Some 15,000 people in France died when temperatures hit similar heights in August 2003.
Scientists attribute it to global warming and warn of more such heat waves if countries don't cut their greenhouse-gas emissions soon.
Western Europe is bracing for an intense, dangerous, and possibly even deadly heat wave this week, with temperatures due to soar as high as 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit.
Read more: Paris opened extra swimming pools, set up mist machines — and postponed thousands of school exams — ahead of a killer heat wave looming over Europe.
Parts of France could reach 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit, on Wednesday, the national weather agency Météo France reported.
At least 36 people have died during a prolonged heat wave in India, which has lasted more than 30 days, according to CNN.
Temperatures in Churu, western India, rose above 50 C (122 F) on June 1, the network reported. »