Part of this is because, historically, there was simply far less reason to cool the air in Paris, France, than in Paris, Tex. European countries had warm summers, but they rarely reached the sort of persistently high temperatures seen in the American South.

The lack of air conditioning in France is rooted in a combination of architectural, environmental, and cultural factors. Many buildings, especially in historic cities like Paris, are centuries old with thick stone walls designed to regulate temperature naturally; installing modern AC units is often prohibited by strict heritage laws or physically impossible due to narrow ventilation shafts. Environmentally, France places a high priority on sustainability and energy conservation, viewing AC as an ecological "luxury" that contributes to carbon emissions and urban "heat island" effects. Culturally, there is a long-standing French belief that AC is "unhealthy" or causes illness (the "courant d'air" myth). However, this is rapidly changing. Following the deadly "canicule" (heatwave) of 2003 and more frequent extreme summers in 2024 and 2025, AC is becoming more common in hotels and offices. Still, only about 25% of French households have AC as of 2026, with most locals preferring traditional methods like closing heavy shutters during the day and "opening everything" at night.