2024 is turning out to be a rather unusual year in terms of weather. While it was one of the hottest years on record, it was also one of the wettest. On top of this, the sun failed to shine on much of the country for long stretches of 2024, resulting in a deficit of sunshine hours close to 10% over the 12 months.

According to national weather forecaster Météo-France, 2024 ranked as both the fourth hottest year since records began in 1900 and the seventh wettest year since 1959.

Indeed, precipitation was up by 15% on levels recorded in 2023, and rainfall was “abundant and consistent” across the country throughout the year. The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, which covers the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var, experienced a huge 21% leap in rainfall last year, reversing a trend of drought and extended dry periods that has dogged the region in recent years. Nice, for example, had received an average year’s worth of rain by late September.

Wet, but also very warm

In 2024, there were twice as many warmer-than-average days as colder ones, and with an average temperature of 13.9°C, 2024 was only surpassed by 2022, 2023 and 2020 in terms of heat.

As in Monaco, the start of the year was extremely mild – February 2024 was the second warmest on record after that of 1990 – and spring-like conditions came early to much of the country. Temperatures exceeded 25°C across most of the country between early and mid-April, but the end of the month brought a devastating frost and hailstorms, not only to the north of France but also to the more southern regions.

See more: 2024 was one of the hottest years on record in Monaco

After a brief cooling in June, the temperature began to climb ever higher as summertime got going. The season was marked by two heatwaves, with the hottest day of the year coming on 11th August, when the mercury reached 41.3°C in Cazaux in the Gironde.

“The southeast of the country, particularly the Mediterranean coast, experienced prolonged heat throughout the summer, with notably warm nighttime temperatures,” notes the Météo-France report.

September brought another cooling period, before France transitioned into a wet and rather gloomy autumn, albeit warmer than seasonal norms.

It is worth noting that the average annual temperature in France last year was a full 2.2°C above pre-industrial levels. Temperatures in the PACA region were 1.6°C higher than the average recorded between 1991 and 2020.

According to the report, “Sunshine levels were mostly below average in 2024, except in January and August. February, spring and autumn were particularly dull.”

No region escaped the clouds, and all recorded a deficit of sunshine hours in 2024. On average, sunshine levels in 2024 were nearly 10% below the normal standard, making 2024 France’s least sunny year in nearly 30 years.

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Photo by Monaco Life

With their twins now in double digits, it has been some time since Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco had small children running around, but the Princely couple looked perfectly at ease as they met with the little ones enrolled at the recently renovated Monte-Carlo Crèche earlier this week.

On 24th February, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene were invited to tour the new-look facilities and meet with the infants and staff at the Monte-Carlo Crèche, which reopened in January after six months of extensive renovations designed to meet the needs of early childhood care while adhering to the latest sustainability and safety regulations.

Once through the doors of the bright and airy space, the Princely couple were greeted with wide-eyed curiosity and smiles from the youngest preschoolers, who ranged in age from just a few months to two years.

The Princess, clearly in her element among the little ones, was first met by a cute-as-a-button young man, who offered her a bouquet of flowers, which she knelt down to take from him. Princess Charlene was later seen sitting in a play area, interacting with the kids and gently holding one little girl’s finger as she took tentative steps. The sweet duo shared a high five in a video shared on social media by the Palais Princier de Monaco.

The Prince, no less up to the task, was seen smiling broadly as he shook hands with a tiny boy in one of the freshly renovated classrooms. The little guy, who stared up at him with wonder, gave the Prince cause to smile before moving on with the visit.

As part of the inauguration, the Princely couple took part in a blessing ceremony performed by Father Jean Ariel Bauza Salinas, before being guided through the upgraded establishment by Jean-Luc Magnani, the head of Monaco’s Early Childhood and Families Department.

Monaco Mayor Georges Marsan, who joined the Prince and Princess on the visit, remarked on the “remarkable coordination of the various Municipal Services throughout the project” in an informal speech about the renovations, before praising all those who made the works happen.

“It is important for the Municipal Council to continue our policy in favour of early childhood, which truly constitutes one of the pillars of all our action,” he said. “Helping families means participating in the sustainability of our unique social model. Being able to respond to their requests and expectations is a legitimate source of pride.”

The site is equipped to care for 36 children aged two months to two years, and the extensive refurbishment has enhanced comfort, safety, sustainability and accessibility, ensuring a nurturing environment for young children.

The redevelopment was overseen by François Lallemand, Monaco’s 5th Deputy Mayor and a trained architect, in collaboration with Monegasque architect Franck Bourgery. The project spanned 535m² across the ground and first floors, which together now constitute an up-to-date and functional space for both children and staff.

Plans are already underway for the renovation of an annex, which will be dedicated to older children. This project will see a reconfiguration of spaces to include an additional activity room, facilities adapted for individuals with reduced mobility, a laundry room, an isolation room and an expanded management office that can also function as a meeting space.

To see more photographs of the visit, click on the images below: