Warm days ahead: French weekly weather outlook March 31 - April 4

France is set for a slight drop in temperatures on Tuesday but then a warm end to the week. Little to no rain is forecast, however people will still have to be alert for morning frosts in the north and strong winds in the south.

Monday March 31 

The weekend’s clear weather continues into the final day of March, with no rain forecast. 

Cloud coverage – and potentially misty fog in Brittany – will disperse by the afternoon, with only the Pyrénées and south-west expected to see covered skies.

In the south and south-west, the Mistral and Tramontane winds will reach up to 100 km/h. 

Read more: Gale warnings: how to limit damage to your home in France and errors to avoid

Most of France will see clear, sunny skies, with highs of between 13C and 15C in the north, and 18C in the south. 

In the south-east, this will reach 20C along the Mediterranean coast. 

However, in the north, cool morning temperatures (no higher than 3C/4C in many areas) will lead to morning frosts throughout the week so early risers should be prepared. 

There are no official alerts in place for icy/snowy roads – and in areas of France where snow tyres are required, they can be removed from tomorrow (April 1). 

Tuesday April 1 

Conditions will be largely similar to Monday but clouds will cover most of the Mediterranean coast in the evening. 

They are unlikely to bring rain, but may obscure sunsets. 

Frost is again likely in the north and east.

Sunny skies persist outside of the Mediterranean, although national average temperatures will be slightly cooler. 

There will be an increase in temperatures in the west – up to 17C in Brittany, 19C in Bordeaux and 20C in Biarritz – but lower temperatures in the south. Tuesday is set to be the only week that national average temperatures are lower than seasonal averages. 

Wednesday April 2 

Incoming winds from Spain and Italy will bring clouds to much of the south of France, although rain is unlikely. 

These gale force winds are likely to reach 100 km/h across the south, particularly in the south-west along the usual paths of the Mistral and Tramontane. 

In the north, conditions will remain largely the same – cool and frosty in the morning, calm and sunny in the afternoon. 

Temperatures will climb slightly compared to Tuesday. 

Thursday April 3 

Thursday will see the beginning of the warm spell, with highs of 20C being recorded in most areas. 

This will push national averages for the day to above 14C (taking into account chilly morning temperatures in the north), at least 3C warmer than seasonal averages. 

There will be mostly sunny skies and only parts of the western coast are expected to see any real form of cloud coverage. 

Winds in the south-west may remain strong, but are unlikely to reach 100 km/h or cause temperatures to drop significantly.

Friday April 4 

Friday will see the warmest overall temperatures of the week, in part due to high temperatures of 20C lasting throughout most of the afternoon in the Loire. 

However, those in the south should be aware of cloudy coverage – in the south-west and the western Mediterranean in particular. 

The south-east will be the ‘coldest’ part of France on Friday, although highs of at least 15C/16C are still expected. 

This warm spell is set to last into the weekend and the start of next week, with highs of 20C forecast.