The Climate of
France
Vineyards in Ascarat, Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Climate Map
Climate map of France
What is the climate of France like?
France is a large country, two and a half times as big as Great Britain, extending for some 1,000 km (600 mi) from north to south and from east to west. It is bounded on the north by Belgium, on the northeast by Germany, on the east by Switzerland and Italy, and on the south by Spain. Although much of northern and western France is low-lying and rather flat, there are some high mountain regions to the south and east: part of the western Alps, the Pyrenees which form the border with Spain, and the Massif Central which rises to over 1,800 metres (6,000 feet) in its southern and central portions. Consequently, there are significant climate variations within France.
The north and north-west of France have a similar climate to Great Britain, with frequent rain. In the interior, it rains less often, but when it does, it rains much more heavily, so that the annual precipitation there is much lower than the number of rainy days compared to the rest of the country. Annual rainfall for all of France averages about 800 millimeters (32 inches). Rainfall is greatest on the Atlantic coast and in the higher-lying interior regions.
The high mountain regions have their own distinctive climate with heavier rainfall, much of it snow in winter; These areas are colder all year round. Only along the Mediterranean coast and in the adjacent mountainous regions is summer mostly calm, sunny and warm. Anywhere in France, the weather can be changeable at any time of the year.
The prevailing winds, mild and humid, are west winds from the Atlantic; The influence of the continental climate is evident in the easterly winds, frequent in winter and in eastern France, while the mistral, a violent north-west wind, is characteristic of the Mediterranean.
France can be divided into five climatic zones:
Northern and Northwestern France
Including Picardy (Lille, Calais), Normandy (Dieppe, Rouen, Caen, Bayeux, Cherbourg), Brittany (St Malo, Brest, Rennes, Nantes).
This area includes the coasts and the adjacent inland areas from the Belgian border to the Loire estuary (see example Cherbourg). This area has the most maritime climate in all of France. Winters are generally mild and frost and snow are not too common and diminishing in the West. Rain occurs in all seasons. Summers are slightly warmer than in southern Britain. Average temperatures in Brest, at the tip of Brittany, are 6°C (43°F) in January and 16°C (61°F) in July. Average daily hours of sunshine range from two in mid-winter to between seven and eight in mid-summer.
| Climate data for Cherbourg (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.8 (46.0) | 7.8 (46.0) | 9.9 (49.8) | 11.8 (53.2) | 14.9 (58.8) | 17.7 (63.9) | 19.8 (67.6) | 19.9 (67.8) | 18.0 (64.4) | 14.8 (58.6) | 11.0 (51.8) | 8.5 (47.3) | 13.5 (56.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) | 5.5 (41.9) | 7.3 (45.1) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.7 (53.1) | 14.3 (57.7) | 16.4 (61.5) | 16.6 (61.9) | 14.9 (58.8) | 12.1 (53.8) | 8.7 (47.7) | 6.4 (43.5) | 10.7 (51.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 3.5 (38.3) | 3.2 (37.8) | 4.6 (40.3) | 5.7 (42.3) | 8.5 (47.3) | 10.9 (51.6) | 13.0 (55.4) | 13.3 (55.9) | 11.8 (53.2) | 9.4 (48.9) | 6.4 (43.5) | 4.2 (39.6) | 7.9 (46.2) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 100.8 (3.97) | 69.6 (2.74) | 69.8 (2.75) | 61.8 (2.43) | 58.1 (2.29) | 49.1 (1.93) | 46.4 (1.83) | 51.4 (2.02) | 74.4 (2.93) | 111.6 (4.39) | 113.1 (4.45) | 113.6 (4.47) | 919.7 (36.21) |
| Source: Meteo France | |||||||||||||
Southwestern France
The region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine including Dordogne (Périgeux), Charente (La Rochelle, Cognac), Gironde (Bordeaux), Navarre (Biarritz), Gascogne (Toulouse, Lourdes).
This is mainly a lowland region, often referred to by its historical name Aquitaine (see example Bordeaux). Here the summers are significantly warmer and sunnier than in north-west France. Winters are generally mild and cold snaps do not last long. Summers can be quite wet, especially towards the Pyrenees and the Spanish border, but rain is usually heavy and short-lived. Summers have more sunshine and longer periods of stable weather than further north.
| Climate data for Bordeaux (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 10.5 (50.9) | 12.0 (53.6) | 15.5 (59.9) | 18.0 (64.4) | 21.7 (71.1) | 25.0 (77.0) | 27.1 (80.8) | 27.6 (81.7) | 24.2 (75.6) | 19.6 (67.3) | 14.1 (57.4) | 11.0 (51.8) | 18.9 (66.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 7.1 (44.8) | 7.8 (46.0) | 10.7 (51.3) | 13.0 (55.4) | 16.6 (61.9) | 19.8 (67.6) | 21.7 (71.1) | 21.9 (71.4) | 18.8 (65.8) | 15.2 (59.4) | 10.4 (50.7) | 7.7 (45.9) | 14.2 (57.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) | 3.6 (38.5) | 5.8 (42.4) | 8.0 (46.4) | 11.4 (52.5) | 14.6 (58.3) | 16.2 (61.2) | 16.3 (61.3) | 13.3 (55.9) | 10.7 (51.3) | 6.7 (44.1) | 4.4 (39.9) | 9.6 (49.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 86.9 (3.42) | 66.9 (2.63) | 63.3 (2.49) | 75.6 (2.98) | 71.1 (2.80) | 70.4 (2.77) | 48.6 (1.91) | 56.7 (2.23) | 81.2 (3.20) | 83.3 (3.28) | 114.5 (4.51) | 106.4 (4.19) | 924.9 (36.41) |
| Source: Meteo France | |||||||||||||
Central and Eastern France
Including Île de France (Paris, Chartres), Lorraine (Metz), Alsace (Strasbourg), Champagne (Reims), Touraine (Tours), Orléanais (Orléans), Bourgogne (Beaune, Dijon). Excluding the mountain areas of the Vosges, Jura, and Alps.
This area is marked by rather colder winters with a greater chance of frost and snow than in the northwest. Summers also tend to be a little warmer. Rainfall is generally low and tends to fall in summer when it is often associated with thunderstorms. Winters become colder towards the east and they are not any warmer farther south. In winter occasional very cold spells can occur. There is a definite increase in summer warmth in the south and an increase in sunshine from an average of seven to nine hours a day. Compare Paris and Lyon.
| Climate data for Paris (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) | 8.3 (46.9) | 12.2 (54.0) | 15.6 (60.1) | 19.6 (67.3) | 22.7 (72.9) | 25.2 (77.4) | 25.0 (77.0) | 21.1 (70.0) | 16.3 (61.3) | 10.8 (51.4) | 7.5 (45.5) | 16.0 (60.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.9 (40.8) | 5.6 (42.1) | 8.8 (47.8) | 11.5 (52.7) | 15.2 (59.4) | 18.3 (64.9) | 20.5 (68.9) | 20.3 (68.5) | 16.9 (62.4) | 13.0 (55.4) | 8.3 (46.9) | 5.5 (41.9) | 12.4 (54.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 2.7 (36.9) | 2.8 (37.0) | 5.3 (41.5) | 7.3 (45.1) | 10.9 (51.6) | 13.8 (56.8) | 15.8 (60.4) | 15.7 (60.3) | 12.7 (54.9) | 9.6 (49.3) | 5.8 (42.4) | 3.4 (38.1) | 8.8 (47.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 51.0 (2.01) | 41.2 (1.62) | 47.6 (1.87) | 51.8 (2.04) | 63.2 (2.49) | 49.6 (1.95) | 62.3 (2.45) | 52.7 (2.07) | 47.6 (1.87) | 61.5 (2.42) | 51.1 (2.01) | 57.8 (2.28) | 637.4 (25.09) |
| Source: Meteo France | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for Lyon (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.1 (44.8) | 9.0 (48.2) | 13.8 (56.8) | 17.4 (63.3) | 21.5 (70.7) | 25.6 (78.1) | 28.2 (82.8) | 28.0 (82.4) | 23.1 (73.6) | 17.7 (63.9) | 11.4 (52.5) | 7.7 (45.9) | 17.5 (63.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) | 5.2 (41.4) | 9.0 (48.2) | 12.3 (54.1) | 16.3 (61.3) | 20.3 (68.5) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.3 (72.1) | 17.9 (64.2) | 13.7 (56.7) | 8.1 (46.6) | 4.8 (40.6) | 13.0 (55.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 1.1 (34.0) | 1.4 (34.5) | 4.2 (39.6) | 7.2 (45.0) | 11.2 (52.2) | 15.0 (59.0) | 17.0 (62.6) | 16.6 (61.9) | 12.8 (55.0) | 9.6 (49.3) | 4.9 (40.8) | 2.0 (35.6) | 8.6 (47.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 49.8 (1.96) | 41.6 (1.64) | 49.4 (1.94) | 68.9 (2.71) | 80.9 (3.19) | 74.1 (2.92) | 67.4 (2.65) | 65.5 (2.58) | 82.5 (3.25) | 99.8 (3.93) | 87.2 (3.43) | 53.7 (2.11) | 820.8 (32.31) |
| Source: Meteo France | |||||||||||||
The Mediterranean Coast and Corsica
Including Languedoc (Carcassonne, Montpellier), Provence (Marseille, Toulon, Cannes, Nice, Aix-en-Provence, St Tropez), the southern Rhône Valley (Avignon, Valence), Corsica (Ajaccio).
With the exception of the island of Corsica (exemplified by Ajaccio), the Mediterranean climate is limited to the Rhône Valley south of Valence and the coastal areas of Languedoc and Provence at the foot of the Cevennes and Southern Alps. Here summers are warm or even hot, with a three-month period when it rarely rains. When it rains at this time of year, it is heavy and often accompanied by thunder. Sunshine is plentiful, up to eleven to twelve hours a day in the summer and five in the height of winter. Winters are generally mild and sunny, but this pleasant weather is often interrupted by very changeable cold and blustery weather, brought by a north wind called the Mistral. This blows particularly strongly in the Rhone Valley and around Marseille. The Mistral can bring unusually cold weather for a few days in spring. The Côte d'Azur from Toulon to the Italian border, including the small independent principality of Monaco, is much less exposed to the mistral's chills, and in Corsica the cold is tempered by the warm waters of the Mediterranean.
Corsica, popular as a holiday resort for its mild winters at sea level and hot, sunny summers, is a mountainous island. Inland, elevations exceed 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) and here snow can be heavy in winter and snowpack can last well into spring.
| Climate data for Ajaccio (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 13.7 (56.7) | 13.9 (57.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 17.9 (64.2) | 21.7 (71.1) | 25.3 (77.5) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.7 (83.7) | 25.9 (78.6) | 22.5 (72.5) | 17.9 (64.2) | 14.7 (58.5) | 20.5 (68.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 8.9 (48.0) | 9.0 (48.2) | 10.6 (51.1) | 12.9 (55.2) | 16.7 (62.1) | 20.1 (68.2) | 22.8 (73.0) | 23.1 (73.6) | 20.5 (68.9) | 17.4 (63.3) | 13.2 (55.8) | 10.1 (50.2) | 15.5 (59.9) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 4.2 (39.6) | 4.1 (39.4) | 5.6 (42.1) | 7.9 (46.2) | 11.6 (52.9) | 14.8 (58.6) | 17.3 (63.1) | 17.6 (63.7) | 15.1 (59.2) | 12.3 (54.1) | 8.4 (47.1) | 5.5 (41.9) | 10.4 (50.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 56.7 (2.23) | 45.1 (1.78) | 49.1 (1.93) | 54.8 (2.16) | 44.0 (1.73) | 22.1 (0.87) | 6.7 (0.26) | 19.7 (0.78) | 51.5 (2.03) | 85.6 (3.37) | 103.9 (4.09) | 76.4 (3.01) | 615.6 (24.24) |
| Source: Meteo France | |||||||||||||
The Mountainous Regions
Including Pyrenees, Auvergne (Clermont-Ferrand), Cevennes (Millau), Massif Central, Dauphiné (Grenoble), Alps (Embrun), Savoie (Chamonix-Mont-Blanc), Jura, Vosges.
The main mountain regions of France are the Vosges in Alsace and Lorraine, the Jura and the Alps along the borders with Switzerland and Italy, the Pyrenees in the extreme south and the higher parts of the Massif Central. These areas are the wettest and coldest regions of France and much of the winter precipitation is snow. Winter sports are most developed in the Alps and Pyrenees, but can be practiced in the other mountain regions for a shorter period. The weather and climate of the French Alps and Jura is very similar to that of the Swiss Alps.
Embrun shows mid-level conditions in the heart of the French Alps. In the Pyrenees, precipitation tends to be heaviest in winter and autumn, but in the Vosges, Jura and Northern Alps, summer and autumn are the wettest seasons. The Southern Alps, Pyrenees and parts of the Massif Central have relatively nice and fairly warm summer weather considering their altitude, but this can be briefly interrupted by clouds, rain and thunder. The most unpleasant aspect of summer weather in these mountainous areas is the frequent and sudden onset of clouds around noon, which can obscure the peaks but leave the valleys clear. Conditions are often reversed in winter, with mountains jutting into clear blue skies and valleys shrouded in low cloud and fog. In winter, severe frosts can occur in all valley regions when the weather is calm.
| Climate data for Embrun (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) | 8.4 (47.1) | 12.4 (54.3) | 15.2 (59.4) | 19.7 (67.5) | 23.8 (74.8) | 27.3 (81.1) | 27.0 (80.6) | 22.3 (72.1) | 17.1 (62.8) | 10.8 (51.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 16.5 (61.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) | 3.0 (37.4) | 6.5 (43.7) | 9.3 (48.7) | 13.6 (56.5) | 17.2 (63.0) | 20.2 (68.4) | 19.9 (67.8) | 15.9 (60.6) | 11.6 (52.9) | 5.9 (42.6) | 2.7 (36.9) | 10.7 (51.3) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −2.8 (27.0) | −2.5 (27.5) | 0.6 (33.1) | 3.4 (38.1) | 7.5 (45.5) | 10.6 (51.1) | 13.1 (55.6) | 12.9 (55.2) | 9.6 (49.3) | 6.2 (43.2) | 1.1 (34.0) | −1.7 (28.9) | 4.9 (40.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 51.9 (2.04) | 45.1 (1.78) | 50.1 (1.97) | 61.2 (2.41) | 68.0 (2.68) | 61.0 (2.40) | 46.8 (1.84) | 51.9 (2.04) | 69.0 (2.72) | 85.8 (3.38) | 69.0 (2.72) | 66.7 (2.63) | 726.5 (28.60) |
| Source: Meteo France | |||||||||||||
References
- E. A. Pearce, Charles Gordon Smith, (1990) The Hutchinson World Weather Guide, John Murray Press. ISBN 1859863426
- Timothy L. Gall, (ed.), (2003), Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations, Eleventh Edition, Thomson Gale
- Hugh Chisholm, (ed.), (1911), Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh edition, Cambridge University Press
The Climate of
France
In summary:
France’s various regions have three major types of climate: maritime, continental, Mediterranean, and Alpine. The western part of the country, which borders the Atlantic Ocean, has a temperate, maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. Much of eastern and central France has a continental climate, with a wider range of temperatures between seasons: winters are cold and snowy, and storms occur in June and July. The eastern part of the country has the coldest winters. The Mediterranean climate predominates in the south and southeast: winters are mild and humid, with only short periods of frost, and summers are hot and dry. Southern France occasionally experiences a cold northern wind called the mistral.
Average annual rainfall in France ranges from as little as 430 mm (17 in) on the Languedoc coast to 1300 mm (50 in) in the mountains, on the Massif Central, and in the northwest. Annual rainfall averages 680 mm (27 in) in Paris and 1000 mm (40 in) in Bordeaux.