France

France Weather Overview

France is divided into 26 different regions- amongst these regions the weather conditions vary significantly. As you travel from North to South, from East to West you will find your self experiencing a smorgasbord of weather conditions- ranging from Continental to Oceanic, from Semi Continental to Mediterranean.

Within France you can have a taste of everything. You have the French Riviera and all the glamour, made all the more enjoyable by the near perfect Mediterranean climate. Head to the South West and you can enjoy a glass of Bergerac red in the temperate conditions of the famous French wine regions of Dordogne and Aquitaine. Central France with its impressive historic architecture in Dijon, brings slightly more extreme conditions but also plays host to the picturesque French Alps to the south. Lastly you have Paris and Northern France which has a pleasant, mild maritime climate of warm summers and cool winters.

Northern France/ North Western France

The northern parts of France, particularly as you head toward the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel, are the most affected by the weather variations that are caused by the Atlantic Ocean disturbances.

Starting in the very north of France, a 90 minute ferry ride from Dover you will find Calais. Calais is the closest French town to the United Kingdom and is only 34km from the English mainland, meaning that on a fine day the white cliffs of Dover are clearly visible.

Obviously as the region (Nord pas de Calais) is the closest to the UK, its climate is very similar to south-eastern England, though temperatures have a tendency to be 1 or 2 degrees warmer year round.

The northern coastal regions and to a lesser extent the inland northern regions are affected by an oceanic climate (also termed ‘maritime climate’.) Oceanic weather conditions are very typical of regions on the west coast of continents. Characterized by mild winters, warm summers and year round precipitation, maritime climates generally have a narrow annual temperature range.

The warm waters of the North Atlantic drift/ Gulf Stream attribute to the region have a generally pleasant year round climate. It is normally cool, but rarely suffers from periods of extreme cold. During the height of summer months the weather can actually be quite warm and have long, glorious periods of uninterrupted summer sunshine.

The summer months, from June though to September see the region at its warmest and it will not be uncommon for the mercury to see in the high 20’s and into the 30’s. Summer has a tendency to be the ‘rainy season’ but it will generally be drier than the south east of England. The greatest precipitation on average is recorded in late summer/ early autumn.

Once you move inland toward the Ile de France region temperatures begin to warm slightly. Coastal regions have a tendency to play host to milder winters and warm summers, however inland regions typically have hotter summers and colder winters than their coastal counterparts.

Paris¸ the city of love, is coincidently in the heart of the Ile de France region and experiences the country’s lowest rainfall. In saying this however, you should expect rainfall at any time of the year and unexpected sporadic showers are common. April through until August see the greatest rainfall, with May and June generally being the wettest.

Summer in Paris and the surrounding region sees maximum average temperatures of 24 to 25 degrees, with daytime temperatures of in the 30’s not uncommon. There are occasional heat weaves during summer months, and Paris has been known to see days in excess of 40 degrees in the past. July and August will see the hottest temperatures, remaining warm but pleasant through until the end of September.

If visiting the north of France during August, keep in mind that many locals take their summer breaks during this month so they often leave the north and head to the southern coastal towns for some well earned time off. So while the weather is pleasant and hot your time may be less than authentic as the concentration of tourists to locals is higher during this period.

September sees the North experiencing crisp autumn evenings as the temperatures, like the tourist concentration, begin to wean slightly. It can be an ideal time to visit as you wont be fending of hoards of visitors and the weather is still phenomenal, although keep in mind that September weather has a tendency to be unpredictable and can manage to get quite chilly. On the whole the days have an average temperature of about 21 degrees.

Winter in the north of France is relatively mild, the inland seeing cooler temperatures than the coast and moderate rainfall across the regions. In the Ile de France region December and January generally see average maximums of about 8b degrees and average minimums of 2 to 4 degrees.

Winters can get very chilly at times, particularly when there is no cloud cover to blanket the region. It is not uncommon for the temperatures to hover around freezing point. In saying this, however, the 2007/2008 winter which has just passed saw France seeing its warmest and sunniest winter since 1950!

South and South Western France

It is within this area that France experiences a multitude of weather conditions! The combination of inland France, the Pyrenees mountain ranges and the Atlantic coast leads to the south west being the base for three major climatic zones- Mediterranean, Oceanic and Continental.

Starting at La Rochelle, a resort town located in the coastal heart of the Poitou- Charentes region, the weather is fairly typical of a western coastal town. While it is not as warm here as its French Riviera counterparts, it certainly does experience its fair share of hot summers days. Average summer temperatures sit at 17 to 19 degrees from June to August, with temperatures in the high 20’s frequent. The summer is also when La Rochelle and neighboring areas receive the least amount of rain.

Because of the Gulf Stream influences in the region La Rochelle doesn’t generally experience winter extremes and the barometer generally hovers around 6 to 8 degrees throughout winter. Sunshine through winter stays plentiful with the region receiving about 2,600 hours of sunshine per year.

Like much of the French Atlantic coast, you can enjoy the sun set over the sea while drinking a glass of the regions best wine at 9:30 in the evening- the epitome of relaxation!

Moving further south you will find yourself in the famous Aquitaine wine region. Bordeaux experiences pleasant year round temperatures and mild but consistent rain fall throughout the year. April in the area sees an average high temperature of 16 degrees Celsius and the average low is 6 Celsius. Throughout this time the region will see an average of 13 precipitation days.

February to August will see Aquitaine at its driest, however there are still 12- 14 rain days per month which isn’t hugely different from the 15 to 17 rain days that are typical of the autumn/ winter months. December is when the region records its highest level of precipitation, averaging 109 mm.

Once you are within the Dordogne region is when the weather conditions start to go a bit haywire. Within the region the temperatures and rainfall can vary significantly within quiet a small area. This occurs because as you head from south west to north west the height above sea level rises- as a result the north receives great rainfall than the south.

In the south west of the Dordogne an annual average 750mm of precipitation is recorded, whereas an average of 1160mm annual precipitation is recorded in the north. Generally, Bergerac is the driest area of the region.

The combination of the Atlantic airstreams from the west coast with the continental conditions from the east and the north, affect the temperatures and sunshine in the region.

In the summer in the Dordogne region visitors can experience the thunderstorms which occur when the heat in the region builds to a climax and releases in a dramatic evening thunder show.

On the whole the region experiences rainfall year round, had warm to hot summers and mild winters which can occasionally get quite chilly. In the lower lying parts of the region such as Bergerac it is not uncommon for the mercury to rise above 30 degrees Celsius so it is best to pack your sunscreen along with your umbrella!

As you head even further south you will hit Bayonne and the Pyrenees mountain range which forms a natural border between France and Spain.

The Pyrenees brings winter extremes of below freezing temperatures and snow fall. As you head east along the mountain range the precipitation (rain and snow) levels decrease. For examples, the East Pyrenees, unlike the West, doesn’t have enough snowfall to support the formation of glaciers.

The higher the altitude the more extreme the climate, and the more west you head the climate becomes more maritime.

Central France

As you head into inland France the weather becomes slightly more extreme and you experience greater variation between the seasons. The area experiences colder winters than the rest of France and there is a greater chance of snow than in the northern and western parts of the country. Rainfall generally falls in the summer time, and like in the Dordogne region, with the rain comes the thunderstorms.

Dijon generally has cold try winters and warmer summers. Winters in Dijon have been known to be harsh and humid, so girls- pack your hair straightens and anti-frizz spray! The town is situated within the Burgundy region which is characterized by pronounced seasonal variations. It generally rains all year round, though this is broken up by periods of beautiful sunny weather. Spring is the best time to visit and conditions are mild and rainfall is minimal. Summer time sees the mercury rises, yet the conditions are rarely extreme and the temperature will generally hover around the late 20’s.

Burgundy is characterized by a semi continental climate, however in parts of the region the weather conditions are more typical of an oceanic climate, and as you head further south toward the Mediterranean the weather becomes, well.. more Mediterranean!

Once you hit Lyon the conditions vary quite dramatically from Dijon. Lyon’s weather is affected by the Mediterranean and by the adjacent mountain ranges and the cooler Rhone Valley. Summer conditions are warm and muggy, with average highs of 27 degrees. Throughout winter the day time temperatures can get pretty chilly, hovering around about 7 degrees. In the winter months the region is surrounded by the picturesque mist (or ‘fog’ if you want a less picturesque term!) This can often linger through into the Autumn months.

The Mediterranean Coast

A Mediterranean climate is witnessed in the Rhône valley south of Valence and the coastal areas of Languedoc and Provence at the foot of the southern Alps.

The glamour, class and fame of this region is accompanied by a glorious typical Mediterranean climate of warm summers and mild winters. The scorching hot summer days are broken up by the evening sea breezes which waft over the city and provide a cooling breaking from heat and create an ideal atmosphere to enjoy what this alluring picturesque area has to offer.

Along the coast, summers are hot, with scarce rain for a 3 month period in the midst of summer. However, when it rains – it pours and often associated with thunder. Sunshine is plentiful- up to eleven to twelve hours a day in summer and around five in midwinter.

Winters in the region are generally mild and sunny but this pleasant weather is often interrupted by very unsettled cold and squally weather brought in by the famous northerly ‘mistral’ wind. The mistral blows with particular strength through around Marseille and through the Rhône Valley.

The mistral wind can often bring unseasonably cold weather for a few days in spring and can have you wondering if you’ve just snapped back into winter. The majority of the Côte d'Azur is much less exposed to the cold blasts of the mistral and a lot of the region (including Corsica and Monaco) is moderated by the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

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