In Seillans, southeast France, the stream is dry, a fountain near the town hall no longer flows and the ground is parched.

The village, like much of France, is in the grip of the country’s worst-ever drought.

“I’ve lived here for 17 years, and I’ve never seen this,” says the chief of police, Phillipe Grenêche. “Since April, not a drop of water… it’s sad.”

One of the village’s boreholes has virtually dried up, so Phillipe is taking us to see the emergency supplies many residents now rely on.

On the rocky hillside, a white truck pulls up and the driver, Daniel, begins to pump water into the system.

He repeats the trip eight times a day, so the taps don’t run dry.

To make supplies stretch, people are limited to 200 litres a day.

Rescuers plan how to extract beluga whale from River Seine

Stranded beluga whale in River Seine given ‘vitamin cocktail’

Beluga whale lost in River Seine, France dangerously thin and refusing food

Watering the garden or filling up the swimming pool is banned.

Phillipe’s daily police patrol now includes looking out for water thieves.

If you’re caught breaking the rules you could face a €1,500 fine.

This isn’t the only place that’s struggling with the water shortage, in France two-thirds of the country are at crisis level for drought.

Four recent heatwaves have triggered weeks of wildfires and reduced the mighty Loire to a stream in some stretches.

Last week, the government said 100 places were without safe tap water.

Back in Seillans, even Mireille Christine’s heat-loving olives are suffering.

The ground around them is so dry, it crunches.

“Look at this tree there’s no olives. For the 2022 harvest we will have practically nothing,” she says.

So far, water being used by restaurants in Seillans isn’t being restricted but if the drought gets worse, the mayor has warned that eventually everyone’s supply may need to be controlled.

That would be a disaster according to bistro owner Patrick Girard: “People come to eat and drink here so I need to have functioning toilets. We may as well just close if there are restrictions.”

“It would be better just to close,” he explains.

And there is no respite, another week of high temperatures means much of France will continue to bake.

Related posts:

Scientists’ climate warning after ‘grave’ rediscovery from secret Cold War military base Ikea fined and ex-executive handed suspended jail term in spying case World must ‘judge Russia with its own eyes’ and Ukraine invasion still possible, defence secretary warns ‘There can be no talk of any surrender’: Russia’s deadline passes with Ukraine refusing to give up Mariupol A tale of two crises: Difference in Eastern Europe’s welcome to Ukrainian and Syrian refugees is troubling No survivors in China Eastern Airlines crash, state broadcaster says ‘It is kidnapping’: Kyiv says Moscow forcefully deporting thousands of Ukrainian children to Russia Boris Johnson says NATO members will need to ‘dig deep’ and prepare for a more dangerous decade Seawater crashes through barriers and rushes up rivers as northern Italy faces worst drought in 70 years First ship loaded with grain set to leave Odesa since war began Mourners at Lord Trimble funeral urged to ‘redouble efforts’ on power-sharing Starmer, Blackford and Cameron among latest UK names on Russia’s sanctions list