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Temperatures across almost all of France will drop by 10C this weekend with some areas in the north seeing the thermometer at single digits for all of Saturday and Sunday.

A ‘polar flux’ will bring strong, extremely cold winds, particularly to the north, centre, and east of the country overnight Friday to Saturday (March 22 and 23).

The warmer than average temperatures that have been in place will remain until then but average readings will be at ‘winter levels’ in most areas this weekend.

North of the Loire, temperatures are set to be between 5C and 9C, and in Normandy highs of only 3C are expected in certain coastal areas.

In the south-west, where temperatures are predicted to reach 26C on Friday, it will average around 15C on Saturday afternoon.

Only the south-east and Corsica will not see temperatures drop significantly, where they will remain at average spring levels.

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Rainfall will come alongside the winds, particularly in the north as well as some stormy weather.

This phenomenon is known as giboulée in French, or ‘April showers’, and may bring hail to parts of the Massif Central area.

Snow is forecast at altitudes of 1,000m plus – and in areas between 600m and 800m on Sunday.

Temperatures will increase to April averages on Monday but are unlikely to reach the levels seen this week.

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