Another reason why France is so attractive to so many people is because of the variety of micro climates the country has. On this page we take a look at the different climates which relate to the camping areas we have chosen to write about.

Normandy: Situated on the north west coast of France, Normandy can be wet and has a similar climate to the south of England though more temperate. Probably this is why the area is so green and well wooded. It is generally warmer than England, especially in winter, but can get quite hot in the summer months - up tp 30% ish, so if you intend to take your holidays in this lovely region of France we advise that you take waterproofs as well as suncream and dark glasses!

Brittany: Situated in the north west of the country, this region of France has micro climates of it's own. The climate here is generally warmer and less wet than the south of England, especially in the summer months when it can be seriously hot on the southern coast, but the very fact that Brittany is where it is means that even in summer it can be cloudy and wet at virtually any time of the year.

The Finistère area of western Brittany tends to be the coolest in summer, and it can be rather windy in autumn and winter too, whereas the the south coast of Morbihan benefits from a sunny microclimate and is the warmest.

Generally then, Brittany has quite a mild climate, particularly in the extreme west where frost and snow are relatively rare. Nonetheless, if a cold winter wind is blowing from the east, temperatures can fall well below zero % or below even in Brest.

Vendee: The Vendee region of France is situated on the westen coast facing the Bay of Biscay (Atlantic coast) and the whole area is a haven for British, Irish, Dutch and a handful of German holidaymakers, and of course it is also a place where the French take regular weekend breaks to enjoy the sun and the surfing.

If you explore the area you will notice that there are marshes dotted about from the south and right up to the north of the region, and in summertime you will also notice that there are millions of different Dragonflies which have bred there - absolutely harmless - and some are really beautiful with their shimmering colours. To digress from the climate for a second; if you are staying at a camp site in the Vendee you will see these creatures in droves and it is great fun to see how many you can have land on the tips of your fingers if you hold your hands up in front of them with fingers outspread.

The Vendee has a huge amount of sunshine hours and long warm summer days, the temperatures along the Atlantic coast average around 25 degrees during July and August - having been there many times the editor believes that this figure is on the low side. The Weather in the Vendee is mild with almost as many hours of sunshine per year as the South of France. It can be stormy in summer so take some lightweight waterproofs to be on the safe side.

Charente-Maritime: Situated just below the Vendee on the same Atlantic coast, facing the Bay of Biscay, and if you are considering a holiday or buying a property in France it well worth knowing the Charente Maritime has one of the best climates in France. Charent-Maritime extends southwards to the River Gironde which lies just north of Bordeaux. The region is blessed in being just far enough away from the Pyrenees and yet far enough south with low lying geography that combines to give it an area with the highest number of average annual sunshine hours in France except the Mediterranean. La Rochelle in the Charente Maritime enjoys 2331 hours of sunshine a year on average (21.3% more than Biarritz and 22.6% more than Nantes).

SOUTH WEST FRANCE:
Aquitaine (Gironde): The coastline of Aquitaine in south western France starts where at the southern side of the river Gironde where Charente-Maritime leaves off. It's western side faces the Atlantic coast and Bay of Biscay just as Charente and the Vendee areas do. Aquitaine is mild the whole year round and due to the influence of the Pyrenees it has well distributed rainfall which allows vine growing on a large scale from which the famous Bordeaux wines are produced. Sunshine is the name of the game in Aquitaine, but for holiday purposes it may be best to pack some lightweight waterproofs along with your shorts or bikinis.

Lot-et-Garonne: The Lot-et-Garonne region is the agricultural heartland of Aquitaine, and is rich in orchards, vines,small towns and walled villages.

Dordogne: The Dordogne region of France is one of the few we visit on this site which does not have a coastline, the other being Lot-et-Gironde which is essentially part of Aquitaine. The climate in the Dordogne is so suitable to the British that many have settled here in the past 20-30 years.

The summertime is quite hot, between 25 - 35%, as you would expect this far south, but some colder spells can drift in for the odd day or two. The spring and autumn in the Dordogne are pretty much the same but a milder 22-28 degrees with a greater chance of rain - especially so in late spring when periods of heavy rain can arrive quite frequently.

Wintertime is usually mild in south-west France though it tends to have occasional short periods of cold weather -down to -10 degrees sometimes and more frequent rainfall which keeps the region nice and green. Even in the winter the sky tends to be bright and sunny which is another thing which attracts the British to move there.

South France: The area termed the south of France by most people is really the south east of the country, a huge area with a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea stretching from the border with Spain just below Perpignan to the border with Italy to the east of Monaco.

The South of France has a warm Mediterranean climate with very hot summers, cool winters and limited rainfall-  frost is rare and spring and autumn downpours are sudden but brief. In Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur and in the Rhône valley in particular strong winds can often appear in winter and spring. The southern France inhabitants tend to take their own holidays in July and August to places where the heat is more bearable.