France recorded its hottest day ever on Tuesday amid an exceptional early heat wave across Europe, the national weather agency said.

It said France’s national thermal indicator — an average of temperatures measured at 30 weather stations— hit a new record of 29.8 C (85.6 F). The previous record of 29.4°C (84.9°F) dated back to heat waves of August 2003 and July 2019.

Daytime highs above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) were also recorded in many individual weather stations, Meteo France said.