When to Go to Provence

When to Go to Provence

July and August in Provence can be stifling, not only because of the intense heat but the crowds of tourists and vacationers. June and September are the best months to be in the region, as both are free of the midsummer crowds and the weather is summer-balmy.

June offers the advantage of long daylight hours, while cheaper prices and many warm days, often lasting well into October, make September attractive.

Try to avoid the second half of July and all of August, when almost all of France goes on vacation. Huge crowds jam the roads and beaches, and prices are jacked up in resorts. Don't travel on or around July 14 and August 1, 15, and 31, when every French family is either going on vacation or driving home. Watch out for May, riddled with church holidays—one a week—and the museum closings they entail.