Can't stand the heat?

How to chill out when you're exploring France in a heatwave and inspiration for 'cool' places to visit + the extraordinary World War II hero story I discovered in Saint-Omer.

Much of France, particularly, the north-west, is currently suffering une canicule with temperatures reaching up to 40°C in some places, and things are getting rather heated here in the UK too. As someone who loves a comfortable climate where the mercury reaches nothing higher than 26°C, I have every sympathy for those suffering from the heat as it beats down on them. So how do you cope when you want to make the most of your precious holiday days, and not feel compelled to stay in your air-conditioned hotel room, or by the pool, missing out on all that France has to offer?