French weekly weather forecast March 9 - 13: rain returns across country

Calm conditions at the start of the week are to be gradually replaced by rain and wind, covering all of France at one point or another.

A major bout of rain - previously forecast to arrive at the start of the week - is now expected to sweep across France on Wednesday. 

Temperatures should remain above average for the week but are set to drop sharply at the weekend, with some areas seeing falls of over 10C across the course of seven days.

Monday March 9 

Rain is forecast along the Mediterranean and up to the Cévennes and southern Alps, potentially developing into thunderstorms. 

Heightened alerts have not been raised but rainfall may be intense in some areas.

Elsewhere, brief showers in Brittany and central France are an outlier, with the rest of the country remaining dry, if cloudy. 

The north will see the most sunshine, and continues to be slightly warmer than the south with highs of 17C - 18C.

By comparison, highs in the south reach only 14C - 16C (although Bordeaux and Biarritz may briefly reach 17C). 

Tuesday March 10 

Thunderstorms will clear in the south, but rainclouds will move north, leaving much of eastern and central France at risk of showers. 

However, these are weak drizzles and unlikely to fall for long, limiting their impact. 

The north remains dry, if cloudier than at the weekend, and the south-west should also be unaffected. 

Temperatures will drop, with highs of 13C - 16C south to north (the north is still set to be warmer than the south).

Wednesday March 11 

A powerful weather pattern will sweep in from the Atlantic, bringing rain to most of France. 

While parts of the central Mediterranean coast may remain dry, rain is forecast almost everywhere else, from the Riviera and Pays-Basque to Lille and Strasbourg.

Brittany and Normandy may escape with mostly showers, avoiding heavier rain elsewhere, and see the most of Wednesday’s limited sunshine.

It is unclear whether the rain will be intense enough to lead to heightened weather warnings, particularly in recently flooded areas. 

It is advised to check in on local weather alerts on Wednesday for an update. 

Temperatures will remain at around Tuesday’s levels despite the rain. 

Thursday March 12 

A brief return of a high-pressure wind system from the Azores will bring calm to France, with showers limited to coastal Brittany. 

Sunshine is forecast across the country, particularly in the south, with wispy clouds in the north. 

As the evening advances, however, winds will become progressively stronger in the north, and late at night (potentially into Friday morning), rain will again sweep in from the Atlantic across the north. 

Friday March 13 

This rain will sweep across the north and centre of France, again covering almost the entire country save the Mediterranean and potentially the Riviera. 

Temperatures will drop further, down to around 9C - 11C in the north and 13C - 15C in the south. 

Early forecasts for the weekend predict a further drop in temperatures, bringing them below average for the first time in over a month.