The maps of temperature and precipitation bring out the main climatic features of France. Brittany and Normandy, forming western France, have the typical west European type of climate with mild winters averaging 45° F. (7° C.) at Brest in January and cool summers averaging 61° F. (16° C.) at Brest in July. They also have about 30 inches of rain which falls chiefly in autumn and winter. Strong winds, high cloudiness, and numerous rainy days complete the picture. Two of the three chief occupations of this region are controlled climatically; namely, the dairy industry based on the predominance of rain, and the cultivation of early vegetables based on the mildness of the winter and early spring.
A second type of climate is illustrated by Alsace-Lorraine on the eastern border of France. It shows the influence of a more continental location: the winters are much colder (Strasbourg, 32° in January), the summers are warmer (Strasbourg, 66° in July) and the precipitation of about 27 inches shows a decided summer maximum.
A third climatic type is that of the Mediterranean provinces as well as parts of the Garonne Basin and the coast of the Bay of Biscay. The winter temperatures are similar to those of western France, but sunshine is much more prevalent in spite of rather heavy winter precipitation; the summers are warm with a July temperature of 72° in Nice, and the rainfall shows a strong summer minimum. Nevertheless the fairly abundant rain in fall and spring and the absence of complete summer dryness allow continuous use of the land without the necessity of irrigation. Grapes, olives, and even citrus fruits in protected spots are one of the responses to the climate, and where the rainfall in summer is heavy enough corn appears beside the all-important wheat. The French Riviera, protected on the north by the Alps, owes much of its reputation to its climate, although the beautiful coastal scenery with its interplay between the blue of the sea, the many-colored coastal rocks, and the dark green of forests is a great asset. Biarritz, Nice, Monte Carlo, and other places attract many northern Europeans, lucky enough to escape the damp, raw winters of their homes. In summer, also, many visitors enjoy the warm sunny days so rare in the North Sea countries.
Between these three contrasting types of climate lies the most typical climate of France, a blending of all three. Paris is a true representative of the French climate. Average temperatures of 36° in winter and 65° in summer reflect both marine and continental conditions. A rainfall of around 24 inches, well distributed through the year, and an annual duration of sunshine amounting to about 1,750 hours in contrast with only 1,500 in Holland, make the Paris Basin almost ideal for agriculture and help to explain the dominating position of the farmer in the life of the French nation.
Showing posts with label French climate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French climate. Show all posts
France Geographical Assets
Located on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and touching the North Sea, France has a wider range of maritime opportunities than any other European country not even excepting Spain. The western Mediterranean admits the country to northern Africa where the colonies of Algiers, Tunis, and Morocco are almost an integral part of France. They serve as a stepping-stone to the great French colonial empire in the Sudan and equatorial Africa. The Atlantic gave France a share in the exploitation of the world in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Most of the fruits of this are lost, as in the case of Canada, but commercial as well as cultural contacts still remain.
A second geographical factor which favors France is its climate, which is an almost perfect blending of three different types, the western European, the Mediterranean, and the central European. Cyclonic control is dominant, but is less vigorous than in countries farther north. Hence the French climate is on the whole less stimulating than the less agreeable climates of its northern neighbors.
The relief of the surface is another asset, for only locally is France seriously rugged. The wide rolling plains, the uplands and plateaus, and the mountain ranges induce diversity of production to the great profit of the country as a whole. Moreover, in spite of high mountains, the relief permits easy connections between the different French regions and permits France to have an admirable system of roads, canals, and railroads.
France is also rather well provided with mineral resources. The coal production, it is true, does not equal the consumption, but the waterpower, especially of the Pyrenees and Alps, partially offsets this deficit. Potash, rock salt, and bauxite are valuable French mining products, but the chief factor in France's mineral output is the abundance of iron ore, for which France is the second world producer.
Finally, the last but not the least French asset is the population itself. This mixture of ancient Celts and later Germanic invaders shows strong ethnic unity, and for centuries has withstood the shocks of national existence.
A second geographical factor which favors France is its climate, which is an almost perfect blending of three different types, the western European, the Mediterranean, and the central European. Cyclonic control is dominant, but is less vigorous than in countries farther north. Hence the French climate is on the whole less stimulating than the less agreeable climates of its northern neighbors.
The relief of the surface is another asset, for only locally is France seriously rugged. The wide rolling plains, the uplands and plateaus, and the mountain ranges induce diversity of production to the great profit of the country as a whole. Moreover, in spite of high mountains, the relief permits easy connections between the different French regions and permits France to have an admirable system of roads, canals, and railroads.
France is also rather well provided with mineral resources. The coal production, it is true, does not equal the consumption, but the waterpower, especially of the Pyrenees and Alps, partially offsets this deficit. Potash, rock salt, and bauxite are valuable French mining products, but the chief factor in France's mineral output is the abundance of iron ore, for which France is the second world producer.
Finally, the last but not the least French asset is the population itself. This mixture of ancient Celts and later Germanic invaders shows strong ethnic unity, and for centuries has withstood the shocks of national existence.
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