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When to go to France

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France weather

Given its size, France experiences a range of weather types depending on where in the country you are. To the west you can expect a maritime climate, which sees less extremes in temperature during summer and winter. Further south you can expect temperatures to be a few degrees warmer, with sunny winters and moderate rainfall. As you move further inland, the weather becomes more extreme with larger variations between the seasons. There is a greater chance of snow, while summers are wetter and more humid. And along the Mediterranean coast? Scorching summers, 12 hours of sunshine a day and winters that are surprisingly mild. 

France events and festivals

February – March: If the Nice summer is too hot for you, coming in the winter months will see you just in time for the city’s spectacular carnival. The Nice Carnival is enormously popular, with processions, flower parades, concerts and fireworks.

July: If you fancy seeing some opera, classical music, or jazz, head to Montpellier in July to catch the Radio France Festival. During the month, the city’s buildings and open spaces are given over to an array of different musical productions.

July: Clubbers descend on Calvi’s beaches in Corsica for Calvi on the Rocks, a beach party like no other, with DJs mixing tunes until sunrise.

December: Toulouse takes on the festive spirit as Christmas comes to town in the form of the annual Christmas Market. Head down to Place du Capitole to see the magic happen.

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  • Travel guide

    Overview

    Our France travel guide is packed with great ideas and inspiration to help you plan your trip.

  • Things to see and do

    Things to see and do

    Let us help plan your ideal trip to France. Find the most popular tourist attractions as well as lesser-known gems in our guide to France attractions.

Tips

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One of the most economical ways to stay in France is to rent a gite, or a holiday cottage. They are mostly located in the countryside, are self-catering, but provide substantially lower nightly rates than hotels.

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August is when many of the French take their holidays. If you decide to travel to some of the less touristy areas, you should be aware of this. Many of the local shops and businesses will be closed during this month.

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Learning a little French before you travel goes a long way. While in many of the more touristy areas English and other languages are widely spoken, your friendly hosts will appreciate it if you know a few of the basics.

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