Tours sits quite far inland yet still receives a temperate maritime climate due to the unhindered westerly winds from the Atlantic. Warm to hot summers and cool winters are accompanied by very even rainfall. The city sits on the Loire River in the east of central France. It is the largest city in the region and the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.
Summer, from June till September, receives enjoyable heat and plenty of sunshine. The average high temperature sits in the low 20s at the beginning and end of the season, reaching a peak of 24°C in July and August. Night times can be very chilly, certainly requiring an extra layer; in the peak months it gets down to an average low of 13°C. The sun stays out for around eight hours a day, days of sunshine interspersed between periods of grey and rain. Rainfall does not alter much throughout the year in terms of amount, but it does fall in slightly different forms from season to season. In summer Tours is likely to experience rain in short showers or brief thunderstorms.
Autumn, in October and November, quickly cools off and sees more frequent, drizzly rain. The average high drops to 16°C in October and 9°C in November; the average low drops to 8°C in October and 3°C in November. Rainfall doesnât increase in volume but in frequency and it can be grey and damp for days. Sunshine levels drop to four hours per day in October and three hours per day in November.
Winter, from December till February, is cold but not comparatively so when held up against the UK or the Netherlands. The average high drops to 7°C in December and 6°C in January, and rises up to 8°C in February; the average low gets down to 1°C for the whole season. It can often dip below freezing and frosts are common. Snow was once rare though in recent years it has fallen regularly, settling for a short while. But precipitation usually falls as rain in aggravatingly light showers on over half the days in each month. The sun is not very reliable in the winter and the sky is often overcast.
Spring, from March till May, is mild but increasingly warm and sunny. The average high temperature rises to 12°C in March, 14°C in April and 18°C in May but night times remain very cold. Rainfall stays at its light, persistent levels but when it is dry the sky is often clear. The sun jumps from four hours per day in March to six in April and May.
