France is not hotter than 99% of the planet; the claim that it is

Contradicted by strong evidence

What we can confirm

Available evidence indicates the viral social-media assertion that France was "hotter than 99% of the planet" is inaccurate; it originated from a misreading of a Washington Post line that in fact said less than 1% of the planet was expected to be hotter than Paris during a specific heat event, meaning Paris (not all of France, and not generally) was hotter than roughly 99% of locations at that moment.

Sources

Checked June 30, 2026