🇫🇷 France
Sweet spot Apr, Oct. Peak May–Jun, Sep. Skip Jul–Aug.
When to go
France, month by month
Updated August 2026 · How we decide →
Typical weather
What Paris is usually like
What a typical day looks like, hour by hour: 8am when you get up, 2pm in the afternoon, 8pm when you are out in the evening — on France’s own clock, at Paris. Ten-year averages (2011–2020) measured at the capital, so this is Paris, not the whole of France, and a mountain or a coast a few hours away can be nothing like it. Averages, not a forecast: a typical January rather than any particular one.
| January, in-between | 3.6°C | 6.6°C | 5.1°C | 62 mm | 8h 43m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February, in-between | 2.8°C | 7.5°C | 5.3°C | 57 mm | 10h 11m |
| March, in-between | 5°C | 11.4°C | 8.7°C | 59 mm | 11h 51m |
| ★April, cheap sweet spot | 7.1°C | 15°C | 13.9°C | 50 mm | 13h 41m |
| ✓May, peak season | 11.1°C | 17.8°C | 17.3°C | 77 mm | 15h 16m |
| ✓June, peak season | 14.9°C | 21.1°C | 20.9°C | 69 mm | 16h 09m |
| ✕July, avoid | 16.5°C | 23.7°C | 23.6°C | 55 mm | 15h 47m |
| ✕August, avoid | 15.6°C | 23.6°C | 23°C | 58 mm | 14h 24m |
| ✓September, peak season | 12°C | 20.3°C | 18.4°C | 44 mm | 12h 38m |
| ★October, cheap sweet spot | 9.9°C | 15.5°C | 13.2°C | 67 mm | 10h 51m |
| November, in-between | 6.6°C | 10.6°C | 8.2°C | 64 mm | 9h 11m |
| December, in-between | 4.9°C | 8°C | 6.1°C | 84 mm | 8h 17m |
Twelve months in order. Tap any heading to sort by it — the driest month, the longest day, the afternoon closest to the one you like.
The colour is the month, not the weather: ★ cheap sweet spot · ✓ peak season · in-between · ✕ avoid.
Temperature and rainfall are ERA5. Generated using Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026; neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for any use of this information. Daylight: MET Norway, measured on the 15th of each month — the sun does not change, so that figure is exact rather than an average. Rainfall is a monthly total; daylight is sunset minus sunrise.
Right now
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Paris in June or September; the whole country holidays in August.
Getting in, and staying safe
Visas, entry rules and health — the official pages
Entry rules, visa requirements, vaccinations and safety advice for France all live on the pages below. Each one goes straight to France, not to a search box.
We link to official sources and stop there. We do not check, summarise, rank or verify them — always read the official page itself before you travel, and read the one for your own nationality. We are an independent site with no government connection.
At a glance
The practical bits
| Plug types | C, E |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 230/400V |
| Emergency numbers * | 15, 17, 18, 112, 114 |
| Currency | Euro (EUR €) |
| Language | French |
| Dialling code | +33 |
| Driving | On the right |
| Coastline | 4,853 km of coastline |
Loading either connects your browser to Google Maps.
* Emergency numbers can change, and can vary by region within a country. Always confirm with your accommodation or the nearest embassy before you travel.
One way to see it
AdOrganised tours and day trips in France, on Viator — a way to see what is bookable and what other people rated. We earn a commission if you book through that link, and you pay exactly the same either way. We do not choose, rank or check what appears there, and nothing on this page changes because of it.
Worth knowing
Five things that hold almost everywhere
- Grab (or the local equivalent) beats street taxis in most of Asia — and even where you don't use it, the app price tells you what's fair.
- ATMs: withdraw big and rarely, always in the local currency, and always decline the machine's kind offer to charge your card in pounds — that 'service' costs 3–6%.
- eSIM before you land (Airalo or similar) so you're online at arrivals; swap to a local SIM if you're staying weeks.
- Scooters anywhere: without the right licence category your travel insurance is void. That's the whole conversation.
- Save the local emergency number on day one, and know which private hospital expats use in your city — ask your host the day you arrive.
General travel habits, not advice specific to France. Rules, prices and fees change — check anything that matters before you rely on it.