Visiting France in November has trade-offs: damp climate and early sunsets balanced by quiet museums and genuine festivals. On this article I am going to present you why your resolution to go to in November would possibly simply be the best one.
IN A NUTSHELL: 7 REASONS TO VISIT FRANCE IN NOVEMBER
- Decrease prices — flights and inns are among the many most cost-effective of the yr
- Fewer crowds — main museums and landmarks are quiet
- Seasonal meals — truffles, chestnuts, Mont d’Or cheese, and contemporary olive oil seem
- Wine festivals — Beaujolais Nouveau and Burgundy’s Hospices de Beaune dominate the calendar
- Cultural occasions — Paris Picture, Dijon’s Gastronomy Honest, concert events, exhibitions
- Early Christmas spirit — markets in Alsace and Paris open late November
- Authenticity — November reveals France as locals dwell it, not the high-season postcard model
Many vacationers hesitate to go to France in November.
I get it. The times are brief, the skies are sometimes grey, and it rains, typically quite a bit.
But those that make the journey uncover a completely completely different France from the one they’re used to: it is quiet, genuine, and stuffed with seasonal traditions you received’t see at some other time of yr. The cultural calendar is roaring, and you may not often need to line as much as get in wherever.
No, you will not (typically) sit at an out of doors café watching the world go by, however you’ll sit warmly indoors, watching these exact same individuals (who, by the best way, are most likely wishing they may commerce locations with you as they battle to open their umbrellas).
A number of of the explanations to go to France in November present up most clearly if you have a look at particular person areas－from seasonal meals to cultural festivals and quiet monuments.
Right here, then, is a better have a look at November. In France.
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Why November is value it
In case your objective is sunbathing on the Riviera or mountain climbing the Alps, November shouldn’t be for you.
However when you favor a slower tempo, stuffed with cosy markets and loads of French tradition, November delivers. Airfares and resort costs are a number of the lowest of the yr. Museums are blissfully quiet, and eating places have area for walk-ins.
November can also be a spotlight for French seasonal meals, from truffles and chestnuts to Mont d’Or cheese and recreation dishes.
November in Provence: I discovered how canines discover truffles on a tour that additionally taught us all about truffles – and methods to style them ©OffbeatFranceThat mentioned, it isn’t all roses.
You’ll face cool climate, and, as I discussed, some rain. The times are additionally at their shortest, which implies you will need to plan round indoor visits and take advantage of daylight.
Some smaller museums and eating places exterior the large cities may reduce on their opening hours, so ensure you test earlier than you go.
Finest locations to go to in November in France
November shouldn’t be the time to cowl all the nation at excessive velocity. As a substitute, I counsel you deal with a area that pairs issues of curiosity to you, like cultural points of interest with seasonal occasions.
Listed here are a number of highlights to present you an concept of what November brings in several components of France.
Beaujolais vineyards in November, simply in time for the Beaujolais Nouveau (and no, it would not rain on a regular basis) ©OffbeatFranceParis
- Museums just like the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay are far much less crowded.
- Early Christmas shows seem by mid-month within the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps shops.
- On 11 November, Armistice Day ceremonies on the Arc de Triomphe are an intense nationwide second.
Lyon and the Beaujolais
- Lyon’s bouchons (conventional eateries) are simpler to ebook exterior peak season.
- The third Thursday of November marks the discharge of Beaujolais Nouveau, with tastings and avenue events in each Lyon and within the beautiful villages of the Beaujolais. That is the proper time to take a non-public full-day wine tour in Beaujolais villages to expertise the harvest celebrations firsthand.
- November is a time of tradition – theater, concert events, artwork reveals – you will not know which approach to flip.
Alsace
- Vineyards are quiet after the harvest, however villages start getting ready for Christmas.
- Strasbourg and Colmar open their Christmas markets in late November, among the many oldest and most atmospheric in Europe.
- A phrase of warning: goal for late November, when the Christmas spirit begins to seem. Any earlier and you will have the spittle with out the spirit.
Provence
- Discover the Luberon’s hilltop villages like Gordes or Lourmarin, with out the crowds.
- That is the time for Provence’s seasonal flavors, from chestnuts and wild mushrooms to the primary black truffles, to not point out freshly pressed olive oil from the harvest. You possibly can even be part of a truffle hunt with a neighborhood information, adopted by a tasting of contemporary truffle dishes.
- And whilst you can anticipate a number of days of rain (emphasis on “few”), you will even have sunshine and warmish days.
Loire Valley
- It is a good time for autumn colours alongside the Loire River, particularly early within the month.
Corsica
- November is chestnut season, marked by village festivals just like the Fiera di a Castagna in Bocognano.
- Trails are quiet, and the cooler temperatures make mountain climbing properly value it. You could properly have some rain, however you will have at the very least as a lot sunshine.
French Riviera
- Whereas swimming could also be off the desk, the Riviera remains to be gentle. (And I say off the desk, however there could also be days…)
- Monaco Nationwide Day (19 November) options parades and fireworks.
- The Cannes Dance Pageant brings in worldwide corporations each November.
- Good is ideal this time of yr – you may stroll the Promenade des Anglais, discover the Previous City and port (and vintage outlets) and go to the Musée Matisse, only for starters. Good in November is quieter than summer season, with gentle climate for seaside walks and cultural visits.
The Alps
- Snowboarding is more and more unreliable this early as a result of local weather change, although resorts like Tignes and Val Thorens typically open late November.
- Mountain cities – these which are open – are calm earlier than the winter rush, good for spa visits and hearty Savoyard delicacies.
Normandy and Brittany
- Normandy is smart in November, not least due to Armistice Day. Memorials, cemeteries and WWII seashore websites are notably transferring this time of yr.
- Brittany is probably not heat, however storm-watching alongside the wild Atlantic coast is a dramatic expertise – and seafood is great within the low season.
Seasonal meals and wines
November is for chestnuts ©Offbeat FranceOne of many important causes individuals select France in November is meals and wine — truffles, chestnuts and seasonal cheeses that solely seem this time of yr.
From new wines and truffle markets to chestnut festivals and winter cheeses, that is when France’s cold-weather specialties peak. Listed here are just some:
- Beaujolais Nouveau (third Thursday): a festive nationwide celebration, although most genuine in Beaujolais villages.
- Les Trois Glorieuses in Beaune (mid-November): a three-day wine public sale and pageant, centerpiece of Burgundy’s yr.
- Truffle season: Provence (Richerenches), Dordogne (Sarlat), and Lot (Lalbenque) all host weekly markets.
- Chestnuts: Cities in Corsica and the Ardèche have a good time la châtaigne with markets and tastings.
- Olive harvests: Provence and Languedoc produce new oils, typically offered instantly at village festivals.
- Seasonal cheeses: Mont d’Or, a smooth cow’s milk cheese out there solely in winter, is plentiful in market stalls; raclette and fondue additionally return to menus.
Mont d’Or, drenched with wine and garlic, is baked till molten. Then, dip potatoes into the cheese and revel in! ©OffbeatFranceOutside and landscapes
Whereas France in November tends to lean towards indoor actions, there are many out of doors pleasures.
- You may nonetheless be capable to spot the final of autumn shade within the Dordogne, Alsace and Loire Valley in early November.
- Mountain climbing in Provence and Corsica remains to be glorious, with cooler air and quieter trails.
- Forests at Fontainebleau close to Paris and the Vosges are at their most atmospheric, with mist and morning frost.
- Within the mountains, many cities provide non-skiing mountain actions like nice meals and surroundings, with the whole lot beginning to open for enterprise in the direction of the tip of the month.
Cultural and pageant highlights
Another excuse to go to France in November is its cultural calendar, with exhibitions and festivals that fill the month, together with a number of autumn occasions that return yearly.
- Paris Picture: the world’s largest images honest, held on the Grand Palais Éphémère.
- Cannes Dance Pageant: worldwide ballet and up to date dance corporations carry out alongside the Riviera.
- Dijon Worldwide Gastronomy Honest: considered one of France’s largest meals festivals, that includes regional specialties.
- Jazz festivals and membership seasons: Paris and different cities see packed calendars of concert events, superb for evenings when out of doors actions are restricted.
- Montier-en-Der Wildlife Pictures Pageant (japanese France): considered one of Europe’s largest picture festivals, centered on chicken migration and nature.
Nationwide holidays and commemorations
Two main dates form November in France:
- All Saints’ Day (1 November), when households embellish graves with chrysanthemums. Cemeteries nationwide fill with flowers, a putting and uniquely French custom.
- Armistice Day (11 November) commemorates the tip of World Battle I. Ceremonies are held on the Arc de Triomphe and throughout battlefields within the north and east, corresponding to Verdun and the Somme.
IS NOVEMBER IN FRANCE A GOOD IDEA? PROS AND CONS
Execs
- Rock-bottom airfares and resort costs
- Main museums and landmarks with out traces
- Distinctive culinary specialties and loads of tradition
- Authenticity
Cons
- Brief daylight (round 9 hours, sundown ~5pm)
- Frequent rain, particularly within the north and west
- Chilly temperatures in a lot of the nation; snow doable within the Alps
- Some eating places and smaller museums scale back hours or shut exterior peak season
Climate in France in November: What to anticipate
- Daylight: roughly 9 hours, with sundown round 5pm.
- Rain: brace for frequent showers, particularly within the north and west.
- Packing suggestions: waterproof sneakers, layered clothes, heat coat, scarf, gloves, and an umbrella. Indoor points of interest make up for the climate, however planning for being exterior is important.
Visiting France in November requires adjusting no matter expectations you could have inherited from documentaries and superb Instagram images – the fact is that November not a month for seashores or lengthy sunny days, though you might get a little bit of each in Provence.
In change, you’ll get pleasure from quiet monuments, energetic markets, and plenty of seasonal traditions, from truffles to Christmas lights.
If you happen to worth authenticity over that postcard vibe, November could also be the most effective months of the yr to go to France.
FAQ
Sure, when you’re on the lookout for fewer crowds, decrease costs and seasonal meals. Anticipate shorter days and frequent rain, together with cooler climate. That mentioned, museums and festivals are at their greatest.
November highlights embrace truffles, chestnuts, recreation, Mont d’Or cheese, and contemporary olive oil. Beaujolais Nouveau wine goes available on the market, and Burgundy hosts its well-known wine public sale.
Many Christmas markets open in late November, particularly in Alsace (Strasbourg and Colmar) and Paris.
Excessive-altitude resorts typically open late in November, however snow is unreliable as a result of local weather change. Most snowboarding begins in December.
Paris Picture, the Dijon Gastronomy Honest, Beaujolais Nouveau celebrations, and the Hospices de Beaune wine public sale all happen in November. Armistice Day and All Saints’ Day are additionally main dates.
Earlier than you go…
Taken collectively, these causes present why November, regardless of the climate, will be one of the crucial rewarding instances to expertise France.
November in France is a transitional month, quieter and cheaper than excessive season however wealthy in meals, tradition and commemoration.
With shorter days and cooler climate, it rewards vacationers who plan round festivals, indoor points of interest, and regional specialties (like these meals of the French Riviera) quite than out of doors enjoyable.
For extra concepts on methods to take advantage of Paris within the chilly (and when you’re a fan of the Center Ages), you would possibly get pleasure from my publish on the Cluny Museum.
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