10C temperature rise, rain: French weekend weather outlook January 4 - 5

The first weekend of 2025 will begin with a chilly and frosty start before temperatures increase by up to 10C on Sunday. Rain is expected to affect many areas.

Friday January 3 

Friday begins chilly for many, with minus temperatures in the north and east. 

Several departments in these areas are facing tier-two yellow warnings for icy road conditions from state forecaster Météo France, however these alerts are not expected to be heightened. 

Read more: 4 tips to stay safe and check icy roads in real-time in France

Snow is likely to fall at around 400m above sea level in the Burgundy area and eastern hills. 

Elsewhere, cloudy skies are expected in much of the south, particularly the south-west, where drizzle is expected to fall for most of the day. 

Temperatures will contrast between 3C (in the north) and 15C (in the south) in the afternoon, but by evening a light storm will form in the south-west, bringing rain along the Atlantic coast.

Saturday January 4

Saturday will bring another dry but cold morning in the north. 

Along the western coast, and in parts of Limousin and Auvergne, rain will continue for most of the morning, but should not be heavy. 

Morning frosts will cover the northern half and east of the country, and in some places will remain on roads for the day.

Temperatures will be lower than this week, remaining below 0C in the north, and reaching highs of 10C along the Mediterranean coast – only in Biarritz will it reach above 10C (up to potentially 15C). 

On Saturday evening, clouds carrying rain across the western coast will begin to move further inland along the Loire and up to the Seine. 

Overnight these will collide with the cold air affecting the north and east, leading to disturbances including rapid overnight snowfall in Normandy and the north. This will also result in a rapid increase in temperatures, meaning any snow that does fall at lower altitudes will melt by morning. 

Sunday January 5 

Temperatures will be significantly higher, rising to double figures across most of the country and seeing a 10C increase in the north. 

Temperatures will remain the same in the south-west, with highs of 15C. 

Conversely, the north will see a period of rainfall alongside the increasing temperatures, and showers are expected along the Mediterranean. 

Strong but mild winds are expected throughout the country. 

These mild temperatures will melt snow at altitudes lower than 1,500m, causing some previously snow-capped mountains to be bare for the start of January. Most ski stations should remain unaffected however. 

Temperatures at the beginning of next week will rise up to nearly 4C above national averages for the start of January, before dropping rapidly to nearly 5C below normal levels midweek.