Marseille Weather And Best Time To Visit Marseille

Marseille is a south-eastern French city that enjoys a prime location along the Mediterranean coast on the mouth of the river Rhone. A city steeped in ancient history and influences drawn from various cultural and religious backgrounds, Marseille is an exotic blend of gorgeous scenery made even more impressive by the multi-ethnic communities that reside here. Weather-wise, Marseille enjoys the title of being the sunniest city in France, which plays to its advantage since this is a place best enjoyed on a warm, sunny day. Rain received in Marseille is also the least compared to other French cities, which allows visitors to enjoy Marseille’s outdoor attractions through most of the year.

Detailed below is an account of Marseille’s different seasons to help you figure out the best time to visit Marseille.

Summers mark the busiest and most popular time to visit Marseille among tourists. The temperature ranges between 25⁰-30⁰C all through the season along with minimal chances of precipitation, which makes it ideal weather to explore outdoor activities like boating, sunbathing and simply relaxing on the beach. The warm and dry climate of this season attracts tourists from all neighbouring European cities, and visitors can expect high rates in hotels, flights and all other commercial establishments. If you’re a traveller on a budget or don’t like crowds, try and avoid this season for a trip.

In a lot of ways, the early months of autumn are pretty much like summers with warm pleasant weather that is ideal for sightseeing and other outdoor activities. The only downside to travelling to Marseille in this season is the frequent chances of rainfall that may ruin your plans; October is often the rainiest month of the year. Temperatures range between 15⁰C-21⁰C, which gradually drops to around 10⁰C by November. If you plan a visit to Marseille during the autumn, limit your plans to the early part of the fall season when chances of rain are at their lowest. The biggest advantage of visiting in this season is the lowered hotel rates because of the lowered number of tourists during this time.

Even though the typical Mediterranean climate dominates through most of the year in Marseille, winters can still get quite cold but rarely ever drop below freezing. The coldest month of the year is January and the lowest temperature witnessed during this month is around 3⁰C. Some amount of rainfall is also quite common. Winters are also the darkest time of the year in Marseille with daylight hours averaging around just 4 hours a day. Marseille is also prone to strong, cold winds known as le mistral, which travellers should be aware of if planning a trip during the winters.

The climate during spring begins to gradually get warmer after the chilly winters, and visitors can expect temperatures varying widely between 15⁰C and 24⁰C. Chances of precipitation are much less compared to winters and autumn. Travellers often prefer springs over summers because the weather is relatively warm without the crowds of the peak tourist season. Nights tend to remain cooler so remember to pack some warm clothes if travelling in spring.