 38, from London, added the heat is so strong that standing outside in the sun for more than ten minutes would likely make you feel ill, saying: ‘I’ve been going through six to eight big bottles of water every day.’ And the tarmac and slabs on the city’s pavements became so hot that the tourist said her flip flops became tacky, ‘melting onto the pavement’.She added normally packed restaurant terraces and al fresco bar and cafe spaces were currently deserted: ‘Lots of restaurants are either closing early or not opening and, if they’re open, they’re only serving cold food – A) because no one wants to eat anything hot and B) for the kitchen teams having to cook.’The heatwave is being driven by ?a weather pattern known as an Omega block, pushing temperatures as much as 18C above normal.The phenomenon resembles the shape of the Greek letter Omega, with a bulbous middle trapping in heat over regions for extended periods, with cooler weather on its fringes. There’s only one way to beat the heat if you live in Paris, says one former resident… Travel writer Erin in Bordeaux earlier this year, where temperatures have soared this weekBy Erin WaksWhen I lived in Paris, for most of the year, I found the locals to be extraordinarily similar to my fellow Londoners. But when the summer came around, that illusion was quickly disrupted.Instead of slog away in unbearable temperatures – and admitted lack of green space – in the French capital, the Parisian approach to the summer sunshine was simple: escape.French friends who weren’t necessarily the wealthiest would flock to ‘second homes’ in the (much cooler) countryside, while others would head down south to stay ‘avec les grandparents’. So drastic was this change that I found it difficult to see all of my pals when the heat rose – and all of my colleagues were working from home from the comfort of their countryside retreats, while I sweltered away in my aircon-free tiny Paris apartment.Lesson well learned – Paris in August? It’s not for the faint of heart.