When is the best time to visit France?

The best time to visit France is May to June and September: all 2 of the cities we cover are at their best then. By city: Paris, April to June and September to October; Nice, May to June and September.

When is the hottest month in France?

It depends on the city. The hottest month is July in Paris; August in Nice (average daytime highs, 2019-2024).

When is the rainy season in France?

The wettest month, counted in days with at least 1 mm of rain, is May in Nice; October in Paris. Open the city guide for the full month-by-month table.

Is there a month that is good everywhere in France?

Yes: May to June and September, when all 2 cities we cover are at their best.

Best Time to Visit France: Month by Month, City by City

Best months by city

City	Best months	Hottest month	Wettest month
Paris	April to June and September to October	July, 77°F (25°C)	October, about 15 rainy days
Nice	May to June and September	August, 84°F (29°C)	May, about 10 rainy days

Each city name opens its own month-by-month table. Heat is the average daytime high; rainy days are days with at least 1 mm of rain.

Every month at a glance

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Paris	Okay	Okay	Avoid	Best	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Best	Best	Okay	Avoid
Nice	Okay	Okay	Okay	Okay	Best	Best	Okay	Okay	Best	Avoid	Avoid	Okay

Best = the city's best months. Avoid = very hot, very cold or among the wettest months. Okay = neither. Hover or tap a cell for the reason.

France month by month

January: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
February: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
March: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month. Worth avoiding: Paris (among the wettest, 14 rainy days).
April: At its best in Paris (1 of 2).
May: At its best in Paris and Nice (2 of 2).
June: At its best in Paris and Nice (2 of 2).
July: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
August: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month.
September: At its best in Paris and Nice (2 of 2).
October: At its best in Paris (1 of 2). Worth avoiding: Nice (among the wettest, 9 rainy days).
November: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month. Worth avoiding: Nice (among the wettest, 9 rainy days).
December: None of the cities we cover is at its best this month. Worth avoiding: Paris (among the wettest, 15 rainy days).

Plan your trip

Open a city guide for tours, hotels and what to do there:

More ways to book in France: Leonardo Hotels, villas from Oliver’s Travels, car rental on VIP Cars, self-guided city games from City Game and toll badge for French motorways from Fulli. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

See today's travel advisory for France (government warnings, checked every 2 minutes).

France: common questions

When is the best time to visit France?: The best time to visit France is May to June and September: all 2 of the cities we cover are at their best then. By city: Paris, April to June and September to October; Nice, May to June and September.
When is the hottest month in France?: It depends on the city. The hottest month is July in Paris; August in Nice (average daytime highs, 2019-2024).
When is the rainy season in France?: The wettest month, counted in days with at least 1 mm of rain, is May in Nice; October in Paris. Open the city guide for the full month-by-month table.
Is there a month that is good everywhere in France?: Yes: May to June and September, when all 2 cities we cover are at their best.

How we worked this out

Temperatures and rainy days come from Open-Meteo ERA5 records for 2019-2024 for each city. Where a city's best months were checked by hand against crowds and local seasons, that is the pick shown; otherwise the pick is based on weather alone and is marked. Weather changes from year to year, so treat this as a planning guide, not a forecast.