Avignon Weather Month by Month

Avignon weather is hot and dry in summer and mild, wet and windy the rest of the year. July averages 31.5 °C by day, and November brings the most rain. Here is what each month does to your Avignon tour, from Météo-France's averages for Avignon.

What the weather does to a visit here

A visit to Avignon mixes the indoors and the open air. You climb the stairs of the palace, walk the bridge over the river and spend a day among the vines or the hill villages. Each part feels the weather differently.

The palace is neither heated nor air-conditioned, so it is warm in July and cold in January. The bridge and the villages have little shade. The Mistral, the north wind of the Rhône valley, gusts past 58 km/h on about 108 days a year, most of them from November to April.

The figures below are Météo-France's normals for the Avignon station, at 34 m: temperatures for 1993-2020 and rain for 1994-2020. They are averages, not a forecast.

Avignon weather month by month

Avignon in January

In January you can expect 11 °C by day and 2 °C at night, with 56 mm of rain on about 6 days. Frost comes on about 11 nights, and the Mistral gusts hard on about 11 days. The palace opens 10 am to 5 pm after the 4th. Wrap up for the walks.

Avignon in February

In February you can expect 12 °C by day and 2 °C at night, with 36 mm of rain on about 5 days. The driest of the winter months. From the 7th the palace stays open until 6 pm, and the town is at its quietest.

Avignon in March

In March you can expect 17 °C by day and 5 °C at night, with 36 mm of rain on about 4 days. The palace and the bridge move to 9 am to 7 pm on the 1st. Rain is light, but the wind still blows on about ten days.

Avignon in April

In April you can expect 20 °C by day and 8 °C at night, with 60 mm of rain on about 6 days. Wetter than March, with rain on six or seven days. The tourist office keeps its summer hours from the 1st. Good weather for the villages.

Avignon in May

In May you can expect 24 °C by day and 12 °C at night, with 52 mm of rain on about 6 days. Warm days, and the first ones over 30 °C. A pleasant month for a full day out, before the heat of summer.

Avignon in June

In June you can expect 29 °C by day and 16 °C at night, with 35 mm of rain on about 4 days. Hot, with about eleven days over 30 °C. Lavender starts flowering in the low areas from mid-June. Book the morning tours.

Avignon in July

In July you can expect 32 °C by day and 18 °C at night, with 24 mm of rain on about 3 days. The hottest and driest month, with 22 days over 30 °C. The festival fills the town. Carry water for the palace stairs.

Avignon in August

In August you can expect 31 °C by day and 18 °C at night, with 35 mm of rain on about 3 days. Almost as hot as July and still dry. Start early, rest at midday, and save the walks for the evening light.

Avignon in September

In September you can expect 26 °C by day and 14 °C at night, with 91 mm of rain on about 5 days. The rain returns in a few heavy days. Warm afternoons make it one of the best months for a wine day or a villages day.

Avignon in October

In October you can expect 21 °C by day and 11 °C at night, with 89 mm of rain on about 6 days. Mild days and heavy showers. The palace keeps its long hours until 1 November. Pack an umbrella.

Avignon in November

In November you can expect 15 °C by day and 6 °C at night, with 92 mm of rain on about 8 days. The wettest month, with rain on seven or eight days. Winter hours start on the 2nd, and the wind picks up again.

Avignon in December

In December you can expect 11 °C by day and 2 °C at night, with 44 mm of rain on about 5 days. Cold nights and short days. The palace stays open every day, until 6 pm from the 19th. The tourist office closes on the 25th.

The seasons, and which one you want

Each season suits a different trip. Pick the one that fits what you want to see.

Spring, March to May

Highs of 17 to 24 °C, light rain and the wind at its most frequent. Good for full days on foot and in the villages.

Summer, June to August

Hot and dry: 29 to 31 °C by day, and more than 50 days over 30 °C between them. The festival and the lavender.

Autumn, September to November

Warm at first, then wet: about 90 mm of rain a month, in fewer, heavier falls.

Winter, December to February

Highs of 11 to 12 °C, frosty nights and the Mistral, with the monuments open every day.

For warm days without the July heat, come in May, June or September. For the quietest monuments, come in winter and dress for the wind.

Best time of day

In summer, the morning is your friend. The palace opens at 9 am from March to October, and the first hour is the coolest. Walks inside the walls run in the shade of narrow streets, while the bridge and the Rocher des Doms have none.

Save the open views for late afternoon, when the light falls on the river. In winter, turn that round: take the villages in the middle of the day, when it is warmest, and the palace when the wind blows.

What to wear

Dress for the season, and in layers. Here is what to pack:

• Summer: a hat, sun cream and water for the stairs and the villages.
• Spring and winter: a windproof layer for the Mistral.
• Autumn: a light waterproof for the heavy showers.
• All year: shoes for cobbles and stone steps.

Some day tours may cancel for bad weather. You then get another date or a full refund, and every tour is free to cancel up to 24 hours ahead in any case.

Questions about Avignon weather

Where these figures come from

Every temperature, rain and wind figure is Météo-France's normal for Avignon (station 84007005), and the sunshine figure is Carpentras (84031001), checked 28 September 2026. Monument hours come from the palace's own page.

• Fiche climatologique, Avignon 84007005 (Météo-France, PDF)
• Fiche climatologique, Carpentras 84031001 (Météo-France, PDF)
• Practical information (the papal palace's own site)
• The Avignon tourist office: address and hours