Best time to go to the Lot department 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 the Lot department?
The best time to visit the Lot extends from early May to late October. April and November can still offer beautiful days with the sun high in the sky and a mild atmosphere, but at other times of the year, cold and rain are often on the agenda.
When to visit the Lot based on your interests?
- For hiking, especially in the superb Regional Natural Park and Geopark of the Causses du Quercy, the weather conditions are ideal during the summer, when the risk of rain is lowest. However, if you fear the heat, September is perfect, with slightly lower temperatures than in July and August.
- For a rejuvenating stay and to enjoy nature, know that the Lot remains a sparsely populated department in the south of France, even in the middle of summer. But if you really want to feel alone in the world, stay away from the waterways that attract tourists seeking freshness!
- For practicing white water sports, such as canoeing, rafting, or canyoning, spring, just after the snow melts, is the perfect season.
- For swimming in the numerous rivers of the Lot, go in summer when the mercury is at its highest!
- To witness a colorful festival worthy of Canada, visit the Lot in autumn, when the forests offer their most beautiful spectacle!
- For trying out caving, for example in the Padirac chasm or the Pech Merle cave, summer is the ideal period as you can enjoy some coolness. But if you're not sensitive to the cold, the sites welcome tourists throughout the year.
Annual weather in the Lot department
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in the Lot department for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 34°F to 49°F | very bad weather | |||
| February | 34°F to 50°F | very bad weather | |||
| March | 38°F to 58°F | very bad weather | |||
| April | 43°F to 65°F | tolerable weather | |||
| May | 50°F to 70°F | good weather | |||
| June | 58°F to 79°F | good weather | |||
| July | 61°F to 83°F | perfect weather | |||
| August | 59°F to 85°F | perfect weather | |||
| September | 52°F to 77°F | good weather | |||
| October | 47°F to 68°F | good weather* | |||
| November | 41°F to 56°F | tolerable weather | |||
| December | 38°F to 50°F | very bad weather |
Best time to travel to Lot by cities
Climate and Weather in the Lot department
As in the neighboring regions of Dordogne-Périgord and Aveyron, the climate in Lot is diverse and varies according to its geography:
- The northern part of the department experiences a semi-mountainous climate, linked to the proximity of the Massif Central. In this part of Lot, oceanic depressions are stopped by the relief of Ségala, resulting in abundant rainfall and lower temperatures due to the altitude.
- Southern Lot, in Quercy Blanc, has an Aquitaine oceanic climate with, depending on the seasons, continental and Mediterranean influences. Rainfall is half as much as in Ségala, and sunshine exceeds the national average, bringing mild temperatures.
Overall, the Lot department is fairly sheltered from the wind and precipitation is significant in winter and spring. There are four distinct seasons:
Summer in the Lot
During the summer season, the weather in the Lot is generally dry and sunny. Temperatures range between 17 and 29°C (85°F) in Cahors and Rocamadour, but can easily exceed 30°C (86°F) in the peak of summer.
In terms of precipitation, the risk of rain is low between July and September, but violent thunderstorms can occur at the end of particularly hot days.
Autumn in the Lot
Autumn is divided into two periods:
- In October, it's the Indian summer: days are still very sunny and temperatures often exceed 20°C (68°F) in Figeac and Puy-l'Évêque. Nights, however, start to become chilly, with minimum temperatures rarely exceeding 10°C (50°F) .
- From early November, the atmosphere gradually cools down and humidity returns. Temperatures hover around 13°C (56°F) at the warmest part of the day in Cahors and Padirac, with rain becoming more frequent.
Winter in the Lot
During winter, the climate in the Lot is characterized by cool temperatures without being cold and significant precipitation.
January sees the lowest temperatures, with minimums between 0 and 5°C (41°F) and maximums rarely exceeding 10°C (50°F) throughout the department, except in Figeac where temperatures are generally 2°C (36°F) lower than elsewhere.
As for rainfall, it is frequent in December and January, but calms down in February and March.
Spring in the Lot
During spring, temperatures rise significantly: from an average of 18°C (65°F) in April in Cahors, to maximums around 26°C (79°F) in June.
The only downside of the season: there is a lot of rain, especially in May, with, for example, a 26% chance of showers in Martel. However, days can also be marked by clear blue skies, ideal for exploring the region.
Temperatures and rainfall in the Lot department
On these 2 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Lot and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Cahors, Figeac, Martel, Padirac and Puy-l'Évêque.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in the Lot department
Find out when Lot 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 the Lot department
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, November and December. The number of visitors to Lot is high in: April, May, June, July, August, September and October.
- Very low season in the Lot department: January, February, March and December.
- Low season in the Lot department: November.
- High season in the Lot department: April, May, June, September and October.
- Peak season in the Lot department: July and August.
Figure: Visitor index for Lot month by month
Where to go in the Lot department?
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. |
| Cahors | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Figeac | 45°F | 47°F | 54°F | 61°F | 67°F | 76°F | 81°F | 81°F | 74°F | 65°F | 54°F | 47°F |
| Martel | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Padirac | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Puy-l'Évêque | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Rocamadour | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Saint-Cere | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Saint-Cirq-Lapopie | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Cabrerets | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Causses du Quercy | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Gourdon | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Labastide-Murat | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Pradines | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Souillac | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Cénevières | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Cajarc | 49°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 79°F | 83°F | 85°F | 77°F | 68°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Gramat | 47°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 83°F | 77°F | 67°F | 56°F | 49°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
very bad weather
About Lot
What can I do in the Lot department?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Gastronomy
Is this weather information for Lot reliable?
Climate data for Lot has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Lot allows us to determine the average for each month in Cahors, Figeac, Martel, Padirac, Puy-l'Évêque, Rocamadour, Saint-Cere, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, and 9 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.