Here comes the sun but it won't last

TEMPERATURES in southwest France are expected to hit 40C over the next two days as the mercury rises across the whole of the country.

But the heatwave - which will also see temperatures shoot above 30C in the north of the country - will be short and sharp, forecasters at Meteo Consult have warned.

They say the blue skies and sunshine are is set to disappear on Saturday, as more unsettled weather sweeps in from the Azores, meaning a large swathe of France, particularly in the west, is in line for a stormy weekend.

Experts said that the brief hot spell will see temperatures in the shade pass 40C in Agen and Dax today and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, at 6.30am today, Le Figaro reported that the Côte d'Azur was already basking in 23C heat - and early morning temperatures were not much lower in the northern half of the country.

While people living in the south of France are used to 30-plus degree heat during July and August, but even residents of Toulouse and Lyon will swelter under predicted highs of 35C in the shade for the next two days.

In the north of the country, light offshore winds from the southeast will bring unusually high temperatures to the beaches of Normandy and Brittany.

Cherbourg is set to see the mercury pass 30C, but forecasters say that they do not expect the highest temperature ever recorded in Brest, 35.2C in 1949, to be broken, though 2006’s 33.6C high could be passed.

Across the English Channel in Britain, forecasters have warned residents to stay indoors to avoid the worst of the heat.