In this post, we want to offer you some inspiration for your fall vacations!
Here are a few things we think you'll love about France in the fall:
- September is often still warm but not as overwhelmingly hot as the late summer, and the days are still quite long. It's a great time for outdoor activities such as hiking and cycling
- You'll be able to enjoy the gorgeous fall colors with beautiful skies and gorgeous rural landscapes (and incredible light for photographers!). Dordogne and Provence are particularly lovely
- If you dream of visiting Burgundy, we can arrange for you to stay at a B&B that is also a wine estate, so you can see the bustling work in the vineyards and cellars up close around harvest time. There will be plenty of delicious fresh food and wine to enjoy
- For seafood lovers, September-April is the best time to enjoy mussels, oysters, shells, and scallops in France. In Normandy, you can enjoy 'the whole ocean on your plate' shellfish festival (Toute la mer sur un plateau) on 5-6 oct 2024
- Places that can be extremely busy with tourists, such as the French Riviera, Mont St Michel and Carcassonne, will have far fewer tourists in the fall and therefore be quieter and very pleasant to explore
- The November fog in places like Mont St Michel, Carcassonne, and Vaison-la-Romaine can create a magical, mystical atmosphere. You may even cross paths with some ghosts!
Next, we'll recommend the places that are particularly beautiful later in the year. See below for a list of top places to visit in France during the fall, organized according to activity or preference.
Fall colors in the French vineyards (Photo: pxfuel CC0)
For Sunshine
French Riviera
I still remember the first time I visited the French Riviera with my husband Guillaume. It was late October, and I was 7 months’ pregnant with our older daughter Jeanne. We were researching for our tours at the time, and we didn’t want to visit during high season, as the French Riviera is so busy with tourists during the summer months. It is also very hot.
When we went, the temperature was still in the mid 20s/70s and the sea was still warm enough to swim in at sunset. The best part was that most of the tourists had already gone, so we could enjoy the best of the beaches, the quaint hilltop villages and the city of Nice at a quieter time.
How about a tour of the French Riviera outside of the peak tourist season?
The beach at Menton, on the French Riviera (Photo: Daniel Falciola CC-BY 2.0)
For Wine-lovers
Burgundy
Visit France during the fall and you’ll have the opportunity to witness the grape harvest. Burgundy is our top recommendation, with its lively towns such as Dijon and Beaune, and working wineries. It’s also a truly gorgeous region to drive through at that time of year, as all the vineyards begin to turn orange and yellow - you’ll get some stunning photo opportunities.
Explore our Burgundy tours
Enjoy the gorgeous fall colors of the vineyards in Beaune, Burgundy, France (Photo© Olivier Colas - CC-BY SA 4.0)
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is also a very nice option to enjoy the fruits of the grape harvest, though some of our favorite wineries close during the fall.
Visit our Bordeaux tours page to discover some of the activities you can do and places you can visit in Bordeaux.
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France Just For You
For Photographers
Provence
Provence is always a wonderful option if you’re looking for some sunshine and a crisp glass of rosé wine. But once the fall rolls around it becomes clear why so many artists have been mesmerized by this region over the decades and centuries.
Arles and St Remy de Provence
Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh painted some of his most famous and recognizable paintings during his time living in Arles and St Remy de Provence.
He was enchanted by the rural scenery of Provence and the fascinating light. In St Remy, you'll be able to visit the asylum where van Gogh lived for a time toward the end of his life, and see some of the views he painted there.
The fields ready for the harvest in Provence - depicted by Vincent van Gogh in his painting Harvest at La Crau, with Montmajour in the background (CC0)
Aix-en-Provence and the surrounding areas
French painter Paul Cezanne was born in Aix and spent around half his life living in the region. You may still visit his studio in Aix en Provence, where he spent his days painting during the final years of his life, and do the town’s self-guided Cezanne walking tour.
Although he was better known for his still-life paintings, he also depicted stunning Provençal landscapes across the seasons.
See Provence as Cezanne and van Gogh would have seen it on our tours of Provence
Provence landscape by French painter, Paul Cezanne (CC0)
Dordogne and Lot
The scenery and geography of this southwestern region of France are spectacular throughout the year. From the lovely medieval town of Sarlat to the region’s prehistoric caves, the region is filled with architectural and geographical wonders.
Dordogne is known for its hills and valleys and dramatic views, and this region is a dream to drive through. Later in the year, as the light floods across the landscapes of the Périgord, it highlights the yellows, reds, oranges, browns and remaining greens of the landscape, offering some stunning photo opportunities.
The majestic escarpments that tower over the Dordogne river are quite astonishing to first-time visitors to the region. If you combine this with the fall colors, we guarantee you will fall in love with Dordogne and Lot.
In Lot, we often send our travelers on driving routes through the Causses du Quercy Natural Regional Park, which has some wonderful scenic views. We always recommend a photo stop at Rocamadour, where the beautiful sand colored village almost blends into the escarpment across which it is staggered. It is an harmonious image of civilization and nature, and the colors of the surrounding landscape during the fall only enhance its beauty.
We invite you to get inspired by our tours of Dordogne
The Fall Colors in Rocamadour, Lot, France (Photo© Paul & Alexis Benjamin)
The Basque Country
The Basque Country stretches across the border from the southwest of France to northern Spain, from the coast to the Pyrenees mountains. Its fascinating culture and cuisine are a draw through most of the year, but the light and the colors of the region take center stage during the fall season.
There are many beautiful walking trails in the mountains with incredible light for photographers.
If you book one of our Basque Country tours, we'll help you explore traditional Basque villages and towns, such as Ainhoa and Bayonne. There, you'll be able to observe the typical Basque architecture and everyday life.
On the coast at Biarritz, there are some gorgeous panoramic views, and if you visit in September it may still be warm enough to enjoy the beach.
Sunset at the beach at Biarritz, in the French Basque Country (Photo: Pixabay CC0)
For Foodies
Normandy
Just 2.5 hours drive from Paris is the dramatic Normandy coast, which gourmets will definitely appreciate during the fall. The scallops season starts in France in October.
We can't guarantee great weather in Normandy in the fall; however, we can promise you that one of life’s finest pleasures is sitting in the fresh air on a restaurant terrace, enjoying freshly fished scallops in a Norman port town such as Trouville-sur-Mer.
You will also be able to appreciate some of the stunning coastal landscapes that inspired local artists such as Claude Monet.
Speaking of Monet, his garden in Giverny will be an explosion of fall colors from September through October - a great time to visit!
Explore Normandy at your own pace on one of our self guided tours of Normandy
French scallops served with pasta (Photo© Tangopaso CC-BY SA 3.0
The Wild Card
Loire Valley
Our travelers have absolutely loved doing hot air balloon rides in the Loire Valley, and the fall is the ideal time for them. There are still enough sunny days and not too much wind, which makes the conditions perfect for hot air balloon flights. I think you can imagine the incredible birds’-eye and panoramic views you’ll take in as you float peacefully above the Loire Valley.
The Loire Valley also has many castles and gardens that are less busy with tourists in the fall and still beautiful to explore. You might even get some ideas for your garden at home!
Visit the Loire Valley with France Just For You on one of our Loire Valley tours!
About Paris...
You may like to do a whistle-stop tour of Paris if it’s your first visit to France and you’re traveling from afar. However, we don’t especially recommend Paris in the fall unless you're visiting in early to mid September, as rainy days are more common, as are strikes in the city.
If you're in Paris in late October or early November, don't miss the Salon du Chocolat!
Paris in the fall (Photo: Pixabay CC0)
Fall festivals and events in France in 2024
7-8 September 2024: The tomato festival in Château de la Bourdaisiere, Loire Valley
13-22 September: Jazz Festival in Touraine
14-15 September: Braderie de Lille
21-22 September: Heritage Days (Journées du Patrimoine) - free access to most sites and museums. The nice part is that you can access some private properties which are normally closed to the public. Advanced booking necessary.
5-6 October: Granville Shellfish Festival in Normandy: ‘the whole ocean on your plate’ (Toute la mer sur un plateau)
12-13 October: Pumpkin festival (Fete de la citrouille) in Rivau castle. In Villandry gardens, the kitchen garden plants are everywhere - they’re even used as flowers.
20 October: Cider festival in Beuvron-en-Auge in Normandy, a very lovely little town in Pays d’Auge not far from Bayeux
30 October - 3 November: Salon du Chocolat in Paris
31 October - 11 November: Dijon Gastronomy Fair - a must for gourmets!
From 18 November: Santons and Nativity Festival in Marseille
November 21: “Beaujolais nouveau” wine comes out. Enjoy a “beaujolais nouveau” party in a bar anywhere. These have become very popular. The wine is not great, but the party is fun.
If you have any questions about doing a self-drive tour of France during the fall, we invite you to contact the team!
