France, the dream tourist destination is the country that finds its place in almost everyone’s travel bucket list. To say that the country is overly romanticized would be a lie because it is perhaps one of the few places whose media portrayal is very true to reality. If you’re in the country, the culture, people, and places are bound to make you fall in love with it. Though Paris, with its elegant Eiffel tower, its dreamy cafes and lovely architecture and many famous museums, such as the Louvre, is what mainly comes to the mind of most people when they hear ‘France’, there are actually a lot more places and things on offer from the country that you probably didn’t know of. For instance, southern France is home to the French Riveria, which is the second most visited place in France after Paris and includes some famous cities such as Cannes, Antibes, and Nice.
Moreover, some of the Chateaux (Castles) of the Loire, or at least those that have managed to survive not just the French Revolution and the destruction that ensued, but also the two World Wars have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are great places to visit if you are into cultural, architectural or heritage tourism. Apart from the man-made wonders, busy cities and streets, and architectural marvels, France also has some of the most spectacular natural scenery, which doesn’t get a lot of credit. For instance, the French Alps located in the Rhone-Ales and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur regions are home to around 20 skiing resorts. Other than that, Corsica, the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea attracts local and foreign tourists alike, not only because it is quite a cultural hub, but also because of its geography and terrain.
January
This is the coldest month of France. During this time the average daily temperature reaches almost 5°C while the highest and lowest temperature reaches around 7°C and 3°C. There is only about 1 hour of daily sunshine with average precipitation in the form of rainfall totaling 18mm over 14 days of the month. A trip to Paris, France isn’t complete without stopping by St Germain. This area is linked to the historic center of French intellectualism and is known for its winding streets, fantastic cafes, and university life atmosphere.
February
This is a very cool time to visit France. The average daily temperature reaches around 6°C while the highest and lowest temperature touches 8°C and 3°C. There is only about 2 hours of daily sunshine each day while the rainfall totals to about 22mm over a 13-day period across this month. If you’re visiting France in February as part of a romantic Valentine’s Day getaway, make sure you stop off by the Pont des Arts. Visited by thousands of lovers each year, this bridge is best known for the staggering number of personalized padlocks that have been left by the visitors.
March
The weather slowly begins to warm up at this time of the year. The average daily temperature touches about 9°C with the high and low being 12°C and 5°C during the day and night time. The country enjoys only about 2 hours of daily sunshine while the precipitation, which is in the form of rainfall, is limited to only 24mm over a 14-day tenure. If you fancy taking in a show whilst on holiday in France, consider visiting Opera National de Paris. This stunning building was reopened around January 2014 after the extensive renovation was carried out on the interior.
April
With spring almost around the corner, the weather of France is getting pleasant day by day. The average daily temperature reaches around 11°C while the highest and lowest temperatures touch 16°C and 7°C. The sun shines 5 hours long while there are 14 rainy days in this month totaling up 25mm in volume. Paris is full of beautiful parks and Luxembourg Gardens is one of the best. Tucked in between Saint-Germain-des-Pres and the Latin Quarter, this attraction was constructed in 1612 and covers 25 hectares of land which is split into French and English gardens.
May
The weather gets quite pleasant around this time of the year. The average daily temperature reaches around 15°C with the day time reaching almost 20°C and nights 11°C chilly. There is 6 hours of daily sunshine in the skies of France. The rain falls 12 days of the month only while it totals to about 26mm during this time. Ile de la Cite is home to some of the biggest and best attractions in Paris – including the Notre Dame Cathedral and Palais de Justice – making it definitely worthy of a visit during your holiday
June
The weather had turned warm, dry, and sunny at this time of the year. The average daily temperature reaches around 16°C while the day time may reach 23°C and nights can be 14°C cool. There are approximately 6 hours of daily sunshine while the rainfall is minimal totaling to almost 24mm over 11 days of the month. A must-visit for art lovers in Paris, France, Palais du Luxembourg is a neo-classical building where the country’s politicians get together to discuss important matters.
July
This is a great time of the year to visit France. The average daily temperature touch around 20°C while the highest and lowest temperatures go up-to 25°C and 16°C. The sun shines for about 8 hours each day while the rainfalls 22mm during this month across 11 days only. Pere-Lachaise Cemetery is the most-visited cemetery in the world. Here you’ll find 69,000 extravagant tombs of the rich and famous, all of which are peppered throughout a 44-hectare garden. Some of the most popular graves at this site include those of Chopin, Oscar Wilde, and Jim Morrison.
August
This is a very popular time to visit France as the weather is pleasant and warm. This time of summers enjoys 20°C of temperature while the day and nights enjoy 25°C and 16°C. There is on average 8 hours of sunshine each day while the rainfall totals to around 21mm over a 10-day period. If art is more your thing, consider visiting the Espace Dali. Located in the heart of the Montmartre district, this display is the only permanent exhibition in France entirely dedicated to Dali.
September
The weather begins to cool down during this month. The average daily temperature reaches around 16°C while the day time reaches around 21°C and nights are cold around 13°C. The sun is up and shining for 8 hours straight throughout the month. The precipitation is mainly in the form of rainfall totaling 16mm only across 11 days of the month. When it comes to unbeatable views, Montparnasse 56 is the very best place in Paris. This tower stretches on for 689 feet in the air and is the city’s only skyscraper. Peppered amongst its 59 floors you’ll find an interactive panorama, gift shop, numerous restaurants, terrace, and the panoramic floor.
October
This is a very pleasant time to visit the country. The average daily temperature reaches around 12°C whereas the day time and night time temperatures may reach up-to 16°C and 10°C cold. There are only about 5 hours of daily sun shines for the French. With only 25 mm of rainfall, France enjoys only 13 wet days during this month. The Musee National des Arts Asiatiques-Guimet is a fantastic place to visit if you’re looking for a break from French art and culture.
November
This is a very cold time to visit France as the winters had started and the temperatures had started to fall. The average daily temperature reaches around 7°C while the day time temperature might reach 11°C and nights 6°C. There is only 2 hours of daily sunshine while the rain falls for 15 days totaling 22mm. Located in the 9th arrondissement, Passage Jouffroy is a great place to go to pick up some souvenirs of your visit or gifts for friends and family.
December
This is one of the coldest months to visit the French land. The average daily temperatures reach almost 5°C while the day time high can touch almost 8°C and nights can be very cold at 3°C. The country enjoys only 2 hours of sunshine while spread across 15 days of the month, it rains 26mm in volume only. From November until January, the whole city of Paris is adorned with Christmas lights and decorations. If you want to see some of the very best decorations in the city, head to Place de la Bastille where you’ll find yourself face-to-face with a Christmas village.
CONCLUSION – BEST TIME TO VISIT FRANCE:
If your idea of a holiday in France basically means exploring Paris to the fullest, then the best time to go to the country would be in Spring, which falls between April to June, when flowers bloom and the entire city seems even more romantic than it actually is, or in Autumn, from September to November. Though the same suggestion is extended for the rest of the country as well, for Paris in particular, coming during this time has the added benefit of it being less crowded, which means you can enjoy all the sightseeing spots without having to deal with large groups of people and also, you can enjoy living in the city without emptying your wallet either.
During the off-season, there aren’t a lot of holiday goers, though you will find many business travelers and winter tour groups, which means promotions are relatively more readily available and air tickets are less expensive. With regard to the weather, it is very regional. There is hardly ever any snow in Paris and it barely gets cold there, so if you’re not much of a winter traveler, then this is good news for you. It can get pretty rainy between October and December so just keep that in mind before you venture out for some exploration or recreation.
If you now want to start planning your very own trip to France, make sure to visit the German website from Backpackertrail. There you can find more detailed information about the weather, and also what else to expect on your journey in general.