French weekly weather forecast April 27 - May 1: warm but cloudy

A mostly calm start to the week in France will be marred by the persistent threat of rain and storms in the west and south-west. 

By the end of the week, rain is forecast to spread across most of the country, threatening the May 1 public holiday.

A British anticyclone wind will cover the north and east keeping these areas peaceful and dry until the end of the week.

It will be warmer than usual, reaching a peak on Thursday where temperatures will be around 3C - 4C higher than seasonal averages.

Monday April 27 

The week begins cloudy but calm, with white wispy clouds covering most areas. 

Storms in the Pyrénées and rain in the Massif Central are the only expected disturbances, with all other areas remaining dry. 

Temperatures will be lowest in the Pays-Basque (17C) and French Riviera (19C). All other areas should see highs of 20C and above, rising to around 25C in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. 

In Lyon, highs of 27C are possible. 

Tuesday April 28 

A temporary weather pattern will bring clouds from the Pyrénées to the Alps, covering most of the south. 

Rain is possible across the stretch from the Spanish to the Swiss border, though it will mostly come as light, scattered showers. The Pyrénées are the exception, where storms are forecast again.

North of Lyon/Bordeaux, It will be cloudy but dry, with Brittany expected to see the sunniest periods of the day. 

Temperatures will drop slightly from the start of the week, with highs of 19C - 20C in the south and along the English Channel / Belgium border. 

Highs of 23C - 24C in Bordeaux and the western coast as well as near the German border will be the highest of the day. 

Wednesday April 29 

The British anticyclone system will strengthen, bringing dry conditions to most of the country. Alongside this, dry winds from the English Channel will move in across the north. 

Brief showers are possible along the western coast and the Loire. 

A small risk of storms remains in the Pyrénées, but storms are less likely than at the start of the week. 

Despite the dry conditions, it will be cloudy in most areas, particularly the west.

Temperatures will climb slightly from Tuesday, reaching 20C - 23C in all areas except the west coast (Brest-Bordeaux-Pays Basque), where they will remain just below 20C.

Thursday April 30 

Forecasts for the end of the week are less certain, and Thursday may see rain across several areas from Brittany and the Loire Valley down to the Rhône Valley. 

While these will mostly fall as showers, the risk of storms in central areas (around Vichy) remains. 

Rain is also possible in the south-west around the Pyrénées. 

Outside of these areas, it will be cloudy, although the north-east will see plenty of sunshine. 

Temperatures will climb to their hottest in the week, with most areas reaching at least 22C and highs of up to 26C possible in Paris. 

Friday May 1 

State forecaster Météo France is predicting a bout of rain that will sweep across the country from the Atlantic, reaching Lille, Paris, Vichy, and potentially Lyon.

In these areas, La Chaîne Météo (owned by Le Figaro) also predicts some storms.

In the south-west, rain will fall around Bordeaux, and storms may again return to the Pyrénées. 

It is worth noting that forecasts may change closer to the date and anyone looking to spend the holiday outdoors should check forecasts nearer the date for changes.

Despite the rain, high temperatures are forecast, 20C across all areas and rising to 26C in the centre and around Paris. 

Early weekend forecasts predict that rain will continue.