Main topic of conversation: The Weather
© Vidéos du Nord-Médoc
Perhaps that the geographical location of the Médoc which is described as being " In the southwest of France" leads one to think that the climate is much warmer than in Central Europe.
However the Médoc is not a Mediterranean region but faces the Atlantic coast. While a few degrees warmer than Germany, so very agreeable, this does not mean that winters are frost free and summers without a few very hot days. Overall the climate of the Médoc is mild and fairly comfortable, as in spite of the occasionally excessive heat of summer days, the nights are still fresh.
Between November and March it can rain a lot. With the channels and creeks overflowing, much of the very flat landscape can be under water. However the summer can be very hot and dry to the point that the groundwater level drops and the wells, a feature in many Medoc gardens, dry up.
The northern part of the Médoc has the particularity of being often sunnier than the South. This is due to the two large bodies of water, the River Gironde on one side, the Atlantic ocean on the other which make northern Médoc a sort of peninsula. This phenomenon causes a micro-climate that can provide sun on the Atlantic beaches while it's raining in Lesparre. In any case from noon the sky begins to clear. In winter one can expect major storms that bring strong winds and lots of rain. In this case not only is the Atlantic coast threatened but also the low lying lands along the river estuary. Storms and high tides push water towards the interior of the land submerging the lower marshy lands to the east.
But instead of talking about the weather today: perhaps we should be thinking how it will be tomorrow?
2018 Christian Büttne / Elke Schwichtenberg (Saint-Vivien), translation: Christoher Murray