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Weather
in France by city
List of Public Holidays (Jours Feries)
New Year's Day (Jour de l'An)
Easter Sunday (Pâques)
Easter Monday (Lundi de Pâques)
1 - May Labour Day (Fête du Travail)
8 May - V-E Day Victoire 1945 End of WWII
Ascension Day (Ascension) 40 days after Easter
Pentecost (Pentecôte) Seventh Sunday after Easter
14 July - Bastille Day (Fête Nationale)
15 August - Assumption of Mary (Assomption)
1 November - All Saints Day (Toussaint)
11 November Armistice Day marking end of WW1
25 December Christmas Day (Noël)
Daylight Savings in Europe is 25 March to 28 October 2007
Summer
- June, July, August
Upside
• Warmest weather, ideal for outdoors activities
• Most attractions are open
• Best festivals happen during summer
• Alpine areas can be a bargain
• Escape Australian winter
• Big sporting events – Tour de France, French Open, Le
Mans, Monaco Grand Prix
• A dose of sunburn wont kill you in Europe
• Good rates for city accommodation possible as demand focussed
on coast
Downside
• High season (European holiday season)
• Popular areas (especially coastal) over crowded
• Air travel most expensive between Australia and Europe during
this period
• Travel (air and rail) around Europe most expensive during
this period
• Accommodation most expensive in summer
• Roads are choked in summer especially main corridor from Paris
to Marseille
• End of Financial Year in Australia (busy time for many)
• Bushfires can be a problem
Autumn - September, October, November
Upside
• Shoulder to low season
• November tends to see massive airline price wars (eg Ryan
Air’s one million free seats in November campaign)
• Comfortable weather (at least for September and October in
the south)
• Most attractions remain open at least for September and October
• Some festivals still happen throughout September
• Fewer crowds
• September is harvest time so popular with food and wine devotees
• School is back in so university towns become lively
• Countryside particularly beautiful in autumn with the changing
colours
• Good time to see sport (rugby and soccer)
Downside
• November can be cold and stormy especially along the western
side France
• Many tourist sites can be closed or on reduced opening
• Massive nationwide strikes (usually in the transport sector)
often occur in November
• Missing nice weather in Australia
• Paris can be busy with conventions and expos in this quarter
putting strain on accommodation
Winter - December, January, February
Upside
• Low season (except for alpine areas) so great travel and accommodation
bargains available
• Wonderful place to celebrate (white) Christmas
• Excellent skiing
• January sales
• Good time to watch sport (rugby and soccer)
• Good time to experience the larger cities
• School holidays in Australia
• Cheap flights (both to and within Europe)
• No bushfires
Downside
• Very cold especially in the north
• Driving conditions hazardous
• Winter can cause transportation problems (air, rail, road)
Spring - March, April, May
Upside
• Shoulder season so good deals can be had for accommodation
and transport
• Commemorate Anzac day at the Somme (Villers Brettoneux)
• Easter can be interesting (very traditional)
• Countryside comes out of hibernation
• Paris in the spring time (big romantic brownie points for
blokes)
• Tail end of ski season
• Football finals
• Attractions closed for winter begin to reopen
• Driving conditions good (moderate traffic)
• Cannes Film Festival in May
Downside
• Weather doesn’t really warm up until late May
• Unpredictable weather, storms and floods
• Coastal resorts remain in hibernation mode
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