Weather in France

[JohnM20]

We are off to France on Wednesday next week but still don't know where abouts we are going. We want to go to Brittany via Normandy but it all depends on the weather there. We intended going there last year but the weather in northern France was not good at all so we ended up in the south at Millau. I know southern weather should generally be better but, this year, who knows ?
If anyone is out in France at the moment and looking at the forum perhaps you could let me know what the weather is like where you are. We might then be able to make a decision where to go.
Weather forecasts are OK but can't beat looking out of the window.
Thanks in advance

 

[ValA.]

John why not just 'make it up as you go along' - as we do, never making our mind up until we actually arrive in France, when we usually have a look at the four day forecast on the back cover of Aujord 'hui and work out the best area. The problem is that even four days is a 'long time' in weather terms, and you may get 'The Weather is fantastic here in Brittany' but the four day forecast may show thunder and lightening on Sunday, Snow on Monday, and a hurricane on Wednesday! At the moment the forecast we sometimes use - La Chaine Meteo shows Brittany to have temperatures of 15 to 17 degrees, whereas the Languedoc is 25 to 26!
We've just come back from a month away, and as usual, spent most of our time in the Languedoc where the weather was sunny for almost our whole stay, with just one morning of heavy rain and a couple of showers. OK it wasn't as warm as usual, and it was windy, but in sheltered spots it was lovely - we even managed some swimming in the Gorges d'heric and the sea. We came back with a lovely tan and compared to the rest of France we had the best weather anywhere.
We started off with other people who headed off in various different directions, and one of them had two weeks of almost constant cold rain - so we consider ourselves lucky. Others reported heavy rain, soggy waterlogged campsites, strong winds from the north almost everywhere, and even snow in the higher parts of the Auvergne!

 

[davfromwigan]

hi john m .i was the" unfortunate chap" with a puncture at millau last year.hope i see you to congratulate you on your prize winning fictional letter about said puncture.

 

[carper2]

We are near Royan and the sun is shining the temperature is 28 degrees.

Les

 

[ValA.]

From another forum there is a severe weather warning, for south western France, from today onwards, with thunderstorms and heavy rain. Apparently all the way from the Vendee, in a one hundred mile band inland of the coast. This is from someone who lives in France, and 'can already hear the thunder'.

 

[MartinLeFour]

The weather is pants for this time of year, even the French are miserable at the moment, it's so random it's untrue, very unsettled, muggy, humid, damp, dry, we've got everythng at the moment.
We're in the middle of France, forecast for this week is, 23 at the moment, 21,21,18,17,19,20,21, mixture of sunshine, rain, cloud, mahoosive thunder storms, we're on a red vigilance warning for tonight, will we get it, don't know, never got the big one due yesterday or today, it's just pot luck, wake up in the morning and stick your head out the window.
On the upside, come over, enjoy it, take each day as it comes, weather doesn't make a holiday, YOU do, sit outside a cafe, watch the world go by, chill out and relax, it's a lovely place.
We're in Dept 36 an hour north of Limoges, the sun is currently shining

 

[ValA.]

There is serious flooding in the Pyrenees Atlantiques at the moment, with Lourdes, Pau and Bagneres du Luchon under water. The rivers have risen by a huge amount because of the combination of melting snow and heavy rain. There are reports of whole villages being evacuated, and the Shrine at Lourdes being completely flooded.

My thoughts are with anyone in that area, and I wish them a safe night and receding water in the morning!

See here for up the date details

 

[Gafferbill]

I was over near Metz on Monday June 17 where the temperature was 39C and wall to wall sunshine.....very unexpected

It has been up to 34C today on a site north of Luxembourg......thunder storms are looming here though and I am pitched next to the river Sauer!!

 

[Grahamh]

we are in Ile De Re. travelled up from Messange Teusday. The weatherv was severe here monday wth everyone advised to take down awning etc and listen out for warning to evacuate.All gone by Wed when we arrived with sunny spells, 20deg. Very busy here for june tho with most site full.

 

[RayS]

Use the website www.france.meteofrance.com which has an english version or use Chrome browser which will translate it. Quite good at lnger predicitions than we usually get in UK - Continental climate is allegedly more predictable than hours. I use it in UK and while in France. You can get free wifi at McDonalds and various other shopping places and either free or paid for at camping sites
You can also see the traffic situations on www.viamichelin.com or the French government sites, so a laptop or tablet is well worth taking along.

 

[MartinLeFour]

Summers here if anyone is coming over to France, we're in the middle.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/fr/lignac/36370/july-weather/156728_pc

 

[otherclive]

Not too bad in Wiltshire either!