France Weather And Best Time To Visit France

France is a brilliant burst of culture and enigma, fashion and food, etiquette and poise. It is a country of trailblazers like Napoleon and the land that gave the world its first ideals of democracy. The country of France is a mix of weathers; where the north has a distinct English influence, the south of France is all about bright sunshine, olive and orange orchards along with sweeping rolls of vineyards. The winters are quite cold but summers redeem everything. Technically spring, summer and autumn months make for the best time to visit France. To know about each in detail, read on. 

Imagine a romantic season in a romantic country? Bursts of sunshine on long days, cafes opened up on cobbled streets, the delightful smells of fresh coffees, croissants and crepes wafting and soft sweet breeze swaying like in the cinemas. That is France for you in spring season. Chestnut trees are in full bloom and the cold weather transits quietly into warmth, with temperature going from 11 to 19°C. This season is traditionally a wedding season in France and hence you will see most shopping streets decked with white dresses and sweets and tuxedos. And so the months from March and June continue to be a great time to visit France, even as touristy crowd has not swelled yet.

French Summer is a tourist time through and through. The temperatures rise to a nice warm 25°C and above, the French Riviera beaches are thronged by Cannes Festival guests and other rich and famous of the world, Brittany is bright and sunny, the South of France villages and towns ripen with their berries and grapes. This time is a gorgeous burst of French culture on the senses; from the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival and Music Day in June, to the Bastille Day and the following parade in Nice on the 14th of July. Many other carnivals and concerts are held and the streets of cities like Paris are abound with street plays of Shakespeare and indie artists performing for free. Summer months though, are an expensive time here as rates are high everywhere.

Autumn season in France is a different feeling altogether; a different mix of smells. From ripe olives and crepes and croissants, you are now in for the raw and dry pine sap, burgundy wines and crunching leaves giving up the last of their scents. The mild October sun fills the deepest crevices of French castles and tourists turn their backs to head home.  Cote d'Azur is still quite ripe with tourists though because autumn is a favourite season in this part of France. Autumn is the harvest time in south of France and people celebrate the Day of Chestnut with fairs and cooking contests. Cider Day, Fish festival and Day of Spices follow to honour the bounty of food that the land has been blessed with. The temperature goes dropping from 16 to 5°C by autumn’s end.

The northerly winds blow cold and fierce and bitter on France, bringing an instant seasonal change from relatively pleasant to cold by November end. This is not at all a tourist time in France, what with all the raining in most parts and sightseeing disrupted by pelting sheets of rain and snow? The average temperature in Paris is 10°C and rains are very common. The temperature seldom reaches freezing point, with the warmest winter observed in the islands of Corsica and coldest in Alsace.