French Climate, there’s Something for Everyone

Whether you’re a sun seeker or prefer cooler weather, love the snow or enjoy the verdant landscape of wetter climes, France has something for everyone. If you’re thinking of buying a holiday home or living in France, you’ve got a great choice about where to settle, depending on the type of weather that suits you most.

Sunshine and Snow

Generally, France has a warmer climate than the UK, with four distinct seasons. There are extended periods of sunshine, with lovely long hot summers perfect for outdoor living and al fresco dining. But you can also experience crisp winters and heavy snowfall, depending on which French region you live in.

Geographical Influences on Weather

The marked differences in the weather are due to the country’s geography. France has coastlines on four bodies of water: the North Sea, the English Channel, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. It also has some cooler, wetter regions in the foothills of the Alps, Jura, and Pyrénées, and a large area of mountainous terrain in the centre of the country called the Massif Central. This means that the weather can be vastly different, even within just a small area.

Impact on Lifestyle and Biodiversity

This difference in the French climate affects everything from the activities that people undertake to the type of flora and fauna that thrive there. It also creates ideal conditions for distinctive growing regions, providing a wealth of terroir-driven produce. Think of the lavender, olives and almonds of Provence, sunflowers in the Loire, the orchards of Normandy, and the many wine-growing regions of Alsace, Gironde, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Champagne, Côtes du Rhone, Jura, Occitanie, the Loire Valley and Provence.

Climate in Northern France

This lowland area is subject to the whims of weather from the Atlantic and has a climate similar to that of the South East of England. The weather in this area is generally quite temperate year-round, so summers are not overly hot, and winters are not too harsh. But it’s also an area where rain can start falling at any time.

Climate in Southern France

The southern part of France enjoys a Mediterranean climate of hot summers and mild winters, with average temperatures higher than those in the north. Many towns further inland and in Provence get very hot during the summer months and are popular destinations for sun seekers who flock to places like St Tropez and Marseille, where the sun shines on average for 300 days a year.

The south-west of the country tends to experience more rainfall than the rest of the south, due to the influence of the Pyrenees. In central and southern France, thunderstorms are a brief but spectacular occurrence during the warm summer months.

But if you can’t get enough of the sun, the Riviera or Côte d’Azur is renowned as the sunniest and hottest part of the country. Tourist hotspots such as Cannes, Nice and Monaco have their own hot microclimate due to the protective presence of the nearby Alps, which prevent the powerful Mistral wind from hitting too hard from the north.

Climate in Eastern France

In the east of the country, there is a very distinct contrast between warm summers and cold winters. The Jura and Alps mountain ranges in this area mean that the high altitude, coupled with the lack of warmth from the distant sea, makes for long, cold and snowy winters.

If it’s snow you’re after, then the best place to find it is in the regions around the Alps. Here, snowfall is the greatest and can last for the longest – often from October to May – so it’s no surprise that a whole industry has been built up here around skiing and other winter leisure pursuits.

This area of France can also be inviting even if you’re not particularly a fan of snow, as it also tends to be drier than other areas, with warmer summers, especially in the southern part of eastern France. Thunderstorms are common during the summer months.

Climate in Central France

Central France, in cities like Grenoble and Lyon, can experience intense summer heat and mild winters. But the Massif Central mountain range, which covers about 15 per cent of the country in the central and southern regions, makes the climate in this area similar to that of the east. Therefore, the winters are longer and colder, with more snowfall, but the summers can be hotter. There is less rain here during the summer, although that can make the weather rather stifling.

Climate in Western France

The west of France, along the coast, experiences a moderate difference in temperatures from season to season, with mild winters and cooler summers, and moderate rainfall. But the Charente-Maritime and Vendée departments, including popular coastal towns such as La Rochelle, are among the sunniest parts of France, with the heat not as intense as in the south because of the gentle Atlantic breeze.