When to go
It is difficult to find the best time to visit all of France, since in summer, which is the best season in the mountains and in the cooler areas of the north, it can get very hot, especially in the interior and in the south.
The best times to visit
Paris are late spring (mid-May to mid-June) and early autumn (the month of September). The summer (mid-June through August) is a good time as well, but sometimes it can get hot. The same can be said in general for all the inland areas of France.
If you want to visit
Brittany,
Normandy and the Atlantic coastal areas, the best time is the summer (June to August).
In the
Mediterranean regions, the best times are spring and autumn, especially the months of May and June and the first half of September (in the second half, the temperature is still pleasant, but the rains may become abundant, even with the risk of floods). In mid-summer (July-August), however, the heat is usually bearable because of the sea breezes, at least along the coasts.
If you want to go on a
beach holiday, the Mediterranean Sea (where the best months are July and August) is preferable to the Atlantic Ocean (especially the northern part, which is cooler) because both sea and air temperatures are higher, and sunshine is more frequent as well. On the Atlantic, however, the west coast is definitely preferable to the north coast, especially from La Rochelle to the south.
If you want to go on a
ski holiday, the months of February and March are the most recommended because the days are longer than in December and January. In some resorts at high altitudes, you can even ski in summer.
Summer is a good period to go
hiking in the mountains, although there may be some thunderstorms in the afternoon.
What to pack
In
winter: bring warm clothing, a sweater, a coat, a rain jacket or umbrella. A scarf, a hat and gloves for the north-central and eastern area and for the mountains.
In
summer: in Brittany and Normandy, bring clothes for spring and autumn, a T-shirt for warm days, but also a jacket, a raincoat or umbrella.
In the rest of the country, light clothing, but also long pants, a jacket and a sweater for the evening and cooler days; a raincoat or umbrella.
In the mountains, hiking shoes, sunscreen and sunglasses. A jacket for the evening.
Back to the climate of
France