Rain set to continue in France: when will the sun be back?

Another bout of storms is expected to hit the south-west this weekend

Almost every part of the country will see rain throughout the weekend
Published Last updated

Rainfall is set to continue across France this weekend as the unstable weather of the past few weeks is maintained. 

An Atlantic storm will make its way into central France on Friday (May 3) from the Atlantic, affecting Brittany and the Loire valley, with some parts of the east also seeing rain. 

In the north and along the Mediterranean, however, skies should be clear.

On Saturday (May 4) and Sunday this relative calm will end, as rain will cover almost all of the country except the south-east, around Nice and the Alpes-Maritimes department.

A new storm set to arrive from the Atlantic on Saturday will sweep from the south-west to the north-east of France, reaching its zenith on Sunday afternoon. 

Early forecasts for next week are that the rains will continue, and there will be further storms along the Mediterranean, particularly around the areas that stayed dry over the weekend.

Read more: Storms in France: what to do if at home, out walking or in car

Rains are likely to only fully clear by Thursday (May 9), although there will still be a slight risk of storms in parts of the south-east on the Ascension public holiday.

Temperatures this weekend are set to remain slightly cooler than usual for this time of year, although by next week they should reach seasonal averages.

Highs of 20C are currently forecast everywhere except parts of the English Channel, for the May 9 holiday.

Lightning strike advice

Authorities announced that around 6,000 lightning strikes hit the country on May 1, mostly in the north-east. 

If your property is affected by a lightning strike, you need a lightning certificate (attestation de foudroiement) to make a claim to your insurer. 

Read more: How do I get a ‘lightning certificate’ for French home?