France Climate Patterns

France's climate splits into several distinct zones. The north and west, including Paris and Brittany, have an oceanic climate -- mild, wet, and fairly stable year-round, similar to much of the UK.

The south, along the Mediterranean coast, follows a Mediterranean pattern instead -- hot, dry summers and mild, wetter winters, which is why the region's travel season peaks in summer unlike much of the rest of the country.

The interior and east, including Burgundy, the Rhône-Alpes, and Alsace, have a more continental climate -- colder winters and hotter summers than the coasts, with the Alps adding genuinely alpine conditions at elevation.