# France at Easter?



## Bern2544 (Sep 15, 2012)

I am thinking of a trip to France at Easter, I've not been at that time of year before so whats it like? Is the weather any good (Burgundy Area) is it busy with the French on holiday or are the sites/aires faily quiet?

Many thanks


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Eearliest I have been is the beginning of April and it warmed up nicely once we got as far as the Dordogne. Between 18-24c. We had fab weather down in the Pyrenees 25c and sunny in late April and there were still people skiing!

However judging by last years summer where it seemed to take an age to get going there are no guarentees.

Not specifically Easter but early April Aires were quiet but as usual the hot spots are always busy.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

I have been to France for the last 3 Easters for 3 weeks or so. Once the Champagne region, once the Loire and last year as far south as Carcassonne. The weather has never been great for too long but at the end of March it was tee shirt weather in Amboise, but soon changed to rain. Last year it was bitter in Carcassonne with winds coming of the snow peaked Pyrenees. 
Going south is no guarantee of better weather so choose the region you fancy and go for that.
We have never found any problem with aires or the few sites we have used. The French are not Easter holiday makers like us it appears. Carcassonne Cite though was incredibly busy at Easter weekend with Spanish coach parties so avoid it.


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Bern2544 said:


> I am thinking of a trip to France at Easter, I've not been at that time of year before so whats it like? Is the weather any good (Burgundy Area) is it busy with the French on holiday or are the sites/aires faily quiet?
> 
> Many thanks


We are usually in the Dordogne in April to open up our Mobile home and get rid of the winter blues.

You can't forecast the weather from year to year.
We've had some lovely springs there with quite warm weather but some springs have been wet.


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

Autostratus has got it about right....you cannot forecast from one year to the next or even one day to the next . March / April can be like summer one day and it could snow the next!
Burgundy can be beautiful, but expect frosts at night even if it's good in the day.....
Garcia


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Garcia said:


> Autostratus has got it about right....you cannot forecast from one year to the next or even one day to the next . March / April can be like summer one day and it could snow the next!
> Burgundy can be beautiful, but expect frosts at night even if it's good in the day.....
> Garcia


I remember it being 24c in the Dordogne and then ice on the windscreen the next morning


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

barryd said:


> Garcia said:
> 
> 
> > Autostratus has got it about right....you cannot forecast from one year to the next or even one day to the next . March / April can be like summer one day and it could snow the next!
> ...


It was like that at La Roque Gegeac in October.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Weather cannot be guaranteed anywhere, but hopefully will be warmer than the UK....... (says he with fingers crossed),

French schools do not close for two weeks over Easter - the school holidays do not relate to religious events...

See the French school holiday dates for 2013-2014 for the whole of France. These dates are consistent with those that were published for 2012-2013, in that the same number of days has been allocated: the All Saints holidays now last two full weeks, and two days have been added in November and June.

Schools in mainland France are divided into three school holiday zones, A, B and C.

•Zone A comprises the schools in Caen, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy-Metz, Nantes, Rennes, and Toulouse.

•Zone B comprises the schools in Aix-Marseille, Amiens, Besançon, Dijon, Lille, Limoges, Nice, Orléans-Tours, Poitiers, Reims, Rouen, and Strasbourg.

•Zone C comprises the schools in Bordeaux, Créteil, Paris, and Versailles.

*All Saints holidays*
Zones A, B and C:

From: Saturday 19th October 2013 
To: Monday 4th November 2013

*Christmas holidays*

Zones A, B and C:

From: Saturday 21st December 2013 
To: Monday 6th January 2014

*Winter holidays*

Zone A:

From: Saturday 1st March 2014
To: Monday17th March 2014

Zone B:

From: Saturday 22nd February2014
To: Monday 10th March 2014

Zone C:

From: Saturday 15th February 2014 
To: Monday 3rd March 2014

*Spring holidays*

Zone A:

From: Saturday 26th April 2014
To: Monday 12th May 2014

Zone B:

From: Saturday 19th April 2014 
To: Monday 5th May 2014

Zone C:

From: Saturday 12th April 2014
To: Monday 28th April 2014

*Summer holidays*

Zones A, B and C:

From: Saturday 5th July 2014

That list comes from the official French Schools site and is published by the French Government

http://www.france.fr/en/studying-france/french-school-holiday-dates-2013-2014.

So the aires should be quiet BUT sites may only just be opening or may open later than Easter - you cannot predict with any certainty unless you check individual sites.

I would not expect it to be busy and access should be easy.

Dave


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Hi

Last Easter (which was early) we were down at our house in Provence.
I was in T-shirt and shorts and even trunks on the beach (although I didn't venture into the sea) but the locals were still wearing fur coats.

In the south east everything opens at Easter, all the beach bars and restaurants that have been close and packed away for winter will be open Easter weekend and the place is very busy, it certainly has the feel of a holiday weekend.

We did drive down last Easter and the weather on the way was pretty rough even as far south as orange but as soon as we were down at the coast things got better.

My view would be its better to spend a wet Easter in France than a wet one in the UK.

James


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## adonisito (Nov 6, 2009)

We go every Easter for 3 weeks. Weather has been variable as everyone says. Aires are quiet though and the ACSI card is useful, I reckon we had the table and chairs out only 3 times last year. We try to get as far South as possible and found Les Landes region fairly warm but it's very hit and miss. However I agree with JP I'd rather have 3 weeks in France than here at that time of year.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Nobody knows what the weather is likely to be any more  
Last year, we went to Germany in the middle of May, until the end of June
Within one three week period, we had 0 degree and snow, and 33 degree and red hot sun  
We had the Sun in central Germany and the Snow in southern Germany
And such heavy rain, that had not been seen in Germany for over 20 years  Floods everywhere  
But, we had a great time and are looking forward to returning :lol:


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## lalala (Aug 13, 2009)

We have spent many Easters over the last twenty years in France (though not this year as we shall be in Venice) and it can be a lovely time to visit with many flowers and trees in blossom. However, as others have said the last couple of years have been quite unpredictable and at times the spring weather has been really cold. So just be prepared for that and I'm sure you'll have a great time,
Lala


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

Spent many in Vic-Sur-Aisne. Usually very mild to warm at late Easter.

Spent some time Here. But by Christ they had some mosquitoes !.

TM


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## JacSprat (May 26, 2006)

My family lives in Burgundy and I spend a lot of time there. The weather is very much like it is here, I'm sorry to say. Personally, I would stick to the coast for at least a little drama, or head south where there may at be some sun, albeit probably a mistral and a bit cool at the same time. As the others have said, it's a roll of the dice!
Jacsprat


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## veevee (Nov 6, 2011)

Bern2544 said:


> I am thinking of a trip to France at Easter, I've not been at that time of year before so whats it like? Is the weather any good (Burgundy Area) is it busy with the French on holiday or are the sites/aires faily quiet?
> 
> Many thanks


Burgundy is a large area, the south has different weather to the NW of the region.

4 years living near to Dijon on the plain (southern part of Burgundy) the general weather in April was warm and dry in the main. My memory is we worked outside a lot during April. enough good weather to tackle larger painting jobs with a little luck. Travel up into the hills and it could be rain and a lot cooler. The hills were superb though in high summer when the plain could get very hot.


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

Weather in France at Easter is in the lap of the gods - just like here!

The wine's good, though!


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## MrWez (Sep 25, 2011)

We've been to France in Easter (near Paris before moving back towards Normandy), we arrived at the Quatre-Vents near Disneyland in glorious sunshine and spent the rest of the afternoon in tee-shirts, the following morning we woke up to 6" of snow! However it soon cleared.

We were in France for about 10 days that trip and we had days when it rained followed by days of glorious sunshine - but no more snow!

As others have said it's as variable as it is in the UK so you need to make sure you take enough clothes to cover all eventualities, also as others have said, the wine is good.

As long as you're prepared for the weather and the variability of the conditions it can bring you can still have a great time.

MrWez


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

We go to France every Easter, but never venture too far South as it's only to get a full week and weekends off with few days' leave taken.

Last year it was the coldest holiday we've had not wearing planks of wood on our feet.

Dave


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Easter 2014 is three weeks LATER than 2013 so hopefully the weather will be better than you experienced last year.

Easter Sunday is April 20th 2014

In 2013 it was Sunday March 31st.

So the difference may be quite marked.......

i.e. colder, wetter, less sun more snow.... :lol: if the weather that the UK experienced last year is anything to go by....... :lol: 

Dave


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I think you also need to think about Elevation. A big lump of the south of France (The Massif Central) is higher than some of the biggest mountains in the UK but you dont always realise this when your there. This probably wont effect you so much in Burgundy but its easy to drive around a massive country like France and not realise your 3000 ft above sea level.

When weather is iffy I often google "Town name elevation" to see how high up it is. 

Can make a difference.


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

Well I hope it is ok because we are booked on the submarine train on the 27th of March.


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