Winter
Dec → Feb8 to 11°
nights 3 to 4°
- 12 rainy days · 66 mm
- 4.5 h of sun
When is the best time to visit the Loire Valley?
- Jan8°not recommended
- Feb11°not recommended
- Mar13°fair
- Apr16°recommended
- May20°recommended
- Jun24°recommended
- Jul25°recommended
- Aug25°recommended
- Sep23°recommended
- Oct18°fair
- Nov12°not recommended
- Dec9°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in the Loire Valley, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8° | 3° | 3.8 h | 64 mm | 11 d | |
| February | 11° | 4° | 5.6 h | 57 mm | 11 d | |
| March | 13° | 5° | 7.5 h | 66 mm | 13 d | |
| April | 16° | 7° | 9.8 h | 52 mm | 9 d | ✓ |
| May | 20° | 10° | 10.8 h | 80 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| June | 24° | 14° | 11.7 h | 81 mm | 12 d | ✓ |
| July | 25° | 15° | 12.1 h | 46 mm | 7 d | ✓ |
| August | 25° | 16° | 11 h | 55 mm | 9 d | ✓ |
| September | 23° | 13° | 9.3 h | 77 mm | 10 d | ✓ |
| October | 18° | 10° | 6.7 h | 99 mm | 13 d | |
| November | 12° | 6° | 5 h | 58 mm | 11 d | |
| December | 9° | 4° | 4 h | 78 mm | 14 d |
The four seasons in the Loire Valley, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Château de Chambord) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May13 to 20°
nights 5 to 10°
- 11 rainy days · 66 mm
- 9.4 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug24 to 25°
nights 14 to 16°
- 9 rainy days · 61 mm
- 11.6 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov12 to 23°
nights 6 to 13°
- 11 rainy days · 78 mm
- 7 h of sun
Book early for April 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 the Loire Valley, 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 15h58 of daylight, in December 8h27, a difference of 7h31.
8h50Jan
10h11Feb
11h45Mar
13h34Apr
15h06May
15h58Jun
15h37Jul
14h15Aug
12h29Sep
10h45Oct
9h12Nov
8h27Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Château de Chambord" (47.62°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in the Loire Valley, month by month
What to see and do
EventsGrape harvestSeptember to OctoberFestival de LoireSeptemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Sightseeing & walks: January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, November
- Long days: May, June, July, August
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in the Loire Valley, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- September to OctoberGrape harvest
The vineyards of Vouvray, Chinon and Sancerre bring in the grapes, and many estates open their cellars to visitors.
- SeptemberFestival de Loire big crowds
Traditional Loire boats gather on the quays of Orléans every other year, in odd-numbered years.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended8°3° at night
- 64 mm · 11 d
- 3.8 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended11°4° at night
- 57 mm · 11 d
- 5.6 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair13°5° at night
- 66 mm · 13 d
- 7.5 h
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended16°7° at night
- 52 mm · 9 d
- 9.8 h
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended20°10° at night
- 80 mm · 12 d
- 10.8 h
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended24°14° at night
- 81 mm · 12 d
- 11.7 h
Busy, without the crush
July
Recommended25°15° at night
- 46 mm · 7 d
- 12.1 h
High season, book early
August
Recommended25°16° at night
- 55 mm · 9 d
- 11 h
High season, book early
September
Recommended23°13° at night
- 77 mm · 10 d
- 9.3 h
High season, book early
October
Fair18°10° at night
- 99 mm · 13 d
- 6.7 h
Low season, lower prices
November
Not recommended12°6° at night
- 58 mm · 11 d
- 5 h
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended9°4° at night
- 78 mm · 14 d
- 4 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 8 °C at best, 3 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (64 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (3.8 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 11 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (57 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (5.6 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 13 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (66 mm). Expect 7.5 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 16 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (52 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (80 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 10.8 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
June. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (81 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11.7 h a day on average. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 25 °C in the afternoon and 15 °C at night. Rain stays light: 46 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 12.1 h a day on average. High season: book early.
August. 25 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (55 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 11 h a day on average. High season: book early.
September. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (77 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. High season: book early.
October. Mild, 18 °C in the afternoon and 10 °C early in the morning. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (99 mm). Expect 6.7 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
November. Cool: 12 °C at best, 6 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (58 mm). Sunshine gets scarcer (5 h a day). Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 9 °C at best, 4 °C at night. A very wet month, 78 mm of rain over 14 days. Sunshine gets scarcer (4 h a day). 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.
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Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit the Loire Valley?
April to September: over these months, recorded highs range from 16 to 25 °C, with 10 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Château de Chambord).
Which month should you avoid in the Loire Valley?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 78 mm over 14 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Château de Chambord).
What is the hottest month in the Loire Valley?
July, with 25 °C on average in the afternoon and 15 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Château de Chambord).
What is the coldest month in the Loire Valley?
January, with 8 °C at best during the day and 3 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Château de Chambord).
What is the driest month in the Loire Valley?
July: 46 mm over 7 days of rain, against 99 mm in October, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in the Loire Valley?
July, with 12.1 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Loire Valley 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: YL Lew / Pexels · Adrien Olichon / Pexels · Johan Allard / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Nilo Junior / Pexels