Winter in France
Visiting France during the winter months has more to offer than you might think. It’s true that most of France’s millions of visitors per year come between May and October. But it may surprise you how memorable and exciting a winter visit can be!
Advantages of Winter Travel
The advantages of traveling in the winter are obvious at first glance: Fewer crowds and lower costs in airfare and hotels in November, January, and February. During the Christmas season, prices rise again due to the popularity of spending Christmas in the City of Lights. There are many good reasons for that. It might well be worth the cost, as you’ll see by reading further!
Going to France off-season may reward you with other advantages, such as a slower pace and relaxed conversations with locals. You’ll feel less part of the tourist mob and more like an individual visitor soaking in a unique and wonderful country in another of its seasons!
Weather to Expect and How to Prepare
Unsurprisingly, France can be somewhat cold in winter, but for winter, it’s still fairly mild. Average temperatures in Paris range between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. That compares with a winter day in the southeastern US. And it’s much warmer than in the north! In Provence, temperatures can be 50 to 60 degrees or higher. Rain will be more frequent during the winter months throughout France. Bring an umbrella or buy one there, and plan to wear layers. Don’t forget your scarf, which helps you stay warm. And it’s very French at the same time!
Activities in France in Winter
Skiing comes to mind, since France is a top destination for enthusiasts of the sport. The French Alps and the Pyrenees Mountains beckon you if you enjoy skiing. The Alps are home to Olympic-famed ski resorts, such as Courchevel and Les Tignes, but there is a multitude of smaller slopes that are more family-oriented, less expensive, and less intimidating. See more on skiing in France in this post, Ski in France.
A Spa Vacation: What better way to warm up in luxury than in a jacuzzi, with a massage, or other self-pampering activities in one of France’s many spas? You’ll find yourself in an elegant setting, enjoying fabulous cuisine, and treating your body during the same vacation. See the post A Spa in France for more ideas.
Visit the French Riviera It’s one of the warmest places in France, with a Mediterranean microclimate. Menton has long been considered the ideal place to spend the winter. It was popularized in the 19th century by well-to-do Europeans seeking to escape winter weather. Anything along the coast will rise in temperature from either inland Provence or northern France.
Train Vacations Skip the car rental, navigating roads in winter, and filling the tank under chilly winds. Instead, let French trains whisk you smoothly from one stellar destination to another. Check out these 10-day train excursions in eastern or western France. The eastern route can take you by Strasbourg, home of the famous Christmas Market. The western route will treat you to the Atlantic coast and milder temperatures.
Christmas Markets
You’ve perhaps waited for this… Christmas markets are a huge draw all over France at the end of the year. Alsace Christmas markets are the most famous (Strasbourg, Colmar, Kaysersberg, Mulhouse), but Paris has several, as do many towns across the country. Most markets begin in mid or late November and continue until early January. You can arrive in November and still take in the full experience of Christmas in Paris while cutting costs a bit.
The Strasbourg Christmas Market is the most famous. Strasbourg is under two hours by train from Paris. On the way, the town of Nancy is closer and has a lovely market as well. Also in Alsace is the Colmar Christmas Market, slightly smaller, which may be an advantage. In either case, you’ll love the Alsace scenery with or without Christmas lights!
Lille in northern France has a popular Christmas Market, as does the city of Reims, home of Champagne. There, you can hit both themes at once! Reims isn’t far from Paris, either.
In the southwestern region of Dordogne, the town of Sarlat hosts a medieval Christmas Market you won’t soon forget.
Paris Christmas and Seasonal Fun
Of course, Paris has plenty to keep you entertained and delighted at Christmas. There are markets in the Tuileries, near the Louvre Museum, which replaced the market on the Champs-Elysées.
Other markets include the esplanade at La Défense (the largest one), Montmartre (Rue Abbesses), at the Eiffel Tower, the Hôtel de Ville (4th district), at the Gare de l’Est, the Latin Quarter, the Saint-Germain-des-Pres neighborhood, La Villette (northeast Paris), and even in Versailles. I’m sure I’ve missed a few! You could spend several days wandering from one stunning Christmas market to another in Paris alone!
Along with Christmas Markets, you can take a boat ride on the Seine, get an aerial view from the Ferris wheel, or take a hop-on/hop-off bus in the evening when the Christmas lights are twinkling. Then you can stop for hot chocolate or mulled wine. You’ll love eating French holiday specialties (check the post What do the French Eat at Christmas)
Still on the theme of lights and decorations, be sure to visit some of the flagship department stores in Paris: Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché, La Samaritaine, and Printemps. These stores are well known for over-the-top Christmas lights and decorations, both outside and inside the buildings. You may even want to shop a bit while you’re there!
Hopefully, that gives you enough ideas for your winter travel in France. Winter has much to offer in France!
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Christmas in Paris
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