Sunny days then storm: French weekly weather outlook March 3 - 7

France is set for a calm weather week with temperatures gradually rising to reach a peak on Thursday and Friday. 

However, as temperatures reach their highest, an Atlantic storm is set to sweep across the country and last throughout the weekend.

Monday March 3 

Conditions will be mostly similar to those at the weekend – cool and frosty but dry in the north, with some rain in the Pyrénées. 

Cloud coverage will be limited to the south-west and parts of the Mediterranean with the rest of the country seeing sunny skies. 

Whilst morning temperatures will be chilly – particularly in the north – they will rise by early afternoon, reaching between 10C and 13C in the north and around 15C in the south. 

Some areas of Provence will see closer to 18C. 

Tuesday March 4 

Conditions are set to be almost identical to Tuesday except cloud coverage will be mostly limited to south of the Garonne river. 

In the afternoon, the rest of the south may see some small clouds.

Showers are expected along the Pyrénées once more, but the rest of France should remain dry. 

Temperatures will be slightly higher, between 12C and 14C in the north, and 15C to 17C in the south. 

Those in the north should be mindful of chilly morning temperatures with frost still likely across most areas north of the Loire. No official warnings for road conditions have been issued.

Read more: What to do - and not do - in a red or orange weather alert in France

Wednesday March 5 

Wednesday will be overall the calmest day, with no rain and only a few small cloud clusters in the Pyrénées and eastern mountain ranges. 

Temperatures will rise to around 14C in the north and 18C in the south.

Sunshine will be abundant helping to increase the ‘feel’ of the temperature when outside. 

Overnight temperatures will remain chilly however, and early morning in Normandy and Paris thermometers may show temperatures below freezing.

Thursday March 6 

Thursday begins much the same way before rolling clouds move in from the Atlantic to cover the western shore. 

They will be more prominent in the south-west but nevertheless will cover from Brittany to Biarritz in the day before pushing east as the evening progresses. They will not bring rain.

Cloud coverage will not cause temperatures to drop, and in areas not-yet-affected will even rise above those seen on Wednesday. 

Parts of eastern France around Auxerre may see temperatures of 17C or higher, up to 20C in Biarritz despite the clouds. 

Friday March 7 

Thursday’s cloud coverage will be swept away by the time it reaches central and eastern France, however in the west it is to be replaced by a new and more threatening storm.

Forecasters are still unsure of when this storm will land – anytime between Thursday evening or Saturday (March 8) afternoon – but when it does it will bring rain and strong winds from the Atlantic.

Currently, rainfall is expected in the south-west on Friday, as well as in the western part of the Mediterranean coast. This may push further inland if the storm appears early. 

Cloud coverage will precede the rain as it pushes eastwards, and the storm may last throughout the weekend.

Temperatures will reach their highest in areas not affected by the storm – at least 15C in Normandy and Paris and 19C in Nice – and even remain high in areas affected by the clouds, with Biarritz potentially reaching 21C. 

If the storm arrives later than expected – or moves more slowly eastwards – unaffected areas on Friday will benefit from another day of sunshine alongside these higher temperatures.