AFP presents 44 photographs taken by Gaiza Iroz between April 20 and October 25, 2026, on the iconic Espelette pepper parched following a summer of intense heatwaves and a historic drought. In the Basque Country, following a summer of intense heatwaves and a historic drought, even the iconic Espelette pepper is parched; producers believe that irrigation, previously prohibited, is the only solution. Search for all these reportage images using: FRANCE-ECONOMY-AGRICULTURE-GASTRONOMY-REPORTAGE Search "REPORTAGE" to source all feature, magazine and visual stories. (Photo by Gaizka IROZ / AFP via Getty Images)