France heatwaves: is thermal comfort the new property benchmark?

Published on 11/08/2026 - 19:11 GMT+2•Updated 19:14

The heat is now a factor even during property viewings. As heatwaves multiply this summer, French buyers are paying increasing attention to the thermal comfort of their future homes.

In Paris, a man in his thirties viewing a 14-square-metre studio flat under the eaves wonders: "Between May and September-October, will I be able to use this flat and still live comfortably? Or will I also have to flee like everyone else because it's too hot?".

Long seen as an asset, a property's orientation is now assessed according to how cool it helps keep a home, and in the capital a full southern exposure is losing its appeal.

"South-facing properties are no longer as much in demand as before, because people are realising now that when you're facing south, the sun beats down very hard," notes estate agent Joseph Denke from FredéLion.

At viewings, buyers now pay close attention to anything that can help keep a property cool: a through-layout, the possibility of airing the place at night, shutters, a terrace or shaded outdoor space. Some even factor in the presence of trees in the neighbourhood.

Air conditioning, a serious selling point

Air conditioning, until now rarely highlighted in listings, is itself becoming a real selling point. Owners no longer hesitate to promote this feature when putting their property on the market.

"In the past, owners did not necessarily think about highlighting the fact that they had shutters or air conditioning. Today, these are things that are very clearly pushed to the fore," says Laetitia Caron, managing director of PAP (Particulier à particulier).

The shift in buying criteria is weighing on the sale of certain properties. In the 5th arrondissement of Paris, a 66-square-metre flat, despite its large windows, is struggling to find a buyer. The property is not dual-aspect and air circulates poorly.

"People feel as if they are stifling in there, and there is no other option than to install air conditioning," says estate agent Christian Tokoto from Guy Hoquet.

One in three French people could consider moving house

According to the Leboncoin study "Canicule & Immobilier 2026", conducted among 1,752 respondents, 81% of French people say they feel discomfort linked to high temperatures in their homes, and one in three could consider moving because of heatwaves.

Heatwaves are no longer seen as isolated phenomena but are now being factored into residential choices, explains Sophie Bourg, marketing director at Leboncoin Immobilier.

"Coolness and summer comfort have become a property criterion in their own right," she says.