Champagne-Ardenne residents take pride in the region's scenery and wine production. (Photo: George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images )
The Champagne region of France is best known for its production of festive, bubbly and high-priced wine, known as champagne. The climate of this region, mild and consistent -- especially considering its northern location -- contributes as much as the grapes themselves to the production of champagne, making the area a hub for tourists in the summer and a pleasant place for locals to live year-round.
Temperatures range from low 30s Fahrenheit during the winter to high 60s Fahrenheit in the summer months. The rather small spread of temperature change, however, is growing because of climate change. Warmer summers, with heat reaching into the high 70s, has begun to move the grape harvesting season from late September forward into late August as of 2011.
From the Reims mountain to the Marne River Valley and the Orient Forest near Ardenne, the varied landscapes see varied climates within Champagne. Ardennes and Haute-Marne see more rainfall and harsher winters than the rest of the region, increasing average rainfall and decreasing the average temperature for the region as a whole.
Although winter temperatures average the mid-30s, Champagne still sees its share of winter snowfall, with between 20 and 30 days of snowfall on average, according to French-property.com's estimates. When it's not snowing, Champagne has its share of rain in the winter, too, but frequent thunderstorms keep the summers from being too dry.
Since the region is situated amid rivers, mountains and forests, humidity generally is mild, despite of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. However, the heat of late summers sometimes lead to increased humidity.
Champagne has extended sunny days in the summer and early fall because of its northern location. French-property.com estimates Champagne sees 1500 hours of sunshine per year.
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