France's climate is mostly formed under the influence of the Atlantic. This country has four climatic zones: Atlantic, continental, alpine and Mediterranean. Each zone has its own specific variety of flora and fauna.

No wonder that France is a favorite place for many to have tours, seaside vacations and skiing. The country has over forty parks of national and regional significance.

Noisy Paris doesn’t represent whole France. In order to understand how beautiful French land at any time of year, you need to visit a provinces with abundant pastoral landscapes and places of unspoiled nature.

Seasons

Contents:

• Spring
• Summer
• Autumn
• Winter

Spring in France

Spring is the most romantic season in France. Its gentle green, first flowers and timid awakening of nature create special atmosphere. At this time of year rivers overflow their banks, chestnuts blooms and towns and villages are surrounded by fragrance. Stone jungles of cities are lighted by gentle trees with lightest laces of white and pink blossom. The spring for French is the traditional wedding season so streets are filled with wedding processions.

Spring is the time when Brittany is covered by blooming broom and gorse flowers and swamps and dried salt lakes of Provence are filled with voices of thousands of different birds. The owners of the chateaus in the south of France start to pruning vines. By the time of appearance of first flowers in snowy Alps people of Nice celebrate their “King of five continents” carnival with its famous flower battles.

Climate of the Spring Months

March Max average t°: +11 °C (52 °F) Min average t°: +4 °C (39 °F) Sundial in the day: 5 hours Rainy days: 7 days Precipitation: 30 mm (1.2")

April Max average t°: +15 °C (59 °F) Min average t°: +7 °C (45 °F) Sundial in the day: 6 hours Rainy days: 6 days Precipitation: 40 mm (1.6")

May Max average t°: +19 °C (66 °F) Min average t°: +10 °C (50 °F) Sundial in the day: 7 hours Rainy days: 8 days Precipitation: 50 mm (2")

(Paris)

Spring Holidays

First Saturday of March: National Day of grandmothers.

March 8: International Women Day
March 20: International Day of Francophonie.

April 1: April Fool’s Day.

May 1: Labour Day.
First weekend of May: Festival of the Parrot.
May 8: Day of Liberation from Fascism.

Summer in France

French summer has pleasant weather with no heat, so this is the peak of tourist season. Coasts are especially good in this time of year. The air there is heated above 25 °C (77 °F) and rains are relatively infrequent. In the period between June and August weather is very warm throughout the country. Cool weather persists only on some mountain areas and Mont-Blanc peak is covered with snow all year round.

The wild fauna of French forests is most active during summertime. Noteworthy that despite the urbanization processes fauna of France is preserved way better than in neighboring countries. During the warm season one can meet chamois, brown bears, badgers, foxes, deer, otters, roe deer and wild boars in numerous reserves and national parks. There are lots of trout in rivers and lakes of France and the Bay of Biscay is the pace of industrial fishing of sardines, herring, flounder, shrimp and lobster.

Climate of the Summer Months

June Max average t°: +22 °C (72 °F) Min average t°: +13 °C (55 °F) Sundial in the day: 8 hours Rainy days: 9 days Precipitation: 50 mm (2")

July Max average t°: +24 °C (75 °F) Min average t°: +15 °C (59 °F) Sundial in the day: 8 hours Rainy days: 8 days Precipitation: 55 mm (2.2")

August Max average t°: +23 °C (73 °F) Min average t°: +15 °C (59 °F) Sundial in the day: 7 hours Rainy days: 9 days Precipitation: 60 mm (2.4")

(Paris)

Summer Holidays

June 18: Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.
June 21: Music Day in France.
June 23 (even-numbered years): Wine Festival in Bordeaux.

July 14: Bastille Day.
August 15: Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Summer in France is the time of festivals, carnivals and theatrical performances in ancient castles. At June 21^st the Day of Music is held across the country. Music is everywhere: in concert halls, on the streets and in the houses of the French.

Autumn in France

Autumn in France smells like sweet wines of Aquitaine and Burgundy and the rotting leaves in the vicinity of the Loire castles, filled with mild October sun. This is the time when the French return from their holidays and many tourists conversely rush to the Cote d'Azur in eager not to miss the velvet season.

The main harvest time in France also occurs in the autumn. The French are celebrating the Day of chestnut in late October. This goodie is fried and its aroma envelops the streets of cities and villages. Than the celebration transits to the Week of Taste under which Cider Day, Day of Spices and Fish festival are held.

Climate of the Autumn Months

September Max average t°: +21 °C (70 °F) Min average t°: +12 °C (54 °F) Sundial in the day: 6 hours Rainy days: 8 days Precipitation: 50 mm (2")

October Max average t°: +16 °C (61 °F) Min average t°: +9 °C (48 °F) Sundial in the day: 4 hours Rainy days: 8 days Precipitation: 50 mm (2")

November Max average t°: +10 °C (50 °F) Min average t°: +5 °C (41 °F) Sundial in the day: 2 hours Rainy days: 8 days Precipitation: 50 mm (2")

(Paris)

Autumn Holidays

October 9: The Day of chestnut.
October 16: Reading Festival in France.
October 31: Halloween (Samhain).

November 11: Memorial Day (End of the First World War).
November 17: Festival of New Beaujolais.

Winter in France

The French winter characterized by northerly winds which bring cold weather into its territory down to the Mediterranean coast. However this circumstance doesn’t scare tourists who prefer this country for a vacation at any time of the year. The remarkable fact: in the middle of January temperature in Paris reaches 10 °C (50 °F) and the sky may be as bright blue as in Istanbul in the summer.

Winter in France is primarily rainy rather than snowy. Therefore Frenchman needs umbrella much more than a sled or a warm jacket. The temperature rarely drops below zero. The coldest weather in winter is noted in Alsace and the warmest is on the island of Corsica, where the average temperature of January reaches 13 °C (55 °F).

Climate of the Winter Months

December Max average t°: +7 °C (45 °F) Min average t°: +3 °C (37 °F) Sundial in the day: 1 hour Rainy days: 9 days Precipitation: 50 mm (2")

January Max average t°: +6 °C (43 °F) Min average t°: +2 °C (36 °F) Sundial in the day: 2 hours Rainy days: 10 days Precipitation: 55 mm (2.2")

February Max average t°: +8 °C (46 °F) Min average t°: +2 °C (36 °F) Sundial in the day: 2 hours Rainy days: 9 days Precipitation: 45 mm (1.8")

(Paris)

Winter Holidays

December 25: Christmas.

January 1: The New Year.
January 6: Catholic Epiphany.

February 6: Violet Festival in Toulouse.
February 13: Carnival in Nice and Menton Lemon Festival.
February 14: St. Valentine’s Day.