Sizzling holiday temperatures could be beaten today

Record temperatures across France are due to be matched and even beaten today, with forecasters saying Nantes and Rennes could both be above 30C.

The Ascension holiday saw 35.1C at Biscarosse in Landes, 29.6C at Millau, Aveyron, and 28.7C in Brest – beating previous records of 34.2 at Biscarosse in 2002, of 29.2C at Millau in 2001 and 28.6C at Brest in 2012.

Check what the temperature was where you are on the Météo France observation page.

Today, however, Météo France forecasters say the thermometer is set to rise a little more – although cooler weather will arrive tomorrow – with 31C forecast at Rennes, 33C at Nantes and 29C in Brest.

Over a wider area, they expect from 22-27C on the Channel and Mediterranean coasts, 26-32C elsewhere and from 32-35C on the Aquitaine / Loire-Atlantique coast.

High sea cloud will spread down the Atlantic coast from Brittany to Nouvelle Aquitaine and this could turn to rain later in the afternoon as winds veer westerly to reach 80kph on the coast, with clouds over the whole area.

The Alps and Pyrénées will be clouded over from early morning and some afternoon rain is expected, with the possibility of storms.

This was the view of the sky from Lille this morning...