Le Touquet Sunniest City in France April
Le Touquet Shines: Northern France Warmer Then Riviera in April
PARIS (AP) — Forget the French Riviera. In a surprising turn, Le Touquet, a coastal town in northern France, recorded more sunshine than Nice in April 2025, according to Météo France. Le Touquet, located in the Pas-de-Calais region, basked in 271 hours of sunshine, making it the sunniest city in France for the month.
Unexpected Sunshine Records
the April sunshine in le Touquet exceeded the seasonal norm by 43%, with 189 hours typically expected. This unexpected weather pattern placed the northern town ahead of traditionally sun-drenched locales in the south.
Le Havre and Calais Follow Suit
Le Havre, a port city in Normandy, secured the second spot with 268 hours of sunshine.The city also experienced a record high temperature for April, reaching 27.1 degrees Celsius (80.8 degrees Fahrenheit). Calais, which led in sunshine for March, came in third with 26% more sun than usual for April.
Saint-Quentin and Rouen,also in northern France,followed closely with 259 and 257 hours of sunshine,respectively. Amiens and Valenciennes also appeared in the top 10 sunniest cities.
Southern France Sees Rainfall Surplus
Nice, on the French Riviera, lagged significantly behind with only 206 hours of sunshine. Météo France reports that France has experienced a split in weather patterns since February 2025. The southeastern part of the country has seen surplus rainfall, while the northern half, notably the Hauts-de-France region, has faced a prolonged lack of rain.
Concerns for Agriculture
While the sunny weather has been a welcome change for residents and tourists in northern France, the lack of rainfall is causing concern for farmers. Météo France warned that soil humidity levels in the Hauts-de-France region were at levels typically seen at the end of May, raising concerns about the impact on agriculture.
Weather Shift Imminent
The unseasonably sunny weather is not expected to last. Forecasters predict a shift as “Scandinavian cold air” moves into France, bringing a temperature drop of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius (18 to 27 degrees Fahrenheit) this week. It remains to be seen whether Le Touquet can maintain its sunny streak in May.
Le Touquet’s Unexpected Sunshine: Your April Weather FAQs
Q: What’s the big weather story in France this April?
A: In a surprising turn of events, the coastal town of Le Touquet in northern France experienced more sunshine than Nice, a city typically known for its sunny weather on the French Riviera, according to Météo France.
Q: How much sunshine did Le Touquet get, adn how does that compare to normal?
A: Le Touquet basked in a remarkable 271 hours of sunshine during April 2025. This figure significantly exceeded the seasonal norm, surpassing the average by 43%. Normally, 189 hours of sunshine are expected in the area during this time.
Q: Where else was sunny in France during April,and how did it compare to Le Touquet?
A: Le Havre,a port city in Normandy,followed closely behind Le Touquet with 268 hours of sunshine. Calais secured the third spot. Other cities in northern France such as Saint-quentin and Rouen appeared in the top ten with lesser amounts of sunshine.
Q: How did the sunshine in the south of France compare to the north this April?
A: Cities in the south,like Nice on the French Riviera,experienced significantly less sunshine. Nice recorded only 206 hours of sunshine during the month.
Q: What’s causing this unusual weather pattern in France?
A: Météo France reports a split in weather patterns since February 2025. The southeastern part of the contry has received surplus rainfall, while the northern half, notably the Hauts-de-France region, has faced a prolonged lack of rain.
Q: is this unusual sunshine causing any problems?
A: While the sunny weather has been welcomed by residents and tourists in northern France,the lack of rainfall is a growing concern. Météo France has warned that soil humidity levels in the Hauts-de-France region are similar to what is typically seen at the end of May, raising concerns about the impact on agriculture.
Q: What’s the forecast for the coming days?
A: The unseasonably sunny weather is not expected to last.Forecasters predict a weather shift as “Scandinavian cold air” moves into France,which will bring a temperature drop of 10 to 15 degrees Celsius (18 to 27 degrees Fahrenheit) this week.
Q: Did any other cities break weather records in April?
A: Yes, Le Havre, experienced a record high temperature for April, reaching 27.1 degrees Celsius (80.8 degrees Fahrenheit).