Cannes

French Riviera Weather in May

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in the French Riviera, France in May.

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Cannes Nice Saint-Tropez Antibes

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

What to Expect in the French Riviera in May

The French Riviera, France is a region in France. May in the French Riviera generally has pleasant temperatures, with moderate precipitation.

Temperatures

The average maximum temperatures are pleasant and range from 19°C (66°F) in Menton to 22°C (72°F) in Saint-Tropez. Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 15°C (59°F) in Saint-Tropez and 14°C (57°F) in Menton.

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

Precipitation

In May, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Saint-Tropez with an average of 49 mm (1.9 in) to moderate rainfall in Grasse with 81 mm (3.2 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is generally plentiful throughout many areas. Cannes enjoys about 251 hours of sunlight, ideal for those seeking sunny weather.

Explore the French Riviera by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the French Riviera - and find the best time to visit. (based on Cannes)

January12°C (54°F) February13°C (55°F) March15°C (59°F) April17°C (63°F) May21°C (70°F) June24°C (75°F) This monthJuly27°C (81°F) August27°C (81°F) September24°C (75°F) October20°C (68°F) November16°C (61°F) December13°C (55°F)
Best Time to Visit the French Riviera →

Best Places to Visit in the French Riviera in May

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

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 the French Riviera

What is the weather like in May for some of the most popular destinations in the French Riviera, France?

Temperature range in the French Riviera (May)

Precipitation variation in the French Riviera (May)

Cannes

In May Cannes generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
17°C (63°F)
21°C (70°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
14°C (57°F)
18°C (64°F)
Monthly sun hours
210 hours
251 hours
282 hours
Monthly rainfall
78 mm (3.1 in)
57 mm (2.2 in)
42 mm (1.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
9 days
7 days
Weather conditions
good
excellent
excellent
Climate in Cannes →

Nice

In May Nice generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C (68°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
20°C (68°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
9°C (48°F)
13°C (55°F)
17°C (63°F)
Monthly sun hours
210 hours
251 hours
282 hours
Monthly rainfall
85 mm (3.3 in)
64 mm (2.5 in)
51 mm (2 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
10 days
8 days
Weather conditions
good
excellent
excellent
Climate in Nice →

Saint-Tropez

In May Saint-Tropez generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C (72°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
18°C (64°F)
22°C (72°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
11°C (52°F)
15°C (59°F)
19°C (66°F)
Monthly sun hours
253 hours
235 hours
285 hours
Monthly rainfall
69 mm (2.7 in)
49 mm (1.9 in)
33 mm (1.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
6 days
Weather conditions
very good
excellent
excellent
Climate in Saint-Tropez →

Antibes

In May Antibes generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C (68°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
17°C (63°F)
20°C (68°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
14°C (57°F)
18°C (64°F)
Monthly sun hours
210 hours
251 hours
282 hours
Monthly rainfall
80 mm (3.1 in)
57 mm (2.2 in)
43 mm (1.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
9 days
7 days
Weather conditions
good
excellent
excellent
Climate in Antibes →

Saint-Raphaël

In May Saint-Raphaël generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 14°C (57°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« April
May
June »
April
May
June
Max temperature
17°C (63°F)
21°C (70°F)
24°C (75°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
14°C (57°F)
18°C (64°F)
Monthly sun hours
221 hours
265 hours
312 hours
Monthly rainfall
78 mm (3.1 in)
62 mm (2.4 in)
47 mm (1.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
9 days
8 days
6 days
Weather conditions
good
excellent
excellent
Climate in Saint-Raphaël →

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

Popular cities in May

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in the French Riviera in May.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Cannes 21°C (70°F) 14°C (57°F) 57 mm (2.2 in)
Nice 20°C (68°F) 13°C (55°F) 64 mm (2.5 in)
Saint-Tropez 22°C (72°F) 15°C (59°F) 49 mm (1.9 in)
Antibes 20°C (68°F) 14°C (57°F) 57 mm (2.2 in)
Saint-Raphaël 21°C (70°F) 14°C (57°F) 62 mm (2.4 in)
Menton 19°C (66°F) 14°C (57°F) 64 mm (2.5 in)

The French Riviera weather in May: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the French Riviera, France in May?

In May, the French Riviera, France generally has excellent weather conditions. Cannes sees daytime temperatures near 21°C (70°F), with nights cooling to roughly 14°C (57°F).

What is the average temperature in the French Riviera, France in May?

Daytime temperatures in Cannes peak at roughly 21°C (70°F) in May, dropping to about 14°C (57°F) overnight.

Does the French Riviera, France get a lot of rain in May?

May is on the drier side in the French Riviera, France. Cannes averages only about 57 mm (2.2 in), with most days staying dry.

Is May a Good Time to Visit the French Riviera, France?

We consider May to be one of the best times to travel to the French Riviera, France. Typically, the climate in Cannes is excellent. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

Generally speaking, May, June, July, August and September provide excellent weather in Cannes. On the other hand, the months of January, February, November and December tend to have mixed weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the French Riviera.

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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