- Oceanic or maritime: covering northwest and mid-west France. This climate type involves mild winters, cool summers and frequent rain

- Continental/inland: typified by cold winters, hot summers and medium rainfall

- Mountain climate: Alps and the Pyrenees, bringing very cold, snowy winters, with hot, though often rainy summers

- Mediterranean: covering from the Mediterranean coast to 50 km inland, with mild winters, hot and dry summers, but sometimes sudden and heavy rain

North of the river Loire the weather tends to be cooler, more in keeping with northern Europe, while south of the river it starts to become warmer. It is hard to generalise about French weather, as there is great climate variation between the many regions, due to factors such as the mountains.

Always investigate an area fully, including its weather, before you decide to settle permanently - consider renting accommodation for a while and experience the various seasons first-hand!