Exposure to winds from the north and across the Ardennes and Belgian border, leads to cold and windy winters in the region of Reims and Epernay.
The coldest period is from December to March when temperatures rarely get above 8°C, hovering around the 6°C mark for the last two months. January is dry compared to the other winter months, but rainfall across the whole period averages more than 100 days with 15+ of very heavy rain.
Typically, some 26 days of fog can be expected, sometimes very thick and patchy. Expect fog in low lying areas on the motorway from Reims to Paris and beware of ice making driving hazardous. Sections of motorway where this likely to occur are well signposted.
The weather improves from April through to June, but average rainy days can still be in the low 40’s. Temperatures climb to 13°C in April, 15°C in May and an average 22°C in June.
Temperatures are very pleasant from July to September, from an average 24°C in August to an impressive 25°C, dropping back in September to 19°C. You can still expect about 36 days of rain across the three months.
The rain comes back with a vengeance for some 55 days during October and November with temperatures from 15°C down to 9°C, and the fog returns averaging 24 days.
It is this weather pattern which creates the perfect local climate for making the finest Champagne.