This article examines hydrological spells, ranging from successive floods to sub-seasonal alternations between high and low flows. To study these rare successions, we developed an original detection method using baseflow as a catchment recovery indicator. Applying this to 643 catchments in France, we characterize these spells, identifying distinct spatial variability. We found that rapid transitions from low to high flows are concentrated in the Rhone-Mediterranean and Rhine-Meuse basins.