Yanna

My nephew is planning to spend his Spring Break from college "in a private shanty somewhere near the Mediterranean" with his girlfriend. I'm only asking about the weather from March 10 through 18, not a lecture on anything else. Far be it for me, the aunt, to ask if they even plan to go to the beach, but it seems to me that the Mistral winds may be blowing up a storm. I'd hate for his first look at the South of France to be disappointing . . . when does the GOOD weather start? Thank you.

Joel

I lived there for a few years and recall March as going either way. It was warm both years, but one was sunny and the other was wet, and both were windy (Mistral). An unpleasant part of the wind was the Sahara sand carried with it that left a coat of sand on every surface. Still, there were many pleasant days. One note: it was far far better in March than going in the period of late July through mid Sept when the place is jam-packed with a zillion Europeans on vacation. Absolute insanity. I'd focus on touring during that season as opposed to swimming. <BR>As to when the good weather starts, late April around to mid-October were quite nice.

Joel

I lived there for a few years and recall March as going either way. It was warm both years, but one was sunny and the other was wet, and both were windy (Mistral). An unpleasant part of the wind was the Sahara sand carried with it that left a coat of sand on every surface. Still, there were many pleasant days. One note: it was far far better in March than going in the period of late July through mid Sept when the place is jam-packed with a zillion Europeans on vacation. Absolute insanity. I'd focus on touring during that season as opposed to swimming. <BR>As to when the good weather starts, late April around to mid-October were quite nice.

AJ

We were in Nice in March of this past year. My pictures show the kids in t-shirts with a thin fleece vest and jeans, and me in a sports jacket over a long-sleeved t. We thought the weather was beautiful, but it was definately not swimming weather.

Al

Your young friends are in for a disappointment if they believe most of the beaches on the French Riviera are good for swimming. Most are shingle beaches, that is, small stones -- rough on the feet. Nothing to compare with the sands of Florida or Cape Cod or the Outer Banks. My recollection of weather in the western Med at that time of the year conforms with that cited above: windy, rainy, chilly days intersperced with warmish days, often with weather changing quickly. If it were mine to do, I'd stay in the States at that time of year, find a place along the Gulf Coast and leave the hassle for somebody else and have a good time at half the price.