Winter
Dec → Feb5 to 8°
nights 0 to 2°
- 15 rainy days · 106 mm
When is the best time to visit the French Ardennes?
- Jan5°not recommended
- Feb8°not recommended
- Mar10°not recommended
- Apr14°fair
- May18°recommended
- Jun22°recommended
- Jul23°recommended
- Aug23°recommended
- Sep20°recommended
- Oct15°recommended
- Nov9°fair
- Dec7°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in the French Ardennes, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5° | 0° | 112 mm | 16 d | |
| February | 8° | 1° | 92 mm | 14 d | |
| March | 10° | 3° | 95 mm | 14 d | |
| April | 14° | 5° | 65 mm | 11 d | |
| May | 18° | 9° | 77 mm | 13 d | ✓ |
| June | 22° | 13° | 75 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| July | 23° | 14° | 65 mm | 11 d | ✓ |
| August | 23° | 14° | 71 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| September | 20° | 11° | 74 mm | 10 d | ✓ |
| October | 15° | 8° | 102 mm | 14 d | ✓ |
| November | 9° | 4° | 97 mm | 15 d | |
| December | 7° | 2° | 115 mm | 16 d |
The four seasons in the French Ardennes, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Place Ducale, Charleville-Mézières) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May10 to 18°
nights 3 to 9°
- 13 rainy days · 79 mm
Summer
Jun → Aug22 to 23°
nights 13 to 14°
- 12 rainy days · 70 mm
Autumn
Sep → Nov9 to 20°
nights 4 to 11°
- 13 rainy days · 91 mm
Book early for May to October
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 the French Ardennes, 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 16h18 of daylight, in December 8h08, a difference of 8h10.
8h33Jan
10h01Feb
11h44Mar
13h41Apr
15h22May
16h18Jun
15h55Jul
14h26Aug
12h31Sep
10h38Oct
8h58Nov
8h08Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Place Ducale, Charleville-Mézières" (49.77°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in the French Ardennes, month by month
EventsCabaret VertAugustWorld Festival of Puppet TheatresSeptemberDeer rutSeptember to OctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Towns & culture: April, June, July, August, September
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in the French Ardennes, 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.
- AugustCabaret Vert big crowds
Four days of concerts on the banks of the Meuse in Charleville-Mézières, at the end of August.
- SeptemberWorld Festival of Puppet Theatres big crowds
Every other year, Charleville-Mézières fills its streets and venues with companies from all over the world.
- September to OctoberDeer rut
Stags call to each other at dusk in the forests of the Semoy valley, with guided listening sessions.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended5°0° at night
- 112 mm · 16 d
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended8°1° at night
- 92 mm · 14 d
Low season, lower prices
March
Not recommended10°3° at night
- 95 mm · 14 d
Low season, lower prices
April
Fair14°5° at night
- 65 mm · 11 d
Low season, lower prices
May
Recommended18°9° at night
- 77 mm · 13 d
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended22°13° at night
- 75 mm · 12 d
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended23°14° at night
- 65 mm · 11 d
High season, book early
August
Recommended23°14° at night
- 71 mm · 12 d
High season, book early
September
Recommended20°11° at night
- 74 mm · 10 d
High season, book early
October
Recommended15°8° at night
- 102 mm · 14 d
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair9°4° at night
- 97 mm · 15 d
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended7°2° at night
- 115 mm · 16 d
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Deep winter: 5 °C at the warmest of the day, 0 °C at night. A very wet month, 112 mm of rain over 16 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 8 °C at best, 1 °C at night. A very wet month, 92 mm of rain over 14 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 10 °C at best, 3 °C at night. A very wet month, 95 mm of rain over 14 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 14 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (65 mm). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
May. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 9 °C early in the morning. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (77 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (75 mm). Busy season, without the crush.
July. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (65 mm). High season: book early.
August. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (71 mm). High season: book early.
September. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 11 °C early in the morning. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (74 mm). High season: book early.
October. Cool: 15 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Frequent rain: 102 mm over 14 days. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Frequent rain: 97 mm over 15 days. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Deep winter: 7 °C at the warmest of the day, 2 °C at night. A very wet month, 115 mm of rain over 16 days. 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 the French Ardennes?
May to October: over these months, recorded highs range from 15 to 23 °C, with 12 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Place Ducale, Charleville-Mézières).
Which month should you avoid in the French Ardennes?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 115 mm over 16 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Place Ducale, Charleville-Mézières).
What is the hottest month in the French Ardennes?
July, with 23 °C on average in the afternoon and 14 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Place Ducale, Charleville-Mézières).
What is the coldest month in the French Ardennes?
January, with 5 °C at best during the day and 0 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Place Ducale, Charleville-Mézières).
What is the driest month in the French Ardennes?
April: 65 mm over 11 days of rain, against 115 mm in December, the wettest month.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable French Ardennes 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: Le sixième rêve / Pexels · SlimMars 13 / Pexels · Marian Florinel Condruz / Pexels · FrDr / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · FrDr / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)