My husband and I are planning to spend 10 days mid-end of November 2011 mainly in Paris and around France. 1. The weather seems cold which is totally ok with us. We are used to off-season travel around Europe and prepared for it. However does it rain to a point where we can't really walk around the city? 2. Where should we visit around France that time of the year? Any thought will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks PS: I have a similar question about Greece at that time but I will post that in the appropriate link.
Posted by
Fontainebleau, France
893 posts
Any month you could be hit with a driving rain that makes it difficult to walk around comfortably. In November, I wouldn't expect you'd have a long lasting driving rain, but then again the weather has been pretty unpredictable over the last year or two. Where you should visit depends on what you want to see. Do you want to stay closer to Paris? If so, Burgundy (Beaune/Dijon) and the Loire Valley would be my top recommendations. But if you're a WWI history buff, you might like the Reims/Verdun area. Or maybe you want to go further to get a little more sun. The possibilities are many.
Posted by
OP
San Francisco, CA
14 posts
Thank you Dina! Paris it is! Yes, we would like to stay closer to Paris but since we do have 9 days we are open to short trips as well.
Not much of a WW1 history buff. Interests include architecture, museums, cafes/ people watching, cultural, hiking and wine! Thanks again.
Posted by
Lowell, AR, USA
6 posts
The two trips I have taken to France have both been in November and early December. This can be a great time to travel. My husband and I were often the only ones at sights. However, the weather can be discouraging. It never rained really hard on us, but we did need our rain gear on both trips. But when the sights you want to see are mainly outside, even a moderate amount of rain can pose a problem. Other times we only needed a light jacket. That being said, my advice would be with 10 days to spend I would stay in Paris and maybe the Loire Valley or the Riviera (only a few hours away from Paris via the TGV). There is always plenty to do and see in Paris no matter the weather. You can day trip to several other sights, including the must-see Versailles. The chateaux of the Loire Valley are very cozy this time of year with logs burning in their fireplaces. Of course, the Riviera experiences a milder climate (there are palm trees in Nice) which could provide a much needed break from the cold. I would reccomend being thorough in checking opening times of the places you want to visit for the days you'll be there. Many sights in rural France close November 1. We found in many small towns the services are often more limited the worse the weather gets. So we tend to stick to bigger towns and cities the later we travel in the season.