Climate of France

France is traversed by the 45th parallel and situated at the western edge of the Eurasian continent; thus it lies within the northern temperate zone.

It is generally subjected to maritime influences, particularly low fronts from the Atlantic which carry precipitation and bring abrupt changes in the weather.

The country is divided into four main climatic zones:

oceanic (mild winters, cool summers, abundant precipitation spread fairly evenly over most of the year);
semi-continental (cold winters, hot and stormy summer weather, moderate precipitation);
Mediterranean (hot, dry summers, mild winters, often heavy precipitation);
and finally a mountain climate.

The seasons are quite distinct everywhere in France, but there are marked constrasts between coastal areas and the interior of the country, as there are between the north and the south.