Hot spell to last through weekend

The warm preview of summer is set to continue until Sunday, forecasters have said.

France is basking in an early heatwave, with temperatures in parts of the country closer to those normally seen in July rather than mid-April, as Paris - where the mercury reached 26C on Wednesday enjoys higher temperatures than Montpellier.

The good news is the warm sun and blue skies are set to remain throughout the weekend, before thunderstorms on Monday pre-empt a drop in temperatures to seasonal norms, some 10C lower than the country is enjoying this week.

The April hot spell is not that unusual, experts have said. They occur on average once every four or five years, in a month that is noted for its marked changes in temperatures and weather.

But, while temperatures are high, they are not expected to beat records set in 2011, when the mercury passed 30C.