French weekly weather forecast December 1 - 5: more rain and temperature yo-yo

Another week of rain is forecast for France with Atlantic clouds set to cover most of the country for several days. 

Midweek, heavy rainfall in the south from the Cévennes to Provence may lead to heightened weather alerts. 

Temperatures will remain mixed, starting with below national averages on Monday, then rising above - only to fall again by Friday. Temperatures will however again climb over the weekend and following week despite the rain. 

Monday December 1 

The week will begin fairly calmly, with rain limited to showers only in the north and west. However, coastal winds will be strong in Normandy and Brittany.

Grey skies north of the Loire will gradually turn wispier moving south, and in the south-west and south-east a fair amount of sunshine is expected after early morning rain.

Temperatures will be at their lowest of the week as areas recover from the previous two cold snaps. Highs of 8C in the north (but 11C - 13C in parts of Brittany), 4C in the centre and east, and around 12C in the south are also forecast.

Nice and the French Riviera could see highs of 16C in the afternoon, partnered with sunshine and bringing an autumnal feel to the area, but this is not expected to last and will quickly return to around 12C.

Tuesday December 2 

Rains centred in Normandy on Monday will move inland overnight, leading to a stretch of rain from the south-west to the north-east. It will be persistent throughout the day. 

At the same time, a new disturbance will move inland from the English Channel to cover the north-west, but despite the grey skies only showers are expected along the coast.

From the Pyrénées and Alps to the south-east, skies should remain dry although light showers along the Mediterranean are possible. Skies however will be greyer than on Monday. 

Temperatures will rise slightly despite the rain, reaching 9C-11C in the north and east, 10C in central areas, and up to 12C/14C along the Mediterranean. 

Wednesday December 3 

Conditions switch on Wednesday, and the previously dry south-east will face a barrage of rain, particularly around the Cévennes and inland Provence. 

The rain will stretch to the coast in Marseille and the Var department, and up to 66mm may fall within 24 hours in the Cévennes valleys. State forecaster Météo France may issue warnings – check on its official website on Tuesday and Wednesday for updates.

Outside of the south-east, skies will be considerably less grey than the rest of the week, although showers are possible along the western coast and English Channel as well as around the Alps. 

At higher altitudes, snow will fall and settle in mountain ranges. 

Temperatures will remain largely similar to the day before, and continue to reach up to 15C in the south-east despite the rain. 

Thursday December 4 

The powerful rains will stop in the south-east early on Thursday morning, however just as they depart, a new batch of wet weather from the Atlantic will hit the west coast. 

Gradually moving east towards the German border, it will bring sustained showers to many central areas, and consistent rain to the Atlantic coast throughout the day. 

Temperatures are forecast to drop by around 2C in the north, east, and centre, although they should remain above 10C in the south. 

Friday December 5 

Rain may persist in the west and centre of France, but will be stopped from moving further east or south by a high-pressure system covering central Europe. 

The system will lead to sunny and clear skies, particularly along the Mediterranean, although grey skies are still forecast to last throughout the day in the west and north. 

Temperatures will remain consistent to Thursday before rising over the weekend. 

Looking towards the weekend, another bout of Atlantic rain is forecast to make its way through France, hitting almost all areas.