Climate Zones and Agricultural Adaptation

France's position at the crossroads of Atlantic, Continental, and Mediterranean climatic influences creates a complex mosaic of local climates. Rural communities have, over centuries, developed intimate knowledge of their local conditions - which slopes receive morning sun, where late frosts linger, how wind patterns affect pollination.

This knowledge manifests in the placement of villages, the orientation of buildings, the selection of crops, and the timing of agricultural activities. In wine regions, the difference between a north-facing and south-facing slope can mean the difference between grand cru and ordinary wine. In mountain regions, villages consistently occupy sites that maximize winter sun exposure while avoiding avalanche zones.