Nearly half of the cities analysed across 30 European countries recorded record-breaking temperatures in June, according to World Weather Attribution (WWA). For instance, temperatures in the German town of Coschen reached 41.7C, while Palluau in France recorded 43.8C.

Extreme heatwaves like last week's are rare, but researchers say it wouldn't be intense without human-induced climate change. Analysis by ClimaMeter, a framework that analyses extreme weather events, estimates that climate change added 2-4C to the current heatwaves in France and Western Europe.

Finding refuge from the heat is making Europeans turn to the last resort we have long been reluctant to: air conditioning. Britons lined up in huge queues ahead of a Lidl sale in the UK to buy the last AC units, and even the French seem to be giving in.

“I think AC can offer benefits during extreme heat levels, but it comes with its consequences, and we need an adaptation that doesn't rely on it,” Georgios Petrou, a senior research fellow at the UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering, told TEC.

When we cool down our rooms with AC, the units release heat outside, making our cities warmer. The priority, Petrou said, should be to cool down the buildings themselves.

Charles Simpson, a senior research fellow at University College London, specialising in the health impacts of climate change, agrees. “We can't stop people from buying ACs, and we need to plan for the energy system; we shouldn't be complacent about that,” he told TEC.

Adaptation starts with the house. Reflective roofs, for instance, are a cost-efficient alternative: they absorb less heat and are designed to bounce the light away, which leads to cooler temperatures inside the buildings.

It doesn't stop there: well-insulated walls and roofs keep homes cool during heatwaves; greener streets – more trees, green spaces and plants on balconies – also help to absorb sunlight.

According to Simpson, neighbourhoods and buildings that are better adapted cope much better during heatwaves. But not everyone can adapt equally. “We need to look after the vulnerable; they can't adapt their own homes,” he noted.

Some simple measures are just as effective: a recent study found that ventilating homes at night and using shades or special window films to block sunlight can reduce overheating by 68-89%.

“Unfortunately, there will be more heatwaves,” Petrou said. “We need to think more about holistic views when it comes to urban planning, so we can feel comfortable during the next heatwave.”