About France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country primarily located in Western Europe. Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic, the French West Indies, and many islands in Oceania and the Indian Ocean. Metropolitan France shares borders with Belgium and Luxembourg to the north; Germany to the northeast; Switzerland to the east; Italy and Monaco to the southeast; Andorra and Spain to the south; and a maritime border with the United Kingdom to the northwest. Its metropolitan area extends from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea. Its 18 integral regions, five of which are overseas, span a combined area of 632,702 km2 (244,288 sq mi), with a total population estimated at over 69.1 million in 2026. Its capital, largest city and main cultural and economic centre is Paris, with a metropolitan population of over 13 million.
Climate in Paris
Warmest August, coolest January, driest July, sunniest July. Best time to visit: July, August, September.
Monthly climate normals for Paris, 2020| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Sunshine |
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| January | 8.9°C | 3°C | 32mm | 138h |
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| February | 11.4°C | 5.5°C | 112mm | 148h |
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| March | 12°C | 4°C | 70mm | 236h |
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| April | 19.6°C | 7.8°C | 27mm | 352h |
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| May | 20.6°C | 9.4°C | 30mm | 357h |
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| June | 22.7°C | 13.3°C | 48mm | 348h |
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| July | 25.4°C | 14.4°C | 12mm | 362h |
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| August | 26.9°C | 16.8°C | 34mm | 346h |
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| September | 23.3°C | 13.4°C | 33mm | 293h |
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| October | 15.1°C | 9.4°C | 97mm | 171h |
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| November | 12.9°C | 5.9°C | 20mm | 175h |
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| December | 8.6°C | 3.9°C | 136mm | 114h |
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Avg. high/low, °C (left axis) Rainfall, mm (bar maxes out at 250mm/month)
Daily normals for 2020. Hover a month for exact figures.
Travel guide
France is a country with which almost every traveller has a relationship. Many dream of its joie de vivre shown by the countless cafés, picturesque villages, and world-famous gastronomy. Some come to follow the trail of France's great philosophers, writers and artists, or to immerse in the beautiful language it gave to the world. Others still are drawn to the country's geographical diversity, with its long coastlines, massive mountain ranges and breathtaking farmland vistas. France is famously home to Paris, the enchanting City of Love, where romance dances in the air and every corner whispers sweet nothings.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Abbey Church of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe
- Abbey of Fontenay
- Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
- Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments
- Beaches of the D-Day Landings, Normandy, 1944
- Belfries of Belgium and France
- Bertrimoutier Franco-German war cemetery
- Canal du Midi
- Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims
- Champagne hillsides, houses and cellars
Upcoming public holidays
Full source list on About.
France
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