Paris Sunshine Hours by Month

When exploring climate, sunlight hours tell an important story. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Paris, Ile de France, France. These averages rely on historical data collected over 30 years, from 1990 to 2020.

Monthly hours of sunshine

Those who love seasonal contrasts will appreciate Paris. Expect long, bright days with 224 hours in July and darker periods with just 58 hours in December. The total annual amount of sun is 1725 hours.

Daily hours of sunshine

Seasonal changes in sunshine hours are quite obvious in Paris. While July receives considerable daily sunshine with up to 7.5 hours, December marks the darkest time of the year, where sunshine is scarce with only 1.9 hours of sunlight per day.

Average percent of sunshine

On average the sun shines 49% of the time during the day in August, the highest percentage of any month. January has the lowest percentage at 22%.

Paris enjoys an average of 1725 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:

Athens, Greece, enjoys 2769 hours of sunshine each year, making it one of the sunniest destinations in the Mediterranean region.

In contrast, Brussels, Belgium, receives only about 1590 hours of sunshine per year, known for its frequently overcast and rainy skies.

The climate in San Francisco, USA, includes 3072 hours of sunshine annually, thanks to its mild coastal weather.

In Brisbane, Australia, the annual sunshine averages 2999 hours, making it one of Australia’s sunniest cities.

December, Paris’s wettest month, receives 62 mm (2.4 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 9°C (48°F). During the driest month September you can expect a temperature of 22°C (72°F).

For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Paris Precipitation page.