France has recorded 301 drownings from 19 June to 23 August, a government minister linked the sharp rise in deaths to the prolonged heatwaves.
Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari told France Inter radio that the number of deaths – a 14% increase over last year – was a "tragic toll".
The heatwaves that have struck France, Spain and Italy have sparked massive wildfires that burned thousands of hectares of land.
Ferrari added that many people were taking risks by going into the water, with many drownings occurring in areas that are not authorised or supervised for swimming, such as canals and open water.
The French government is working with regional authorities to improve swimming areas and make things safer, Ferrari said.
She noted that a number of drownings were recorded in "open water, in canals for example" and that many drownings, especially among the elderly, occurred in individual pools. Sudden immersion in cold water on a hot day can cause shock, and people can also exceed their physical capabilities.
In June, Ferrari warned that too many people were attempting to cool off in rivers and canals without taking the risks into account.
Climate change is driving up temperatures around the world – particularly in Europe, which is heating up twice as fast as the global average, according to the Copernicus climate service.
The June heatwave forced a nuclear power plant in southwest France to temporarily shut down because water temperatures in the River Garonne topped 28°C, a limit required by French law for cooling the Golfech plant. Some monuments, such as the Eiffel Tower, also closed early due to high temperatures in Paris during the June heatwave.
Wildfires spread across France during the dry conditions, with the Gironde area around Bordeaux worst affected and over 200,000 people displaced in late July. France logged 7,300 excess deaths between late May and 22 July, according to provisional figures from public health authorities.
