Paris battles infestation of bloodsucking bugs as France prepares for 2024 Olympics
- Bedbugs are tiny wingless insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals and are increasingly resistant to insecticides
- They have been spotted in the French capital’s cinemas, on trains, and at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport, easily travelling on clothing and luggage
Paris is battling a major bedbug infestation, with reports of the bloodsucking pests being spotted in the French capital’s cinemas, on trains, and at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport.
Videos posted on social media appear to show the tiny insects crawling over seats on a commuter train and on the Paris metro.
Last month, a cinema-goer posted images on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, of the angry-looking bites she said she suffered after attending a Paris cinema.
UGC Cinemas posted a letter this month apologising to customers and outlined planned emergency procedures, which included high-temperature steam treatment and inspections carried out by specially trained dogs.
The French authorities are under pressure to tackle the problem ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics, which is due to take place next summer. The Games are expected to attract 15 million spectators.
“Faced with the scourge of bedbugs, we must act,” Paris Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire wrote on X earlier this week. “I ask the Prime Minister @Elisabeth_Borne to organise a conference on the fight against invasive species. This is a public health problem where all stakeholders must be brought to the table.”