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Rhône-Alps Weather in December

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

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Lyon Chamonix-Mont-Blanc Tignes Les Deux Alpes

Planning a trip to the Rhône-Alps, France this December? Here's what you need to know about the weather:

What to Expect in the Rhône-Alps in December

The Rhône-Alps, France is a region in France. In December, the Rhône-Alps experiences a range of weather conditions, with temperatures that range from very cold to cold and precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. December is a winter month.

Temperatures

The average highest temperatures fluctuate between very cold in Aussois at -4°C (25°F) to cold in Saint-Just at 12°C (54°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 3°C (37°F) in Saint-Just and -12°C (10°F) in Aussois.

For specific regional insights in the Rhône-Alps, France, refer to the map provided below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Buisson with an average of 62 mm (2.4 in) to heavy rainfall in Servoz with 182 mm (7.2 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine tends to be more scarce in many locations. Lyon gets roughly 54 hours of sunlight. For sunnier alternatives, check our weather planner to find destinations with better conditions.

Explore the Rhône-Alps by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in the Rhône-Alps — and find the best time to visit. (based on Lyon)

January8°C (46°F) February10°C (50°F) March14°C (57°F) April18°C (64°F) May22°C (72°F) June26°C (79°F) This monthJuly28°C (82°F) August28°C (82°F) September23°C (73°F) October18°C (64°F) November12°C (54°F) December8°C (46°F)
Best Time to Visit the Rhône-Alps →

Best Places to Visit in the Rhône-Alps in December

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

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 Rhône-Alps

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in the Rhône-Alps, France?

Temperature range in the Rhône-Alps (December)

Precipitation variation in the Rhône-Alps (December)

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 →

Tignes

In December Tignes generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -4°C (25°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -11°C (12°F) and high monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
1°C (34°F)
-4°C (25°F)
-5°C (23°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
143 mm (5.6 in)
133 mm (5.2 in)
121 mm (4.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
15 days
16 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Tignes →

Les Deux Alpes

In December Les Deux Alpes generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 0°C (32°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -9°C (16°F) and high monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
4°C (39°F)
0°C (32°F)
-1°C (30°F)
Min temperature
-6°C (21°F)
-9°C (16°F)
-10°C (14°F)
Monthly sun hours
85 hours
73 hours
96 hours
Monthly snowfall
143 mm (5.6 in)
138 mm (5.4 in)
123 mm (4.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
14 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Les Deux Alpes →

Les Menuires

In December Les Menuires generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -2°C (28°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -10°C (14°F) and high 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)
-2°C (28°F)
Min temperature
-7°C (19°F)
-10°C (14°F)
-11°C (12°F)
Monthly sun hours
70 hours
60 hours
76 hours
Monthly snowfall
135 mm (5.3 in)
141 mm (5.6 in)
127 mm (5 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
14 days
15 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Les Menuires →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in the Rhône-Alps, 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 the Rhône-Alps in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
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)
Tignes -4°C (25°F) -11°C (12°F) 133 mm (5.2 in)
Les Deux Alpes 0°C (32°F) -9°C (16°F) 138 mm (5.4 in)
Les Menuires -2°C (28°F) -10°C (14°F) 141 mm (5.6 in)
Val Thorens -2°C (28°F) -11°C (12°F) 134 mm (5.3 in)

The Rhône-Alps weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in the Rhône-Alps, France in December?

the Rhône-Alps, France typically experiences poor weather in December, part of the winter season. Daytime highs in Lyon average around 8°C (46°F), and temperatures drop to about 2°C (36°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in the Rhône-Alps, France in December?

In Lyon, the average daytime high in December is 8°C (46°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 2°C (36°F).

Does the Rhône-Alps, France get a lot of rain in December?

Rain is generally moderate to light in the Rhône-Alps, France during December, with Lyon averaging close to 83 mm (3.3 in).

Is December a Good Time to Visit the Rhône-Alps, France?

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Lyon, December may not be the ideal time to visit the Rhône-Alps, France.

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

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in the Rhône-Alps.

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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