France had a mild spring, but then dipped into exceptional frost - fruit trees were full of icicles!
This was true last year, there was such a cold spell in May that all the fruit blossoms died, fruits were a no-no for many people around here. Vineyards in the wine counties suffered the most.
This year however, in my neck of the
wood, apart from a cold spell and heavy frost in late February and early March (not unexpected for this time of year) the temperature was up to 29 C in late March and early April with very little rain and colder night than you would expect. May saw 30C+ and has now been the hottest May on record. We are mid-June, and today it is 33C going to 39 in a couple of days, temperatures that you could expect and accept in mid August. We have had a couple of rainy days, but nothing that is sufficient for the garden. Everything is struggling, germination was slow and growth is not what it normally is.