France has four main types of climate: oceanic or "maritime",
found in the North-West and Mid-West of France, with mild
winters and cool summers, and frequent rain all year round; continental, inland France, with cold winters, hot summers
and medium rainfall; the mountain climate, the Alps, Pyrenées
and smaller ranges, with very cold, long, snowy winters and summers which may be hot but are often wet; and the Mediterranean climate, along the Mediterranean coast and
up to 50km inland, which has mild winters and hot, dry
summers, with sometimes heavy, sudden rainfall. Overall, the French climate is one of the most temperate in Europe.