When Is the Best Time to Visit the French Riviera? A Month by Month Guide
Considering a trip to southern France and trying to figure out when is the best time to visit the French Riviera? I’ve got lots of helpful information for you – read on for details.
The French Riviera is an incredible destination that can truly be enjoyed in any season. I’ve visited France 10 times, and southern France during multiple seasons, and have always had a fabulous time.
Of course, each season brings its own set of pros and cons, whether you’re drawn to the vibrant hues of spring flowers, the bustling summer beaches, the laidback autumn ambiance, or the mild, crowd-free winter.
In this guide, I’m discussing the advantages and challenges of visiting during each season (and sometimes discussing month-by-month) in a variety of categories, including weather, beach conditions, crowds, prices, and events, to help you make the best decision based on your own preferences.
Best Time to Visit the French Riviera – Season by Season
The French Riviera in Winter (December, January, February)
Weather: Southern France experiences cool but mild winters. Average highs during this time are usually around 53°F (12°C) and lows are around 41°F (5°C), although highs can regularly get into the 60’s F (15-18°C).
There are also more cloudy days in winter (about 40% of the time is totally cloudy). There’s about a 20% chance of rain during winter days, with approximately 45 mm (2 in) of rain falling each month.
Beaches: Sea temperatures are very, very cold, at approximately 57°F (14°C). However, you’ll still see families and friends congregating on the beaches during winter to enjoy a picnic, watch the waves, and hang out. Generally speaking, beaches are very uncrowded during this season.
Crowds: Like most of Europe, winter is the least popular time of year for tourism in southern France. You’ll enjoy blissfully uncrowded streets, restaurants, and popular attractions – that is, unless you visit Nice or Menton during their carnivals.
Prices: Prices for hotels are at their lowest during the winter, and you have the best chance of finding cheap flights to the Riviera during January and February (although you can find some deals for the beginning of December too). Prices for the weeks around Christmas, however, jump back up and can be quite a bit more expensive.
Events and Festivals: In late November through December, most of the big cities hold delightfully charming and cozy Christmas markets, where you can peruse wooden chalets selling goods and gifts, drink hot spiced drinks, and eat delicious market food.
In February, the colorful town of Menton, famed for its production of citrus fruits, holds an exciting Lemon Festival (La Fête du Citron) that lasts for 3 weeks.
Nice also has a big Carnival celebration for the two weeks leading up to Mardi Gras, with multiple, fun parades and events.
These events attract high crowds and a lot of traffic.
Services: Many restaurants, shops, and experiences are not open during winter. For example, my favorite food tour in Nice closes between the months of November-February. Many beach club-restaurants are closed, and some boutiques will even close up for winter months.
Certainly, attractions like museums and monuments will be open, and it’s not like every restaurant or shop closes, but smaller areas and private services may not always be available.
Fun Fact: Visiting southern France in winter has it’s roots in royalty and nobility. Nice is actually a designated UNESCO World Heritage site because it was one of the first “resort towns”, which only became popular because royals like Queen Victoria of England loved to escape the northern European winters for southern France’s mild climate.
Summary: Visiting the French Riviera in winter is perfect for anyone who values good deals, low crowds, and doesn’t mind bundling up a little bit.
French Riviera in Spring (March, April, May)
Weather: Weather in winter is very mild and pleasant – sometimes you need a jacket, sometimes it’s nice enough to walk around in summer clothes. Overall, weather warms up quite a bit in spring.
In the beginning of March, average highs are 14°C (59°F), with lows around 6°C (43°F), but by the end of May, average highs are around 22°C (71°F) and lows are around 16°C (61°F).
Sunny and cloudy days stay about the same as winter, with about 40% of days being mostly cloudy or overcast.
Rain isn’t particularly frequent in spring, with there being about a 17% chance of rain most days and an average of 41 mm of rain per month. April is the rainiest month, although it doesn’t see drastically higher rainfall than other spring months.
Beaches: Sea water is definitely still bracingly cold, and most people find it too cold to swim in (although there’s always one local guy in a speedo who dives right in, seemingly immune to the cold). In March, the sea temperature is around 13°C (56°F) but by May, that climbs to 18°C (65°F).
Beach clubs also start opening up as springtime progresses, and you may be able to snag a bed without making a reservation.
Crowds: Crowds start to pick up during the springtime, but they are still manageable levels and nowhere near as high during summer.
Prices: Prices for hotels are generally a little bit higher than in winter, but haven’t reached summer peak yet. You can sometimes find flight deals to Nice during spring, but these deals become more rare as summer approaches.
Events: The Grand Prix race in Monaco happens every year at the end of May (or occasionally at the beginning of June) and is one of the most important races in the world.
In mid-May, the Cannes Film Festival takes place, and the city and surrounding area are flooded with celebrities and people in the film industry.
Expect there to be heavy construction in Monaco and Cannes for many weeks before and after these events for setup and take-down.
Other Highlights of Spring: Southern France has 13 natural parks, as well as Mercantour National Park. There are also hiking trails along the coast (such as the Sentier du Littoral of Cap Ferrat). Late spring in particular is a great time to go hiking in southern France, before the weather gets blistering.
Spring in southern France also sees beautiful blossoming trees and flowers, making for exceptionally beautiful scenery. You’ll find the most blossoms in March.
Summary: Visiting the French Riviera in spring, particularly in April and May, is a great option for anyone who loves the value of shoulder season – with lower crowds and prices than summer and mild weather.
Summer in the French Riviera (June, July, August)
Weather: Average highs range from 24-28°C (75-82°F), although highs can regularly get into the upper 80-low 90°F (30-33°C).
Cloudy days decrease significantly in summer, with only 25% being mostly cloudy or overcast. Summer is also the driest season – in particular, July sees very little rain.
The chance of rain at the beginning of June and end of August is about 15%, receiving about 30 mm of rain. The chance of rain drops significantly to 7% and total accumulation to 12 mm in July, and then increases again somewhat in August.
Additionally, southern France is decently humid, with about 70% humidity levels.
Beaches: The beautiful beaches of the French Riviera are open, have their full range of amenities, and are super crowded. Sea temperatures jump in summer, ranging from about 72-77°F (22-26°C). The water feels pleasantly warm, but not bathwater warm.
Most beaches have a combination of paid beach clubs and free public beaches. Many have lifeguards out in July-August, as well as seafront restaurants and water sport rentals.
Crowds: Summer in southern France is busy, busy, busy from mid-June through the end of August, as French people and foreigners alike descend on the sun-soaked beaches. If you want to avoid the worst of the crowds, visit in early June.
Expect crowds at the top attractions and villages, heavier traffic, and dinner reservations will be necessary. As we mentioned above, beaches will be packed – come early if you want to enjoy a little bit of calm.
Prices: Prices in summer are sky high, from hotels to airfare to car rentals to drinks. I’d recommend making reservations early, as the best deals will be gone very fast for summer months.
Summer Events and Activities: Summertime is the season to visit the lavender fields of southern France. The lavender fields, which are generally more in the greater Provence region (just barely to the west of the Riviera region), bloom from the end of June through the end of July (though some continue into August).
The Tour de France passes through parts of southern France during July. The 14th of July is also Bastille Day, which is France’s Independence Day. Expect parades and fireworks to celebrate.
This is also a great time to visit vineyards if you want to see the fruit heavy and ripe on the vines. Doing a wine tour through southern France is a popular pastime!
Finally, an idyllic way to pass a hot summer day is going on a private boat cruise in the Mediterranean. Most people don’t realize how many coves and inlets are along the French coastline, creating lots of adorable places to explore.
You can do a 1-hour boat ride or a half-day excursion with time to swim and snorkel in the sea.
Summary: Summer is the best time to visit the French Riviera if you want to have a beach holiday and enjoy the warm sea water. The sun is shining and the weather is generally pleasant to hot, and the cities are filled with shorts, sundresses, and straw hats. This is also the best time to visit lavender fields.
Fall in the French Riviera (September, October, November)
Weather: The weather in southern France changes dramatically during this season. In September, average highs are 26°C (78°F) and average lows of 19°C (66°F). By mid-October, the averages have dropped to highs of 20°C (68°F) and lows of 13°C (55°F). By the end of November, average highs are at 14°C (59°F) and lows are a cool 7°C (44°F).
Fall is also the rainiest season of the year in southern France, with a 13% chance of rain at the beginning of September jumping up to about 25% by October. September receives an average 37 mm of rain, while October gets 71 mm and November gets 87 mm.
Beaches: While there are still beach-goers in fall, the crowds on French Riviera beaches drop dramatically once September rolls around. While the beaches certainly aren’t empty, especially at the beginning of the season, they aren’t packed the way summer is.
Services and amenities on beaches start to close in fall – there are no lifeguards during the season, and beach clubs generally close up completely by October and November.
The sea temperature in September remains pleasant, around 22-24°C (72-74°F), but drops to 17-19°C (63-65°F) by November.
Crowds: Crowd levels on the French Riviera drop off in September, but the area still has plenty of tourists and visitors. October is also still a popular time to visit, but by November crowd levels drop off significantly.
Prices: Prices are medium in fall – not as high as summer, but not as low as January-February. October, in particular, is a great month for flight deals.
Events: The Cannes Yachting Festival happens in mid-September. By the end of November, some Christmas markets in the region will have opened.
Services: While you can count on everything being open and running in September, by November, some restaurants, shops, and tours (such as bike tours or food tours), will be closed for the winter.
Summary: Fall is a varied season, with September being a very different month than November in the Riviera. In general, September and October are fantastic shoulder season months to visit, as the weather stays nice but crowds drop off.
My Overall Thoughts and Recommendations for Best Time to Visit the French Riviera
As cliché as it sounds, there really is no bad time to visit the French Riviera, and all seasons have pros and cons. In general, if lower crowds are a priority, then late fall to early spring is your best time to visit.
If you want to enjoy the warm weather and associated activities, then between May-September is a good choice.
Overall, I think the months of April-May and September-October are the best months to visit the French Riviera. In particular, September is a fantastic time, as the sea is still warm enough for swimming, crowds are high but not crazy, and you also get the other perks of shoulder season.
