With the exception of the mountainous regions and Alsace, France's climate is mainly temperate.

The South of France has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot summers, cool winters and limited rainfall-  frost is rare and spring and autumn downpours are sudden but brief. In Provence Cote d'Azur and in the Rhone valley in particular strong winds can often appear in winter and spring.

Northern France, including Paris, has a classic temperate climate that is similar to southern England. It is characterised by warm summers, cold winters and rainfall throughout the year.

The western coast, from the Loire valley to the Pyrenees, is milder and summer days are generally very hot.

Central and eastern France has a more continental climate marked by warmer summers and colder winters than areas farther west; rainfall is ample, and winters tend to be snowy, especially in the higher areas.