France

France Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in France in December.

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Paris Cannes Lyon Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Planning a journey to France this December and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What to Expect in France in December

France has a wide variety of climate types. During December, you can expect temperatures that range from very cold to mild and precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. December falls during the winter season.

Temperatures

The average highest temperatures fluctuate between very cold in Aussois at -4°C (25°F) to mild in Bonifacio at 15°C (59°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 11°C (52°F) in Bonifacio and -12°C (10°F) in Aussois.

To explore the conditions in France in more detail, check the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Istres with an average of 53 mm (2.1 in) to heavy rainfall in Morez with 186 mm (7.3 in). Going by our weather data, it is the wettest month of the year in Paris.

Average sunshine

Sunshine is quite limited in many locations during December. Paris receives roughly 58 hours of sunlight. For destinations with more sunshine, our weather planner offers alternatives worldwide.

Explore France by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in France in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across France.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in France

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in France?

Temperature range in France (December)

Precipitation variation in France (December)

Paris

In December Paris generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
5°C (41°F)
3°C (37°F)
2°C (36°F)
Monthly sun hours
75 hours
58 hours
63 hours
Monthly rainfall
65 mm (2.6 in)
77 mm (3 in)
61 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
16 days
17 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Paris →

Cannes

In December Cannes generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 13°C (55°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 8°C (46°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
13°C (55°F)
12°C (54°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
8°C (46°F)
6°C (43°F)
Monthly sun hours
156 hours
137 hours
150 hours
Monthly rainfall
135 mm (5.3 in)
83 mm (3.3 in)
68 mm (2.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
9 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Cannes →

Nice

In December Nice generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 13°C (55°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 6°C (43°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
15°C (59°F)
13°C (55°F)
12°C (54°F)
Min temperature
9°C (48°F)
6°C (43°F)
5°C (41°F)
Monthly sun hours
156 hours
137 hours
150 hours
Monthly rainfall
137 mm (5.4 in)
86 mm (3.4 in)
70 mm (2.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
8 days
9 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Nice →

Lyon

In December Lyon generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
2°C (36°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
75 hours
54 hours
72 hours
Monthly rainfall
107 mm (4.2 in)
83 mm (3.3 in)
78 mm (3.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
15 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Lyon →

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

In December Chamonix-Mont-Blanc generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -2°C (28°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -11°C (12°F) and heavy monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
3°C (37°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-3°C (27°F)
Min temperature
-7°C (19°F)
-11°C (12°F)
-12°C (10°F)
Monthly sun hours
100 hours
75 hours
70 hours
Monthly snowfall
141 mm (5.6 in)
168 mm (6.6 in)
151 mm (5.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
16 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in France.

In our records: France December extremes

Notable December records observed across cities in France in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • Based on our data, the coldest December night in France dropped to -25°C (-13°F) in Val Thorens on December 29, 2014.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in France in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Paris 9°C (48°F) 3°C (37°F) 77 mm (3 in)
Cannes 13°C (55°F) 8°C (46°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Lyon 8°C (46°F) 2°C (36°F) 83 mm (3.3 in)
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc -2°C (28°F) -11°C (12°F) 168 mm (6.6 in)
Marseille 13°C (55°F) 4°C (39°F) 55 mm (2.2 in)
Biarritz 14°C (57°F) 8°C (46°F) 142 mm (5.6 in)

France weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in France in December?

December in France brings poor weather. In Paris, daytime temperatures are typically around 9°C (48°F) and nighttime lows hover near 3°C (37°F).

What is the average temperature in France in December?

Daytime temperatures in Paris peak at roughly 9°C (48°F) in December, dropping to about 3°C (37°F) overnight.

Does France get a lot of rain in December?

Not particularly. Paris averages just 77 mm (3 in) of rain in December, making it a mostly dry month for France.

Is December a Good Time to Visit France?

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit France due to the typically poor weather in Paris.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in May, June, July, August and September offering mostly perfect weather in Paris. On the other hand, the weather in January, February and December tend to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in France.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to France? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in France.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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