French Riviera – sightseeing and weather. A quick tourist guide. The Cote d’Azur tempts with its unique charm all year round.
The Cote d’Azur is a very exclusive region, located in the south of France at the foot of the Alps, right on the Mediterranean Sea. Its very specific location (mountains, warm sea) makes it a very special place. Great beaches that stretch for miles, modern hotels, harbors, lush vegetation and beautiful weather tempt tourists from all over the world. Although virtually all towns on the Cote d’Azur are very picturesque and tempt with many attractions, undoubtedly, its gems include such towns as:
- Toulon
- Menton
- Saint-Tropez
- Nice
- Villefranche-sur-Mer.
The weather on the Cote d’Azur – the best month for a vacation.
The following table with average temperatures on the Cote d’Azur will help you choose the right month for your trip.
| Month | Min (° C) | Max (° C) | Mean (° C) | Min (° F) | Max (° F) | Mean (° F) |
| January | 6 | 13 | 9.6 | 42 | 56 | 49.2 |
| February | 6 | 14 | 9.8 | 43 | 56 | 49.6 |
| March | 8 | 15 | 11.9 | 47 | 60 | 53.3 |
| April | 11 | 17 | 14.1 | 51 | 63 | 57.4 |
| May | 15 | 21 | 17.8 | 58 | 70 | 64 |
| June | 18 | 25 | 21.4 | 65 | 76 | 70.6 |
| July | 21 | 28 | 24.2 | 69 | 82 | 75.5 |
| August | 21 | 28 | 24.5 | 70 | 82 | 76.1 |
| September | 18 | 25 | 21.2 | 64 | 77 | 70.2 |
| October | 14 | 21 | 17.5 | 57 | 70 | 63.5 |
| November | 10 | 17 | 13.4 | 49 | 63 | 56 |
| December | 7 | 14 | 10.4 | 44 | 57 | 50.6 |
Check also the rainfall that occurs in a given month on the Cote d’Azur:
| Month | Millimeters | All | Rainy days |
| January | 70 | 2.8 | 6 |
| February | 45 | 1.8 | 5 |
| March | 40 | 1.6 | 5 |
| April | 70 | 2.8 | 7 |
| May | 45 | 1.8 | 5 |
| June | 35 | 1.4 | 4 |
| July | 10 | 0.4 | 2 |
| August | twenty | 0.8 | 2 |
| September | 72 | 2.8 | 5 |
| October | 135 | 5.3 | 7 |
| November | 105 | 4.1 | 7 |
| December | 95 | 3.7 | 6 |
The length of the day on the Cote d’Azur is also important.
Length of the day (sunny hours) on the Cote d’Azur:
| Month | On average | Together |
| January | 4.5 | 145 |
| February | 6 | 175 |
| March | 7.5 | 240 |
| April | 8 | 245 |
| May | 9.5 | 295 |
| June | 11 | 335 |
| July | 12 | 370 |
| August | 10.5 | 325 |
| September | 8.5 | 260 |
| October | 6 | 185 |
| November | 5 | 150 |
| December | 4.5 | 135 |
The Cote d’Azur tempts with its unique charm all year round. However, if during your vacation you want to swim in the sea and laze on the most wonderful beaches in the world, it is best to go there in the summer season (June – October). Then we will be sure that the weather will be good for us and that our vacation will be successful.
It is also worth checking the average water temperature in a given month.
Sea water temperature on the Cote d’Azur in individual months:
| Month | Celsius (° C) | Fahrenheit (° F) |
| January | 14 | 57 |
| February | 14 | 56 |
| March | 14 | 57 |
| April | 15 | 59 |
| May | 18 | 64 |
| June | 21 | 69 |
| July | 24 | 75 |
| August | 25 | 77 |
| September | 23 | 74 |
| October | 21 | 70 |
| November | 18 | 65 |
| December | 16 | 60 |
However, we must take into account that in the high season, both summer and winter, the prices are much higher, and that there will be a lot of tourists everywhere. If, on the other hand, you prefer to spend your vacation more calmly, it is worth going to the Cote d’Azur in spring, when it is already warm, and there is no typical hustle and bustle of the high season.
In spring, the weather is also conducive to walks and sightseeing, and on the Cote d’Azur there are certainly many interesting places worth seeing.
Winter sports enthusiasts will certainly be interested in the fact that from the Cote d’Azur, only about 2 hours’ drive to one of the most wonderful ski runs in the world – in the Alps.
Côte d’Azur guide – what should you see?
When choosing the Cote d’Azur with the intention of lazing around on the sandy beaches, you must also remember that this is a historically very rich region and it is worth going for a little exploration of the area during your sunbathing breaks. Virtually in every town of the Cote d’Azur you will find a building interesting in terms of architecture and history. The clash of modernity with history is very clear and interesting at the same time.
Take, for example, Nice, which is a very exclusive town, full of modern buildings: hotels, restaurants, pubs, skyscrapers – one of the most expensive and exclusive places in the world. However, all this in the “new city”, and in the old one we can enjoy the beauty of historical architecture, old palaces, churches, museums (Archaeological Museum, Chagall Museum, Matisse Museum).
It is also worth seeing the famous castle on the beach in Mandelieu-la-Napoule, and visiting the beautiful port. When coming to the Cote d’Azur, remember that the luxury hotels and apartments are not the most interesting, but the area that hides many surprises and secrets among the lush Mediterranean nature. Perhaps you will be the one to discover the next one.
