France Climate

Climate of France

Due to its large area and varied relief, France has several climatic zones. The northwestern and western parts of the country have an oceanic temperate climate, the northeastern and eastern parts have a transitional temperate climate with continental features, the south is dominated by a subtropical (Mediterranean) climate, while the high mountain area has a mountainous climate.

Oceanic temperate climate covers the northwestern and western parts of France (including Brittany, Normandy). A major influence on the formation of weather in this area is the Atlantic Ocean, which bathes the coasts. A characteristic feature is the high level of precipitation (nearly 1,000 mm per year) and considerable humidity. Summers are cool and humid, we will not experience high temperatures and heat. Temperatures in the hottest months oscillate around 17°C - 23°C. Winters are mild, with temperatures as low as 10°C. There is usually heavy cloud cover and rains. Snowfall occurs occasionally.

Transitional temperate climate is found in the northeastern and eastern parts of France (including Alsace, Lorraine, Burgundy). The farther inland you go, the more continental features: the number of sunny days increases, the amount of annual precipitation decreases, and temperature amplitudes increase. Summers are warm (about 20°C - 25°C) with little rainfall. You can also count on hot days during this time, with temperatures reaching 30°C. Winters here are more severe and colder than in the rest of the country, especially in the Vosges and Lorraine areas. Temperatures in the coldest months hover around 0°C, with frosts and freezes common at night. Rainfall ranges from 600 mm to 700 mm per year. Snowfall is common in winter.

Paris and its environs lie on the border of a temperate oceanic and transitional continental climate, which is characterized by low annual precipitation (about 570 mm), and rains are year-round. The temperature in summer can be over 30°C, and in winter the mercury pole drops below 0°C.

A subtropical Mediterranean climate prevails in the French southeast (including Provence, the Côte d'Azur and Languedoc). It is characterized by hot and dry summers and mild and rainy winters. In winter, temperatures rarely drop below 10°C. Precipitation is in the form of rain (500 mm - 700 mm per year) with greater intensity in spring and autumn and winter. Snow is practically not recorded. Summer begins as early as May and lasts until October. It is rather dry, with temperatures ranging around 25°C - 30°C.

A subtropical climate of the oceanic variety is found on the Bay of Biscay. It differs from the Mediterranean variety only in higher humidity, higher rainfall and winds - especially on the coast itself. Summer temperatures tend to be a few degrees cooler, and days are not as hot. An important factor shaping the weather in the south of France is the cold local winds blowing from mountainous areas. Particularly troublesome is the so-called mistral, a strong and cool wind blowing in the Rhone valley, bringing increased rains and storms in spring and autumn.

Mountain climate prevails in the area of high mountains in the Pyrenees and Alps. It is characterized by climatic stackedness, manifested by a temperature drop of about half a degree for every 100 meters. A second important feature is the increase in precipitation as altitude increases. In France, it is the mountainous areas that receive the most rain, nearly 3,000 mm per year. In the winter semester, precipitation is mainly in the form of snow. High in the mountains, temperatures rarely exceed 0°C, and at altitudes above 2,500 meters above sea level there is a perpetual snow limit. There is frost all year round, allowing glaciers to exist (such as the Mer de Glace in the Mont Blanc Massif). Also very characteristic of the mountains is the persistent fog, in summer around the high peaks and in winter in the valleys.

The island of Corsica presents slightly different climatic conditions than the mainland. There is a typical Mediterranean climate, with the number of days of sunshine reaching 230 per year. Summers are generally hot and dry, with temperatures reaching 40°C. This also translates into a high Mediterranean temperature, which is around 25°C - 27°C. Winter on the island is mild, but also very wet. Temperatures oscillate between 13°C - 15°C, with temperatures in the higher parts of the mountains dropping below 0°C and regular snow, which lasts even until June.