France, July 11 -- The Eiffel Tower announced it would close at 4pm on Saturday and Sunday due to high temperatures. It usually stays open past midnight in the peak summer season.

The Louvre, the world's most visited museum, will close at 4pm until Monday. With the heat forecast to continue for several more days, the Musee d'Orsay said it would close at 5pm until Wednesday.

A total of 24 departments, home to an estimated 22.2 million people, were under the maximum red alert issued by national weather service Meteo France on Saturday.

Another 59 departments of 96 in mainland France were on an orange warning, the second highest.

Temperatures will rise yet further this weekend, Meteo France predicted, "with hot nights across most of the ...