Myer

After spending part of a day in Montpellier a couple of years ago, we've decided to use it as a base for about a week.

The trip will most likely start in Barcelona (AA or a partner flies there and it's been 10 years since we've been there) although Marseilles is a possibility.

As we did on our last trip to Provence, we'll end with a few days in Paris.

The possible dates for the trip are the last two weeks of June or the second and third weeks of September.

I checked the weather for each of the three locations for temperature, rainfall and length of day.

Obviously late June provides longer days than mid-September.

I'm seeing what appears to be a tradeoff. Hotter days in June and more chance of rain in September.

Am I reading this correctly? Is it really unbearably hot in late June and is it really wetter in mid-September?

dlejhunt

We were just there July 10 and 11, was maybe high 80's but very, very nice at night. No rain for the two weeks that we were in Europe (Paris, Montpellier, London) I'm not a rain fan so I'd take hot and dry over damp and cool any day.

StuDudley

We were on the Lot river near Cahors the last 2 weeks of June this year. It was quite cool and damp almost the entire time. There were 2 days where it was sunny all day, and about 2 other days where it was sunny for about half the day. The other 10 days it was overcast - sometimes drizzly. I had a jacket on for several days and I don't think I wore shorts at all (I wear shorts all the time during the summer). We never dined outside for dinner. After the Lot, we were in the Auvergne near Roanne for 2 weeks and the weather was much better.

We've been in Provence the last 2 weeks of June about 7 times in the last 15 years. Twice it was blazing hot most of the time. Several times it was cool & we had some drizzle and were unable to dine outside at night for about 6 out of the 14 days we were there. The other 4 years the weather was perfect on most days. We've been there for 2 weeks in mid Sept/early Oct once - and the weather was perfect.

Last year we were in the Pyrenees for 5 weeks in June & July - we seldom saw the sun. Rain quite a bit.

Stu Dudley

DebitNM

As you know, we were in Montpellier in October 2012 and the weather was lovely. September is always a wonderful month to be in France.

Myer

I'm going to Glacier National Park in Montana next week and with my wife to Umbria the middle two weeks of September. I think we'll wait until after the Umbria trip to review the choices.

In the past I've tried to plan European trips for June for longer days and nice weather. We've never really found crowds an issue. This year we had a conflict, hence September.

I imagine any possible increase in autumn rain will be nothing compared to the summer rain we get here in South Florida. Then again, a couple of days in Vancouver where we were covered in raingear wasn't very pleasant.

I think we'll have to compare those rain days in Vancouver to those 3 shower days in Florence a couple of years ago.

As you can see I'm waffling back and forth.

Maybe more comments will help.

StuDudley

Every year since we retired early in '99 (so we could travel more), we've spent 5 weeks in Europe (mainly France) in June/July and 3-4 weeks there in Sept. I like the long days in June, and especially in Provence I "welcome" the June warmth that signals the start of summer. However, we've experienced more rain & cloudy days in June than we have in Sept. But relying on "averages" to determine when to make a trip reminds me of the guy who drowned crossing a river with an average depth of 3 feet.

I usually advise people to travel in the south of France in June, and north (Brittany, Normandy, Paris) & the Alps in Sept.

Stu Dudley

Christina

I've been in Montpellier in summer, and no, it isn't "unbearably" hot, it isn't Africa or near the equator. It is hot, of course, but I don't think it was ever over 100 F, or even 95 much. So what's your idea of unbearable. In July, it is typically only 30-32, which isn't even 90F. Right now it is about 31 and this is July. I'd want a place with AC, of course.

If you think 30 is unbearable, then don't go in summer, but in June it would more likely be 25-30 in afternoon, which isn't that hot at all IMO. Personally, I don't think the weather stats are that different for September vs. June in terms of temperature, I can't imagine they vary by much at all. But there is a little more rain in September.

I doubt if September vs. June is going to be totally predictable in terms of weather temps, one being that different from the other. It is often very hot in September in lots of places, you can't tell.

Myer

Living in South Florida we're used to the heat.

However, it's a bit different being a tourist and walking around outdoors all day.

I'm starting to lean a bit more towards June. We'll discuss.

Pvoyageuse

I'd chose September, which is usually very nice in the area. The crowds will have gone, it will still be beach weather and mornings/evenings will be cool. June can be miserable (this year) or very hot (last June). The rainy season is much later in the fall.

StuDudley

>> it isn't "unbearably" hot, it isn't Africa or near the equator. It is hot, of course, but I don't think it was ever over 100 F, or even 95 much.<<

Again - twice out of the 7-8 times we've been in Provence in June, it was over 100 for several days. Mid-day we were either sightseeing in a car with the AC cranked up, or bobbing in the swimming pool with fans blowing on us.

In '03 or '05 it was so hot that a gite owner even said it was like Africa. The lawns on her property were pretty much dried-up & dead. I think that was the year thousands of people in France died as a result of the heat - but that was in July or August.

Stu Dudley

Myer

We discussed over dinner and now we're leaning toward the very start of September.

Thanks for the comments and opinions.

Christina

In '03 or '05 it was so hot that a gite owner even said it was like Africa.>>

true, but that isn't the norm and there have also been unusually hot periods in other parts of France, including Paris, not just Montpellier. So of course you can always find some month between June and September when it was 100 on some dates, but I wouldn't plan my trip around that fact if it were not the norm.

StuDudley

Two years with periods of excessive heat out of the 7-8 years we've been in Provence during June might be OK odds for many people - but not all.

Stu Dudley