Best time to go to Cévennes-Lozère for a perfect weather and where to go?
Julie Parment and Tony Samson last update: 27/05/2024When is the best time to go to Cévennes-Lozère?
The best time to visit Lozère and the Cévennes is between early May and late October. However, it is really in July and August that the weather is ideal to fully enjoy all their charms.
So, when to visit the Cévennes and Lozère depending on your interests?
The shoulder seasons, May-June and September-October, allow you to visit in peace by:
- The Crests Road, between the Luech valley and the Longue valley, on the D35. This scenic route will dazzle you with sublime landscapes that change according to the seasons and times of day. Along the way, be sure to stop at the hamlet of l'Espinas to see sublime dry stone constructions.
- Spelunking: a stronghold of the discipline, the caves of the Cévennes-Lozère will amaze you! These cavities formed by millennia of geological history are accessible to all, whether experienced athletes or novices looking for original places.
- The pottery road, starting from Anduze, will allow you to discover this ancestral art through demonstrations or in the shops that line this themed route.
- The Bamboo Grove of Anduze is a must-see in the region. Highly popular in summer, it is more enjoyable to explore it in spring or autumn. You can admire the largest collection of bamboo in Europe, as well as exotic species from around the world, including impressive American sequoias.
- Whitewater sports, such as canoeing or canyoning, are practiced in May and June, when the winter snow has melted.
Summer is the perfect season to be outdoors and enjoy the extraordinary nature of the Cévennes and Lozère:
- Hiking trails are everywhere in the region, among the most famous are the Stevenson Trail, on the GR 70, as well as the Compostelle paths.
- Wild animals populate these lands and summer is the ideal time to observe them, whether during the day or at night on an outing accompanied by a Cévennes National Park ranger.
- Water bodies are perfect for cooling off after a good walk, such as in the gorges of the Tarn or in the Gardon de Mialet.
- Outdoor sports will delight enthusiasts: via ferrata, treetop adventure parks, mountain biking... the choice is yours!
And winter?
In winter, it is entirely possible to ski or go snowshoeing in the region, especially in the tourist resorts of Mont Aigoual or Mont Lozère.
Annual weather in Cévennes-Lozère
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Cévennes-Lozère for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31°F to 49°F | very bad weather | |||
| February | 29°F to 50°F | very bad weather | |||
| March | 34°F to 58°F | very bad weather* | |||
| April | 40°F to 63°F | very bad weather* | |||
| May | 47°F to 70°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| June | 54°F to 79°F | good weather* | |||
| July | 58°F to 85°F | perfect weather | |||
| August | 56°F to 85°F | good weather* | |||
| September | 49°F to 77°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| October | 43°F to 67°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| November | 38°F to 56°F | very bad weather* | |||
| December | 32°F to 50°F | very bad weather |
Best time to travel to Cévennes-Lozère by cities
Climate and Weather in Cévennes-Lozère
The climate in the Cévennes and Lozère is continental with Mediterranean and mountain influences depending on the altitude.
The high plateaus of the Causses have a microclimate: these cultivated areas cool down faster in autumn and warm up faster in spring.
Even though the sun shines 300 days a year, the weather in Lozère, including the Cévennes National Park, is characterized by torrential rains accompanied by very localized sometimes stationary thunderstorms, lasting for a few hours, or even a few days, known as Cévennes episodes. They are particularly common around Florac, in Lozère.
Summer in Lozère and the Cévennes
July and August are the hottest months in Lozère and the Cévennes, with pleasant maximum temperatures around 24°C (76°F) in the middle of the day. The temperature difference between day and night is low, and it is rare for the thermometer to drop below 18°C (65°F) .
Although thunderstorms can occur during the season, the region experiences occasionally significant summer droughts.
Autumn in Lozère and the Cévennes
During autumn, the climate in Lozère and the Cévennes deteriorates rapidly: by the end of October, the temperature drops. Temperatures in November rarely exceed 10°C (50°F) in the Cévennes National Park and hover around 5°C (41°F) in December around Mende.
Rain becomes more frequent, reaching its peak in November. Mushroom enthusiasts will be in paradise! From early December, snow makes its appearance and ski resorts welcome tourists.
Winter in Lozère and the Cévennes
Winters are very cold in Lozère and the Cévennes, with maximum temperatures not exceeding 5°C (41°F) and often negative minimum temperatures.
In terms of precipitation, snowfall is significant but irregular: it can snow over a meter in 24 hours and then the sun can shine for several days in a row.
Spring in Lozère and the Cévennes
In March and April, winter lingers on in Lozère and the Cévennes: it is still cold and snow is still present.
From early May, spring settles in for good: temperatures gradually rise with averages around 17°C (63°F) in Le Vigan. However, it is a very rainy month, with about ten days of rain.
In June, even though rain is still present, it is generally beautiful and warm!
Temperatures and rainfall in Cévennes-Lozère
On these 2 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Cévennes-Lozère and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Mende (Lozère), Alès, Florac, Le Vigan and Cévennes National Park.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Cévennes-Lozère
Find out when Cévennes-Lozère has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Cévennes-Lozère
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Cévennes-Lozère is high in: June, July, August and September.
- Very low season in Cévennes-Lozère: January, February and December.
- Low season in Cévennes-Lozère: March, April, May, October and November.
- High season in Cévennes-Lozère: June and September.
- Peak season in Cévennes-Lozère: July and August.
Figure: Visitor index for Cévennes-Lozère month by month
Where to go in Cévennes-Lozère?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Mende (Lozère) | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Alès | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 63°F | 70°F | 79°F | 85°F | 85°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Florac | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Le Vigan | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 63°F | 70°F | 79°F | 85°F | 85°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Cévennes National Park | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Gorges du Tarn | 43°F | 45°F | 52°F | 59°F | 65°F | 74°F | 79°F | 81°F | 72°F | 63°F | 50°F | 45°F |
| Hures-la-Parade | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Javols (Gévaudan) | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| La Malène | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Langogne | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Marvejols | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Meyrueis | 43°F | 45°F | 52°F | 59°F | 65°F | 74°F | 79°F | 81°F | 72°F | 63°F | 50°F | 45°F |
| Mont Lozère | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Saint-Jean-du-Gard | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 63°F | 70°F | 79°F | 85°F | 85°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Cascade de Runes | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Gorges de la Jonte | 43°F | 45°F | 52°F | 59°F | 65°F | 74°F | 79°F | 81°F | 72°F | 63°F | 50°F | 45°F |
| La Garde Guérin (Prévenchères) | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Peyre en Aubrac | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Portes | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 63°F | 70°F | 79°F | 85°F | 85°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Saint-Chély-d'Apcher | 40°F | 41°F | 49°F | 54°F | 61°F | 70°F | 76°F | 76°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
very bad weather
About Cévennes-Lozère
What can I do in Cévennes-Lozère?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Gastronomy
Is this weather information for Cévennes-Lozère reliable?
Climate data for Cévennes-Lozère has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Cévennes-Lozère allows us to determine the average for each month in Mende (Lozère), Alès, Florac, Le Vigan, Cévennes National Park, Gorges du Tarn, Hures-la-Parade, Javols (Gévaudan), and 16 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.