annetti

What's the weather like during July and August in Perpignan, France, near the Spanish border? Is it hot and humid? Is it comparable to Lyon or Southern California? Would it be absolutely miserable to walk around between noon and 5:00 PM? Does everyone take a siesta? What about air-conditioning? Does it exist and really cool things off? Thanks.

annetti

Isn't there someone out there in Fodors that has a first hand answer to my question concerning the heat in Perpignan, France during the summer? Help is needed. Thanks.

rex

I flew into Perpignan once - - drove off to Barcelona, and returned just tin time to catch a train further east - - so that doesn't really count as first-hand experience.

But in general, weather boils down to numbers - - which you can find at www.worldclimate.com or at www.weatherbase.com

It didn't strike me as all that "maritime" a location, so I don't think that you can count on sea breezes to moderate. Is it really "absolutely miserable to walk around" on a July/August afternoon in Santa Monica? I would have thought that the answer is "no, not really". But San Bernadino is a different story.

Chances are, you're still going to want that first-hand experience answer - - my "supposing" is just that.

Best wishes,

Rex

GregY2

We have a house just near Perpignan (which we rent by the way!) so we have some knowledge of the likely weather - although weather is always variable of course. I would expect it to be hot at that time, but not particularly humid. I don't think that people take a siesta but the lunch time closures of shops, museums etc tend to be a little longer than elsewhere in France. Larger shops, museums, galleries would be air conditioned but it is not pervasive. It would be a good idea to make sure your rental car was airconditioned - we find that you can tolerate quite a lot of heat & discomfort if you can take refuge in the car. Perpignan is near the coast and there are a lot of choices for beaches & watersports where the heat would not be a problem.

annetti

I guess we want to know if we would be uncomfortable spending 6 weeks in Perpignan during the summer. We will have an air-conditioned place and probably an air-conditioned car as well, but we like to walk, eat lunch out, and do the usual tourist things that don't involve a car. We are just trying to figure out if we would be miserable. Is it Las Vegas/Phoenix type of heat (100 degrees plus) or just uncomfortable mid-90s heat which we can handle. Anyone out there with first hand information? Thanks.

rex

Did you look at www.weatherbase.com as was recommended to you?

Average number of days above 90 F: July =5; Aug = 4.

Heat waves exist.

cigalechanta

We found it wonderful. no where the humidity like here in Boston in those months. Love the bridges there, all decked with flowers. The French spend alot of money on roads and flowers like that. The taxes are high but they get their money's worth!

annetti

Dear Rex and Cigalechanta, Thanks both of you for the web site and for the first hand experience. I did check the website (good information and worth being put in the favorites), but there is nothing like someone's personal experience. Those averages appear like Southern California, but if left to me, I would describe the weather here in So Cal in the high 80s or low 90s in the summer. Thanks both of you and of course, thank everyone else who spent the time responding.