They say that no-one talks more about the weather than the British, so
it has been very interesting to see over the years that this is very much a hot
topic here in the Languedoc, among the French as well as expats of all
varieties!
One often hears people hotly defend their own areas while pointing out
the worse climate in other areas and one of the most common claims is to
a special "micro-climate", setting an area aside from the rest of the
region! So, are there micro-climates and, if so, just how significant
are they?
Before looking at micro-climates, perhaps one needs to consider briefly
the main characteristics of the Languedoc - a region of the South of
France, with distinctly different areas... the very long Mediterranean
coastline... the lush inland plains... then, further inland, the hills
of the national park or the Pyrénées mountains.
The South of France is known generally for mild winters (although there
can be cold snaps), beautifully sunny and very hot summers, sudden storms
(usually clearing quite quickly) and often strong winds. So, these are
factors one can face in any part of the region.
Of course, if you go up into the hills or mountains, then naturally you will find it is often cooler or cloudier - and at significant altitude,
quite cold in the winter. However, that is true almost anywhere, not
exclusively in the Languedoc, so no real micro-climate factor there.
It is also said that there is a climate effect as one gets closer to the
Pyrénées, particularly with winds coming out of the mountains - and it
does seem that how those winds are funnelled can affect how windy or
calm, damp or dry, a particular valley may be and how windy a particular
town or village may be. So, signs of micro-climates.
However, our experience is that, generally, if it is hot and sunny, or very
windy, or particularly stormy, then that tends to prevail across most of
the region - and mainly overwhelm any micro factors.
Still not sure - well this is one of the best guides we have seen to the
region's climate, giving a lot of information about temperatures,
rainfall, winds, etc...
On a final note, if a local estate agent tells you that their area is
best for buying a house, because of its exceptional weather, do consider
who might be responsible for much of the talk about micro-climates!!
