SeasonMapFrance in May
May is France's best month (rank 1 of 12): its 24 destinations average 81/100, led by Avignon at 94 — 24°C and 7 rainy days — while Courchevel is cooler at 9°C and scores 66.
#1 of 12 months for France · 24 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Where in France in May
| # | Place | Type | Feels-like high | Rain | Comfort | At its best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Avignon | City | 24°C | 49 mm · 7 days | 94 tier S | Yes |
| 2 | Montpellier | City | 22°C | 38 mm · 6 days | 94 tier S | Yes |
| 3 | Aix-en-Provence | City | 22°C | 66 mm · 10 days | 92 tier S | Yes |
| 4 | Marseille | City | 21°C | 61 mm · 8 days | 91 tier S | Yes |
| 5 | Toulouse | City | 21°C | 73 mm · 12 days | 90 tier S | Yes |
| 6 | Bordeaux | City | 21°C | 83 mm · 11 days | 89 tier A | Yes |
| 7 | Carcassonne | City | 21°C | 76 mm · 12 days | 89 tier A | Yes |
| 8 | Lyon | City | 19°C | 90 mm · 13 days | 87 tier A | Yes |
| 9 | Nantes | City | 19°C | 39 mm · 7 days | 86 tier A | — |
| 10 | Paris | City | 17°C | 63 mm · 11 days | 83 tier A | — |
| 11 | Saint-Tropez | Beach | 22°C | 43 mm · 8 days | 83 tier A | — |
| 12 | Cannes | Beach | 21°C | 45 mm · 9 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 13 | Lille | City | 18°C | 57 mm · 9 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 14 | Strasbourg | City | 17°C | 73 mm · 11 days | 82 tier A | — |
| 15 | Colmar | City | 19°C | 99 mm · 14 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 16 | Nice | Beach | 22°C | 74 mm · 15 days | 81 tier A | — |
| 17 | Bonifacio | Beach | 20°C | 49 mm · 6 days | 79 tier B | — |
| 18 | Ajaccio | Island | 20°C | 88 mm · 12 days | 78 tier B | — |
| 19 | La Rochelle | Beach | 20°C | 47 mm · 9 days | 78 tier B | — |
| 20 | Annecy | City | 18°C | 169 mm · 16 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 21 | Biarritz | Beach | 19°C | 96 mm · 13 days | 76 tier B | — |
| 22 | Courchevel | Ski resort | 9°C | 125 mm · 17 days | 66 tier C | — |
| 23 | Val d'Isère | Ski resort | 10°C | 141 mm · 17 days | 62 tier C | — |
| 24 | Chamonix | Ski resort | 14°C | 178 mm · 19 days | 45 tier F | — |
Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means May is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.
What's on in France in May
- Nuits de Fourviere · Lyon · 28 May – 25 Jul (usually)
- May public holidays · Paris · 1–31 May (usually)
- Roland-Garros · Paris · 18 May – 7 Jun
- La Bravade · Saint-Tropez · 16–18 May
- Cannes Film Festival · Cannes and 1 more place · 11–22 May (usually)
- Storks on the nests · Strasbourg · 15 Feb – 31 Aug (usually)
- Saint-Erasme, the fishermen's feast · Ajaccio · 30 May – 2 Jun (usually)
Seasons in force
Peak crowds at 4 of France's 20 well-known places this month.