Weather and climate in France

All you need to know about the weather in France – from a forecast to general trends

In general, the French climate is one of the most temperate in Europe. However, it is a large country and the climate does differ according to geography. There are four main types:

* oceanic or maritime found in the north-west and mid-west of France, with mild winters and cool summers, and frequent rain all year round;

* continental, inland France, with cold winters, hot summers and medium rainfall;

* the mountain climate, the Alps, Pyrenées and smaller ranges, with very cold, long, snowy winters and summers that may be hot but are often wet;

* the Mediterranean climate, along the Mediterranean coast and up to 50km inland, which has mild winters and hot, dry summers, with sometimes heavy, sudden rainfall.

Weather Forecast

To find out what the weather is like in France right now and over the next few days go to Meteo France.

Historial weather patterns

If you would like to study the typical historic weather patterns for France as a whole or by département, take a look at Climate Trends in France It includes interesting data on rainfall, sunshine hours, average temperatures, days of frost and so on.

The chart below is an example of the type of data available:

Sample of climate chart for a département

More information

For more information, try FrenchEntrée’s Guide to French Regions for descriptions of the regions of France including information about the climate.

See Which area of France to choose for advice on French regions and where to buy property based on your criteria, including climate.

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