Когда посетить (и в какие месяцы следует избегать!)

The French Riviera (also known as the Côte d’Azur), is a dreamy French region that extends east along the coast from Ментон и Монако к Теуль-сюр-Мер и Сен-Тропе, and up into the Southern Alps. The Riviera contains several cities (Nice и Канны among them), 14 natural parks, Roman ruins, medieval villages и наблюдение за китами недалеко от берега.

Не думайте о Лазурном Береге как о просто летнем месте. Конечно, в июле эти города становятся теплее, когда толпы людей шествуют по бульварам и пляжам, но зима — один из самых тщательно хранимых секретов Ривьеры с горнолыжными курортами менее чем в 90 минутах езды к северу от побережья.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - l esterel travel guide mandalieu napoule 2 — *Мандельё-ла-Напуль* в the Esterel region

Here’s what you need to know to plan your trip to the South of France:

Best & Worst Months to Visit

There are several factors to consider when timing your visit to Французская Ривьера:

When Big Festivals Are Happening

There are two times when the French Riviera is super crowded: during summer school holidays (July & August) and during large festivals. If you’re not attending the crowded festivals, then it’s best to avoid a trip to the area during that time, since the hotels will be more expensive, traffic will be worse, and the sights and музеи will be more crowded.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - menton lemon festival fete du citron4 2 — expect crowds at Menton’s Fete du citron

Избегайте этого района в феврале, так как в это время в Nice и Ментоне проходят огромные фестивали. Вот когда Nice hosts one of the Riviera’s main winter events, the annual 15-day Карнавал Nice, который привлекает около миллиона туристов. Посещать его весело (если вас не смущает толпа), но Nice в это время становится совсем другим зверем.

Also in February, the city of Menton throws the 3-week Fête du Citron. За это время в город приезжает более 200 000 туристов. К сожалению, будучи меньше Nice,Ментон is severely affected by the invasion of guests during this time. There are traffic jams everywhere, and crowds of people march down the narrow streets and along the promenade.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - monaco grand prix f1 guide schedule2 — monaco sets up for the grand prix weeks ahead of time

From mid-March to mid-June you can expect a lot of construction in Cannes and Monaco, as that’s when they set up and then disassemble everything needed for the Каннский кинофестиваль и Гран При Монако. During Monaco’s Grand Prix, and for the ten weeks before it and a month after, many sidewalks in Monaco have barricades, it’s noisy because of all the construction (re-paving roads, putting up metal barriers, viewing stations and grandstands), and it’s very confusing / tough to get around, making it much less pleasant to visit (unless, of course, you’re coming to see the races). Cannes is in construction disarray for about a month before and a couple of weeks after the film festival.

Проверьте наш календарь событий to learn when other events are happening and determine the best and worst times to visit.

When Kids are on School Holidays

During school holidays (check the dates here), throughout the year, many French people from all over France bring their families to the French Riviera. This means that the beaches, hotels, restaurants, etc. are all packed and traffic is slow. If you can, it’s best to avoid traveling to the French Riviera during these times.

Which Season is Best?

The Côte d’Azur is protected by hills in the west and the Mercantour Alps на северо-западе, что означает мягкий средиземноморский климат круглый год. Ожидайте почти 300 солнечных дней с периодами дождей в межсезонье марта и апреля, а также октября и ноября. Июнь и сентябрь — одни из лучших месяцев для посещения региона, а июль и август — пик сезона.

We recommend visiting in late-April to early-May, June, or September to early-October to avoid the crowds but still enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean weather.

Summer: Crowded & Expensive

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - beaches Baie des Anges Nice plage 1 1 — общественный пляж в Nice все лето очень переполнен

From mid-June to August the beaches are very, very crowded. Tourists cram the beaches in the summer months, making it harder to snag beach beds and dinner reservations.

Тут двух мнений быть не может: летом на Французской Ривьере очень многолюдно и дорого. Пляжи переполнены, а поиск парковки может стать незабываемо утомительным занятием. Средняя цена бокала вина взлетает с €7 до €17.

As Charles Glass so eloquently put it: “The summertime mob rules the French Riviera seaside. Hungry visitors queue for beach tables amid the horse flies at Saint-Tropez’s Club 55 to admire one another’s jewelry. They then dive into water so laden with Ambre Solaire it looks like the Exxon Valdez crashed into another reef. Holidaymakers leave the south to its peaceful winter and reassemble there each summer, like defeated regiments needing one more go at enemy lines to prove that, this time, they will succeed. Of course, they never do. And so they return home wearier than when they arrived.”

As soon as temperatures rise, in-the-know residents head for the hills to walk through cool forests of truffle oaks, swim in waterfalls, and sip rosé en piscine (with ice cubes) on a shady village square. They jump on a boat to Ile Saint-Honorat for a lunch of fresh, grilled scallops, or go to Теуль-сюр-Мер for a swim at one of the tiny inlets along the craggy coastline. The real French Riviera is still here, even in peak season. You will find it if you look beyond the glare of the bright lights; it just takes a little prompting to find it.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - french riviera travel guide 1 — In the spring and fall, beaches are open but not crowded

Spring & Fall: The Perfect Timing

The best months to visit are late-April to the first week of May (avoiding the rest of May), June (although June is already getting a bit crowded), and September to early-October. If you have to pick one, September is the most ideal, as the sea is perfect swimming temperature.

Even the local, less well-known beaches (like the one pictured below, Bijoux beach in Cannes, pictured in early March 2023) have sunbathers in the off-season, but unlike in the summer, you’ll be able to find a spot to sit.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - cannes bijoux beach march — Bijoux beach, a lesser-known beach, in Cannes, march 2023

Make sure you’re aware of the dates for the local events, as explained above, and try to avoid coming during those, as the coast gets a lot more expensive, crowded, and booked-up during big events — especially in May due to the Grand Prix и Каннский кинофестиваль.

Those months might get a bit of rain, but the temperature is more comfortable (70°F / 21°C), less tourists than the summer, lower rates at hotels, and all the seasonal 5-star hotels and beachside restaurants are open (and you can usually get away with making a reservation a few days in advance).

Winter / Off-Season: Closures, Christmas & Skiing

In the winter, the weather is still pleasant and prices are lower (sometimes much, much lower!) Winter is not what we’d consider “beach weather” (although you will still see people sun-tanning on the beaches throughout the winter) but temperatures almost never hit freezing. In fact, the sun is still so strong that the temperature feels about 10 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than expected, and you’ll usually find yourself peeling off layers when in the sun.

Когда посетить( — Annex Beach in Cannes at Christmas

The downside is that many of the best hotels and restaurants in the inland villages close. They usually start opening up again in mid-April and close again in early-October. There is no point in visiting the western side of the French Riviera (Esterel к Сен-Тропе регионах) в межсезонье (с ноября по середину апреля), когда закрываются почти все отели, магазины и рестораны.

Если вы посещаете Монако, Вильфранш, Канны или Nice, вам не нужно беспокоиться о закрытии отелей и ресторанов в межсезонье, за исключением нескольких лучших приморских ресторанов ( включая таких фаворитов, как Le Cabanon , which opens mid-April, and La Vigie , which opens late June). Monaco has a high concentration of exceptional restaurants to choose from year-round. The beach restaurants in both Cannes and Monaco are open, and crowded, year-round.

Many towns and villages host traditional Christmas markets selling local specialties and mulled wine (or vin chaud). Most are pretty typical and nothing very special, but they are fun for small children.

The region’s 15 ski resorts open for the season in December and stay open through March. The closest — Auron , Isola 2000 , and Valberg — are a little over two hours away by bus from the Nice вокзал или аэропорт. Another local ski area (around 90 minutes by car from Monaco) is Limone Piemonte, Italy . It’s more high-end (although nowhere near as luxurious as the most famous destinations in the Alps) and attracts residents from Monaco.

Again, make sure you’re aware of the dates for the local events, as explained above, and try to avoid coming during those, as the coast gets a lot more expensive, crowded, and booked-up during big events — especially in February due to the massive Carnaval и Fete du Citron.

Mediterranean Climate

The climate of the French Riviera (Côte d’Azur), the French coastline that goes from just east of Марсель to just east of Ментон (near the border with Italy), is ‘Mediterranean’, with mild, relatively rainy winters and warm, sunny summers. Atlantic frontal systems pass quite often throughout the year, but especially from October to April, while in summer, especially in July and August, they become rare.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - Nice france travel guide beach SMALL — Пляж Нептун в Nice, Франция

In winter, the weather is generally mild and while some visitors still wear their furs (which is, of course, perceived as distasteful nowadays), it’s rare to actually need anything more than a light jacket. Menton sits on the Italian border between the Alpes Maritimes and the Mediterranean, and its valley benefits from a unique micro-climate that keeps it a few degrees warmer in the winter than the rest of the Côte d’Azur.

Typically, the summer temperatures are acceptable, although there can sometimes be hot periods, with highs about 35°C (95°F), but fortunately, sea breezes blow along the coast to cool you down. The south-eastern part of the French Riviera (bordering the Ligurian Riviera in Italy) is the mildest area. Here, frosts almost never happen. The summer heat is also less intense than on the west (near Марсель).

Cannes / Mediterranean Weather Averages

We will use Cannes as an example, as it’s roughly in the middle of the French Riviera. For exact averages by town, see the links at the bottom of this guide.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - cannes travel guide beaches — the beach in cannes

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - french riviera weather climate 1 — СРЕДНИЕ ТЕМПЕРАТУРЫ В КАННАХ

In Cannes, it rains about 700 mm (27.5 in) per year, and increases the farther east you go, reaching 800 mm (31.5 in) in Monte Carlo (in the Principality of Monaco). From late October to December (some years more than others) there can be a lot of rain.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - french riviera weather climate2 1 — СРЕДНЕЕ КОЛИЧЕСТВО ОСАДКОВ В КАННАХ

Продолжительность солнечного сияния на Французской Ривьере велика с апреля по сентябрь. В остальное время года (осенью и зимой) солнечных дней умеренное количество, но они чередуются с пасмурными и дождливыми днями.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - french riviera weather climate3 1 — СРЕДНЕЕ КОЛИЧЕСТВО СОЛНЕЧНЫХ ЧАСОВ В ДЕНЬ В КАННАХ

Обратите внимание, что на Французской Ривьере в действительности температура всегда ощущается примерно на 10 °F / 5 °C теплее чем официальное показание. Солнце здесь очень интенсивное.

St. Tropez & the Esterel Region

Сен-Тропе и Esterel Massif area находится в провинции Вар во Франции. Температура воздуха в этой области менее мягкая, чем в остальной части Французской Ривьеры. Летом днем на 1–3 градуса Цельсия жарче, чем в районе Монако и Nice, и на 1–3 градуса холоднее ночью. Зимой здесь может быть на 5 градусов Цельсия холоднее, чем в остальной части Французской Ривьеры, и здесь есть уникальные дождевые и туманные узоры.

The ‘Mistral’ — an incredibly strong, destructive, chilling wind — can arise at any time (but is less common in the summer), sometimes reaching 185 km/h (115 mph). It creates severe fire-hazard conditions, during which time the regional authorities prohibit all access to the massif of the Estérel. Close your shutters and expect anything left outside to blow over or away.

Sea Temperature

В западной части Французской Ривьеры (Сен-Тропе, Канны), хотя летом воздух может быть очень жарким, море никогда не бывает очень теплым, поскольку в течение нескольких месяцев в году его охлаждает Мистраль (который дует в западная часть, но благодаря морским течениям холодные воды достигают большей площади). Чем дальше на восток вдоль побережья (Nice, Монако, Ментона), тем теплее становится вода. Это самое теплое место в Ментон.

When to Visit (& Months to Avoid!) - french riviera weather climate4 1 — СРЕДНЯЯ ТЕМПЕРАТУРА ВОДЫ В КАННАХ

Изменение климата делает море горячее с каждым годом. Летом 2023 года вода на французском побережье Средиземного моря прогрелась до 28 градусов вместо обычных 21-22 градусов. Летом 2024 года к концу июля море уже прогрелось до 30 градусов (измерено у побережья Nice).