The weather in South France

The warmest place in France is the French Riviera coast in Southern France. With average summer temperatures well above 30^oC (80^oF) and long dry summers and warm springs and autumns and mild winters, the South of France is the place to experience the best climate in France throughout the year. 

The French Riviera has a total population of over two million people and is home to 163 nationalities and 100,000 foreign residents. Important towns and cities along the French Riviera include Menton, Nice, Cannes, Sainte-Maxime, Frejus and St Tropez. The French Riviera also includes the principality of Monaco.

The French Riviera (or the Cote d'Azur as it is referred to France), is situated on the Mediterranean coast, in the South East corner of FranceThe French Riviera encompasses the French departments of the Var and Alpes-Maritmes, and includes the popular tourism destinations such as Nice, the third largest city in France; Cannes, famous for its annual Film festival; St Tropez, the chic coastal town made famous in the 1960's by Brigitte Bardot et al; the Millionaires' playground of Monte Carlo in the tiny principality of  Monaco, Grasse; the beach resort of Frejus, one of the sunniest places in France; the border town of Menton, next to Italy; the beautiful town of Antibes and the stunning coastal town of Villefranche-sur-Mer. The French Riviera extends from the Italian border in the East, through to Cassis, Toulon and Hyéres in the West. 

The French Riviera contains the popular seaside resorts of Cap-d'Ail, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Juan-les-Pins, Théoule-sur-Mer, Saint-Raphael, Saint-Aygulf, Le Lavandou, and Bandol.

The French Riviera has been attracting tourists for over 200 years, indeed it was the first real tourist resort in the world. The French Riviera grew in popularity with the European and Russian aristocracy during the late 18th Century. In particular, it was the winter months which attracted many visitors, looking to benefit from the mild climate and clear blue sunny skies.

The weather in the French Riviera continues to attract over 5 million visitors per year and you can benefit from the glorious weather all year around. With an average of over 14 hours sunshine per day in the summer and 9 hours in the winter, you can see why people have been flocking to the French Riviera for the last 2 centuries.

 

French Riviera weather: hottest part of France

The South of France region is the hottest part of France, with the city of Nimes recording the hottest temperature in France of 43^oC (110F) in July 2001.

The temperature in the French Riviera frequently tops 30^oC (80^oF) during July and August and is well above 20^oC during June and September.

The winters in the French Riviera are mild and dry, with the temperature in South France frequently registering 3-4^oC above the rest of France.

You can expect around 300 days of sunshine a year in the French Riviera. Compared to Aquitaine (Bordeaux and the Southern Atlantic coast), the temperature there during July and August is a good 3^oC cooler and in the winter, the average temperature is only 10^oC in December, compared to 14^oC in the French Riviera.

The official average temperature on the French Riviera during July and August is 28^oC. Which I have to question, because I live in the South of France all year round and it gets much hotter than this, I can tell you. I would say that July and August it is more like 34^oC for most days.

 

Weather French Riviera: Driest place in France

The weather on the French Riviera is also the driest in France. Rainfall is rare but, be warned, when it does rain you can experience spectacular downpours.

The French Riviera weather during the autumn and winter can be unpredictable, with warm sunny days interspersed with spectacular lightning storms, hailstorms and occasional floods. But that is not the norm. I would say that you get about 4 big storms in South France during the year.

Marseille and Aix-en-Provence are the top 2 cities in France for the lowest annual rainfall.

During January, February and March you can expect around only 9 days a month when it will rain.

During the April and May this drops down to 8 days of rain per month and in the height of summer you can experience an average of only 3 days a month when it rains.

 

 

Visit the warmest place in France: French Riviera

If you are looking to visit France this year and you are looking for the warmest place in France to be based, I would strongly recommend that you head to the French Riviera. With the weather you can never be certain, but on average, from the end of April through to September you will be walking around in shorts and flip flops.

During October and November you will need a jumper during the morning and late afternoon and during the winter a light coat will suffice. If you do plan on visiting the French Riviera, please visit our collection of villas with a swimming pool to rent on Go Languedoc. There are some very affordable villas to rent and I would say that a swimming pool is pretty much essential for those days when it does nudge up above 34^oC. Most of the properties we advertise do have air conditioning fitted, to ensure that you get a good nights sleep. I wish you a pleasant stay!