Winter
Dec → Feb9 to 11°
nights 5 to 6°
- 13 rainy days · 90 mm
- sea 9°
When is the best time to visit Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré?
- Jan9°not recommended
- Feb11°not recommended
- Mar13°not recommended
- Apr16°fair
- May18°recommended
- Jun22°recommended
- Jul24°recommended
- Aug24°recommended
- Sep22°recommended
- Oct18°fair
- Nov14°not recommended
- Dec11°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9° | 5° | 89 mm | 14 d | 9° | |
| February | 11° | 6° | 74 mm | 11 d | 8° | |
| March | 13° | 7° | 81 mm | 13 d | 10° | |
| April | 16° | 9° | 54 mm | 9 d | 13° | |
| May | 18° | 12° | 72 mm | 12 d | 17° | ✓ |
| June | 22° | 16° | 75 mm | 10 d | 21° | ✓ |
| July | 24° | 17° | 31 mm | 7 d | 22° | ✓ |
| August | 24° | 17° | 47 mm | 8 d | 23° | ✓ |
| September | 22° | 15° | 65 mm | 10 d | 21° | ✓ |
| October | 18° | 12° | 105 mm | 12 d | 18° | |
| November | 14° | 9° | 99 mm | 13 d | 14° | |
| December | 11° | 6° | 108 mm | 14 d | 10° |
The four seasons in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (La Rochelle) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May13 to 18°
nights 7 to 12°
- 11 rainy days · 69 mm
- sea 13°
Summer
Jun → Aug22 to 24°
nights 16 to 17°
- 8 rainy days · 51 mm
- sea 22°
Autumn
Sep → Nov14 to 22°
nights 9 to 15°
- 12 rainy days · 90 mm
- sea 18°
Book early for May to September
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 15h45 of daylight, in December 8h38, a difference of 7h07.
9hJan
10h16Feb
11h46Mar
13h29Apr
14h57May
15h45Jun
15h25Jul
14h09Aug
12h28Sep
10h49Oct
9h21Nov
8h38Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "La Rochelle" (46.16°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré, month by month
EventsFrancofolies de La RochelleJulyGrand PavoisSeptemberLa Rochelle International Film FestivalJune to JulyViolon sur le SableJulyDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Beach & swimming: July, August
- Sightseeing & walks: February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. These events fill the hotels and push prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- JulyFrancofolies de La Rochelle big crowds
French-language song takes over the stages of the harbour and the Esplanade Saint-Jean-d'Acre for five days, in mid-July.
- SeptemberGrand Pavois big crowds
The in-water boat show moors hundreds of boats in the Minimes marina for five days, in late September.
- June to JulyLa Rochelle International Film Festival
Retrospectives and new discoveries are screened non-stop in the town-centre cinemas for about ten days.
- JulyViolon sur le Sable
Free symphony concerts are held on the main beach at Royan, facing the sea, in the evening at the end of July.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended9°5° at night
- 89 mm · 14 d
- sea 9°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended11°6° at night
- 74 mm · 11 d
- sea 8°
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended13°7° at night
- 81 mm · 13 d
- sea 10°
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair16°9° at night
- 54 mm · 9 d
- sea 13°
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended18°12° at night
- 72 mm · 12 d
- sea 17°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended22°16° at night
- 75 mm · 10 d
- sea 21°
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended24°17° at night
- 31 mm · 7 d
- sea 22°
High season, book early
August
Recommended24°17° at night
- 47 mm · 8 d
- sea 23°
High season, book early
September
Recommended22°15° at night
- 65 mm · 10 d
- sea 21°
High season, book early
October
Fair18°12° at night
- 105 mm · 12 d
- sea 18°
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended14°9° at night
- 99 mm · 13 d
- sea 14°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended11°6° at night
- 108 mm · 14 d
- sea 10°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 9 °C at best, 5 °C at night. A very wet month, 89 mm of rain over 14 days. Sea at 9 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 11 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (74 mm). Sea at 8 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 13 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (81 mm). Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 16 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (54 mm). Sea at 13 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (72 mm). Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C early in the morning. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (75 mm). Cool sea (21 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
July. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 31 mm over 7 days. The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. High season: book early.
August. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C early in the morning. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (47 mm). The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. High season: book early.
September. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 15 °C early in the morning. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (65 mm). Cool sea (21 °C), for the brave. High season: book early.
October. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 12 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (105 mm). Cool sea (18 °C), for the brave. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Cool: 14 °C at best, 9 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (99 mm). Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 11 °C at best, 6 °C at night. A very wet month, 108 mm of rain over 14 days. Sea at 10 °C, too cold to swim. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré?
May to September: over these months, recorded highs range from 18 to 24 °C, with 9 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, La Rochelle).
Which month should you avoid in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 108 mm over 14 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (La Rochelle).
What is the hottest month in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré?
July, with 24 °C on average in the afternoon and 17 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (La Rochelle).
What is the coldest month in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré?
January, with 9 °C at best during the day and 5 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (La Rochelle).
What is the driest month in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré?
July: 31 mm over 7 days of rain, against 108 mm in December, the wettest month.
When can you swim in Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré?
The water reaches 22 °C or more in July, August (warmest 23 °C in August), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (La Rochelle).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Charente-Maritime and the Île de Ré guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit France: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Arnauld van Wambeke / Pexels · SlimMars 13 / Pexels · Susanne Jutzeler, suju-foto / Pexels · Pablo / Pexels · Dany B. / Pexels · Gwladys GUILLON / Pexels