Travel
The best time to swim in France
Mediterranean, Atlantic, Channel and Brittany coasts compared.
5 min read
France has a coastline for every temperature taste. The Côte d'Azur is the warmest, the Atlantic is surfier and cooler, and Brittany and Normandy are beautiful but rarely warm.
Month-by-month
- May: Mediterranean 17–19°C; Atlantic 14–16°C; north is still cold.
- June–September: Mediterranean 22–25°C; Atlantic 18–22°C; north 16–20°C.
- October: Mediterranean 19–22°C; Atlantic and north cool rapidly.
- November–April: Mediterranean 13–16°C; Atlantic 10–14°C; north 8–12°C.