Climate
The south of France has a warm Mediterranean climate with
hot summers and mild winters. Strong winds, known as 'le Mistral',
can occur in the Cote d'Azur, Provence and in the Rhone valley
particularly over the winter and spring. Northern France, including
Paris, has a temperate climate similar to southern England with
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. During the second half of July
and August most French take their five-week vacation to the coasts
and mountains, and empty cities tend to shut down
accordingly.
