Hot spell in France: what temperatures to expect this week?

France is expected to see temperatures reach 30C this long public holiday weekend - and even higher in the south-west.

Meteorologists have been quick to revise forecasts, with the high-pressure system from the Azores more powerful than first thought. 

“Many towns and cities will experience their first 30C of the year: Bordeaux, Biarritz, Agen, Toulouse, Albi, and many others in the south-west,” said Météo-France in a social media post shared yesterday evening (May 20).

“Although such temperatures have been recorded before at the end of May, they are rarely reached at this time of year across the whole country. With climate change, we expect to see heatwaves occurring earlier and later in the year,” the state forecaster added. 

Temperatures also already hit record-breaking highs across much of France at the start of April and in February.

Where will temperatures be hottest this weekend?

Thursday

Temperatures of up to 31C are expected in Biarritz today (May 21), 11C higher than the seasonal averages for the end of May.

Clear skies are expected across the country, with the exception of Brittany and the north-east where some clouds will appear. 

Central France is set to experience between 25 and 27C this afternoon, with even warmer temperatures along the Atlantic coast and in the south-west of Occitanie. 

Friday

Tomorrow (May 22), temperatures will rise again with many regions experiencing average temperatures of 27 or 28C, particularly across the east of the country.

Temperatures of up to 28C are expected in Paris where the seasonal average is 21C. This sharp rise marks a 13C increase from previous days - temperatures fell below seasonal averages last week with storms and rain recorded across France, continuing into the start of this week. 

It is expected to be coolest along the south-east coast, with highs of 24C in Nice, and will be warmest along the Atlantic coast and south-west of France with few regions in Nouvelle-Aquitaine escaping the heat. Bordeaux will be the hottest, with Météo-France forecasting highs of 34C.

The Pentecôte weekend

Bordeaux, Rouen and Montélimar will be the hottest cities on Saturday (May 23), with highs of 33C.

Temperatures in the Landes department are expected to peak on Sunday (May 24), with highs of 35C forecast. 

Across much of the country, temperatures are expected to remain above seasonal averages over the weekend and into lundi de Pentecôte (Whit Monday, May 25) public holiday, with some cloud cover in the south.

The high-pressure wind system from the Azores is predicted to maintain high temperatures and sunshine well into next week, averaging between 28 and 30C. Storms are however expected throughout next week in Gap, with rain showers around Bourg-Saint-Maurice.

See this Connexion article for tips on how to stay cool, and find out what help is available in France to keep your home cool.