Because the Aude is such a diverse area it is difficult to speak of one climate. There is however one fact that remains constant where ever you are, the wind. Although a fisherman in Gruissan may tell you there are twelve winds for us there are two, the tramontane and the marin. The tramontane blows down from the Pyrenees, dry and sometimes bitterly cold in winter, a welcome relief in summer, the marin blows in from the Med and is humid, sometime heralding the intense summer storms that can make camping such an experience. But don't worry it's only windy 300 out of 365 days a year- that is what makes the area such a windsurfer and sailors paradise.

Roughly the Aude Department can be split into three climatic zones, the Mediterranee-along the coast and the plains up to Carcassonne, Oceanique-from Carcassonne onwards past Castelnaudry, and the Montagne -although the High Corbieres, Raze and Pays de Sault have a slightly different climate to the Montagne Noir. A quick word on the Montagne Noir, it rains- a lot, great for cheese and dairy products a shock to unprepared visitors.

Summer is as you would expect, hot and dry, with strong possibility of heavy electrical storms in August-usually in the last two weeks. It is a long summer starting in early June and finishing with the wine vendage in late September. The Chart I have added below was done before te summer of 2003, I registered a temperature of 44 C- which was a little too hot to be working in.

Autumn and Spring are specacular, one for the fresh colours of almond and apple blossom, and the full range of garrigue flowers and herbs, the other for the burnt sun bleached browns turning red throughout the vineyards and forests. Calm, touristless and warm. The very reason to live here.

Winters are cool and wet, particularly heavy rainfalls in November and December- snow is rare on the plains but not in the Pyrenees and Montagne Noir. The season is however brief, with the ski resorts opening late December- Les Angles is the first on the second weekend of December the rest the weekend before Christmas. For a list of all the ski station and snow reports see www.skifrance.fr . Our favourite is the Ax-les-Thermes in the Ariege.

French Meteo www.meteo.fr