Best time to visit

Best time to visit France

Late spring and early autumn are the sweet spots. Paris is magical in April–June; the Riviera shines in September when summer crowds have thinned.

Best monthsApril–June, September–October

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Month-by-month overview

France at a glance

GreatGoodOkayAvoid

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Verdict	okay	okay	good	great	great	great	good	okay	great	good	okay	good
Temp (°C)	7° 2°	8° 2°	12° 5°	16° 7°	20° 11°	24° 14°	26° 16°	26° 16°	22° 13°	17° 9°	11° 5°	8° 3°
Rain (mm)	50	45	50	50	60	55	55	50	50	60	55	55
Crowds	low	low	low	medium	medium	high	high	high	medium	medium	low	medium
Price	$	$	$	$$	$$	$$$	$$$	$$$	$$	$$	$	$$
Notes	Winter sales in Paris	—	—	Spring blooms in Provence	Cannes Film Festival	Lavender season begins	Tour de France; Bastille Day	Locals on holiday; some shops close	Wine harvest	—	—	Christmas markets in Alsace

Month-by-month weather, crowds and prices in France
Month	High / Low	Rainfall	Crowds	Prices	Verdict	Note
Jan	7° / 2°C	50mm	Low	$Low	Okay	Winter sales in Paris
Feb	8° / 2°C	45mm	Low	$Low	Okay	—
Mar	12° / 5°C	50mm	Low	$Low	Good	—
Apr	16° / 7°C	50mm	Medium	$$Mid	Great	Spring blooms in Provence
May	20° / 11°C	60mm	Medium	$$Mid	Great	Cannes Film Festival
Jun	24° / 14°C	55mm	High	$$$Peak	Great	Lavender season begins
Jul	26° / 16°C	55mm	High	$$$Peak	Good	Tour de France; Bastille Day
Aug	26° / 16°C	50mm	High	$$$Peak	Okay	Locals on holiday; some shops close
Sep	22° / 13°C	50mm	Medium	$$Mid	Great	Wine harvest
Oct	17° / 9°C	60mm	Medium	$$Mid	Good	—
Nov	11° / 5°C	55mm	Low	$Low	Okay	—
Dec	8° / 3°C	55mm	Medium	$$Mid	Good	Christmas markets in Alsace

Month-by-month deep dives

Featured in our research

France ranks #15 in The Overtourism Risk Index 2026

Paris, France — Europe · France. 2.1 million residents; 44 million annual visitors (21×). But Paris's scale absorbs tourism better than smaller cities — the ratio is high but infrastructure remains functional.

Read the full ranking →

Featured in our research

France ranks #21 in The Shoulder Season Score 2026

Paris, France — Europe · Early November. 13°C, fewer queues at everything, 72% of peak pricing.

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Festivals & events

Cannes Film Festival

May

The world’s most prestigious film festival on the French Riviera.

Bastille Day

Jul

France’s national day with fireworks, parades, and the famous Eiffel Tower display.

Lavender Season

Jun–Aug

Provence’s iconic purple lavender fields in full bloom.

Book your France trip for April–June, September–October

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