France recorded its hottest day ever as an early heat wave gripped Europe. The high temperatures on Tuesday prompted the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum to restrict visiting hours. They also disrupted school and transportation schedules in multiple countries. The punishing conditions extended to the United Kingdom and Spain, where weather agencies issued alerts — like France — about the risks of extreme heat for tens of millions of people. France's national thermal indicator — an average of temperatures measured at 30 weather stations — hit a record of 29.8 C (85.6 F). The conditions were likely to persist at least until the weekend.