Winter
Dec → Feb12 to 13°
nights 5 to 7°
- 7 rainy days · 43 mm
- 7.6 h of sun
- sea 14°
When is the best time to visit Marseille?
- Jan12°not recommended
- Feb13°not recommended
- Mar15°fair
- Apr17°recommended
- May21°recommended
- Jun25°recommended
- Jul28°fair
- Aug28°fair
- Sep24°recommended
- Oct21°recommended
- Nov16°fair
- Dec12°not recommended
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Marseille, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12° | 5° | 7.4 h | 31 mm | 5 d | 14° | |
| February | 13° | 7° | 8.2 h | 40 mm | 6 d | 14° | |
| March | 15° | 8° | 9.8 h | 43 mm | 4 d | 14° | |
| April | 17° | 10° | 11.1 h | 45 mm | 6 d | 15° | ✓ |
| May | 21° | 14° | 12.1 h | 58 mm | 6 d | 17° | ✓ |
| June | 25° | 18° | 13.8 h | 30 mm | 5 d | 21° | ✓ |
| July | 28° | 20° | 14 h | 5 mm | 1 d | 22° | |
| August | 28° | 20° | 12.7 h | 26 mm | 2 d | 23° | |
| September | 24° | 17° | 10.9 h | 68 mm | 7 d | 22° | ✓ |
| October | 21° | 14° | 8.9 h | 61 mm | 8 d | 20° | ✓ |
| November | 16° | 10° | 7.4 h | 63 mm | 9 d | 17° | |
| December | 12° | 7° | 7.2 h | 58 mm | 9 d | 15° |
The four seasons in Marseille, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Vieux-Port) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May15 to 21°
nights 8 to 14°
- 5 rainy days · 49 mm
- 11 h of sun
- sea 15°
Summer
Jun → Aug25 to 28°
nights 18 to 20°
- 3 rainy days · 20 mm
- 13.5 h of sun
- sea 22°
Autumn
Sep → Nov16 to 24°
nights 10 to 17°
- 8 rainy days · 64 mm
- 9.1 h of sun
- sea 20°
Book early for April to June and September 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 Marseille, 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 15h23 of daylight, in December 8h59, a difference of 6h23.
9h18Jan
10h27Feb
11h48Mar
13h21Apr
14h40May
15h23Jun
15h05Jul
13h57Aug
12h26Sep
10h56Oct
9h38Nov
8h59Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Vieux-Port" (43.29°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Marseille, month by month
What to see and do
EventsCandlemas at Saint-VictorFebruaryFestival de MarseilleJune to JulyFiesta des SudsOctoberSanton fairNovember to DecemberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
Sightseeing & walks: good conditions all twelve months.
- Beach & swimming: July, August, September
- Long days: May, June, July
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Marseille, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. Exact dates change from year to year, so check them before you book.
- FebruaryCandlemas at Saint-Victor
The Black Virgin is brought out of the abbey crypt at dawn on 2 February, and the bakery next door sells its navette biscuits all day.
- June to JulyFestival de Marseille
Dance, theatre and music are performed in converted industrial sites, theatres and courtyards across the city for about three weeks.
- OctoberFiesta des Suds
World music and electro fill the Dock des Suds, near the harbour basins, over several evenings in October.
- November to DecemberSanton fair
The santon makers set up their stalls in the city centre from late November to Christmas, with unfired clay and hand-painted nativity figurines.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended12°5° at night
- 31 mm · 5 d
- 7.4 h
- sea 14°
Low season, lower prices
February
Not recommended13°7° at night
- 40 mm · 6 d
- 8.2 h
- sea 14°
Low season, lower prices
March
Fair15°8° at night
- 43 mm · 4 d
- 9.8 h
- sea 14°
Low season, lower prices
April
Recommended17°10° at night
- 45 mm · 6 d
- 11.1 h
- sea 15°
Busy, without the crush
May
Recommended21°14° at night
- 58 mm · 6 d
- 12.1 h
- sea 17°
Busy, without the crush
June
Recommended25°18° at night
- 30 mm · 5 d
- 13.8 h
- sea 21°
Busy, without the crush
July
Fair28°20° at night
- 5 mm · 1 d
- 14 h
- sea 22°
Busy, without the crush
August
Fair28°20° at night
- 26 mm · 2 d
- 12.7 h
- sea 23°
Busy, without the crush
September
Recommended24°17° at night
- 68 mm · 7 d
- 10.9 h
- sea 22°
Busy, without the crush
October
Recommended21°14° at night
- 61 mm · 8 d
- 8.9 h
- sea 20°
Busy, without the crush
November
Fair16°10° at night
- 63 mm · 9 d
- 7.4 h
- sea 17°
Low season, lower prices
December
Not recommended12°7° at night
- 58 mm · 9 d
- 7.2 h
- sea 15°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 12 °C at best, 5 °C at night. Rain stays light: 31 mm over 5 days. Expect 7.4 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 13 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Rain stays light: 40 mm over 6 days. Expect 8.2 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 15 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Rain stays light: 43 mm over 4 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.8 h a day on average. Sea at 14 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
April. Cool: 17 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Rain stays light: 45 mm over 6 days. Plenty of sunshine: 11.1 h a day on average. Sea at 15 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
May. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 58 mm over 6 days. Plenty of sunshine: 12.1 h a day on average. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Busy season, without the crush.
June. 25 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. Rain stays light: 30 mm over 5 days. Plenty of sunshine: 13.8 h a day on average. Cool sea (21 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
July. 28 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. Hardly any rain (5 mm over 1 day). Plenty of sunshine: 14 h a day on average. The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
August. 28 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. Hardly any rain (26 mm over 2 days). Plenty of sunshine: 12.7 h a day on average. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
September. Mild, 24 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C early in the morning. Rain stays light: 68 mm over 7 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.9 h a day on average. The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
October. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Expect 8 days of rain in the month (61 mm). Expect 8.9 h of sunshine a day. Cool sea (20 °C), for the brave. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 16 °C at best, 10 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (63 mm). Expect 7.4 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 17 °C, too cold to swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
December. Cool: 12 °C at best, 7 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (58 mm). Expect 7.2 h of sunshine a day. Sea at 15 °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 Marseille?
April to June and September to October: over these months, recorded highs range from 17 to 25 °C, with 6 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Vieux-Port).
Which month should you avoid in Marseille?
December: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 58 mm over 9 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Vieux-Port).
What is the hottest month in Marseille?
July, with 28 °C on average in the afternoon and 20 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Vieux-Port).
What is the coldest month in Marseille?
January, with 12 °C at best during the day and 5 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Vieux-Port).
What is the driest month in Marseille?
July: 5 mm over 1 day of rain, against 68 mm in September, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Marseille?
July, with 14 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
When can you swim in Marseille?
The water reaches 22 °C or more in July, August, September (warmest 23 °C in August), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Vieux-Port).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Marseille guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
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🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
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Photos: Angelos Lamprakopoulos / Pexels · Brendan Rühli / Pexels · Carlo Primo / Pexels · DimiTalen / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Jiròni Picas / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)