In Nîmes, when Place de la Placette sweats, it's as if the city's soul is exhaling. On Monday, August 11, the beating heart of this southeastern French town was drenched in sweat. This historic square, once trodden by Roman sandals two millennia ago and later by medieval pilgrims en route to the Abbey of Saint Gilles, is surrounded by small, low-ceiling houses that suffocate "day and night," said Rossana da Silva, who lives in one of these houses.

The mother of three has lived there for the past two years. She struggled to recall how many heat waves she has endured. In the vibrant, working-class heart of Nîmes, she follows the neighborhood's unwritten rule: "If it's too hot outside? Go inside. If it's too hot inside, you go out. If it's too hot everywhere, you just suffer." On Monday, at noon, her entire family was outside on the Placette, "but not for much longer," her husband said, his face streaming with sweat. On the roof of his car, his "nice, cold" glass of white wine was placed next to a pack of cigarettes.

The youngest, six-year-old Léana, stood beside the car, bright in her yellow, ruffled dress. She danced to the music playing from the rolled-down windows. Her nine-year-old brother, Louzianzo, had the tired look of someone worn out by the hot nights, and didn't seem to understand how his little sister could keep moving without collapsing. "We're going inside to eat. Then, everyone will nap. We'll come back out at 6 pm, when the temperature has dropped a bit and all the neighbors are outside," said the mother, who had cooked for the day earlier that morning. Their small house has no air conditioning or much insulation. "At least we have three fans that help us sleep a bit at night," she said, eager for the evening's slight breeze.

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