Saw the first hirondelles this morning and within 3 minutes heard the first cuckoo, spring arrived today!
Last year the first swallow was 30 March and cuckoo 14 April.
We arrived here on 1 April (appropriately) 2016 and they were already here when we arrived.
There was an interesting map on Facebook last week tracking the Northward progress of swallows across France and into the UK. Generally they're in this area from around 20 March, but they stay close to water until the weather is right before returning to their homes.
Frankly, I would have stayed in Africa this year.

DM. 740m. La Moratille. Correze. France.