Best time to go to the Poitou region for a perfect weather and where to go?
Julie Parment and Tony Samson last update: 16/04/2024When is the best time to go to the Poitou region?
The best time to visit Poitou extends from early April to late October. Whether in Deux-Sèvres or Vienne, the other months are rainy and cool, even cold.
When to visit Poitou based on your interests?
- To visit Futuroscope: the 2nd theme park in France, the site is very popular with tourists, who flock there in summer. If you want to avoid the crowds and have a more peaceful experience, it is best to opt for the months of June, September, and October.
- For hiking or biking: Poitou is dotted with trails in the heart of nature, including one of the paths of the Way of St. James that crosses Vienne. To explore them, the ideal time is between April and October, while avoiding the month of May, which is the rainiest of the year.
- For a city break in Poitiers or Niort, all seasons are possible, although summer is the preferred time: tourists are still quite rare and the weather allows you to make the most of outdoor spaces such as the numerous parks and gardens.
- To explore the Marais Poitevin: also known as the "Green Venice," each season gives it a particular charm. Spring is particularly beautiful with nature awakening, in summer it is the most popular period, during autumn the vegetation takes on unreal colors, and winter allows you to visit the places in peace.
- To visit the caves of Vienne, such as those of Norée, be aware that inside the temperature is relatively constant throughout the year, around 12°C (54°F) . Whatever the season, make sure to bring something to cover yourself and let yourself be amazed!
Where and when to go based on the weather?
Deux-Sèvres
Niort (Deux-Sèvres), Saint-Hilaire-la-Palud, Parthenay...
Vienne
Poitiers, Futuroscope, Châtellerault...
To get all the information about the climate and weather in the Poitou for a specific month, click on the corresponding link below:
Poitou in january Poitou in february Poitou in march Poitou in april Poitou in may Poitou in june Poitou in july Poitou in august Poitou in september Poitou in october Poitou in november Poitou in december
Best time to travel to Poitou by cities
Deux-Sèvres 
Vienne 
Climate and Weather in the Poitou
The climate in Poitou is generally oceanic in nature, with some variations:
- The western part of the Deux-Sèvres department is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, which is only 80 km away. As a result, winters are milder and rainier, and summers are hotter and drier than elsewhere in Poitou.
- To the east of Deux-Sèvres, especially in the hills of the Gâtine massif, the climate tends to deteriorate and winters are colder due to the altitude.
- In Vienne, which is further east, the oceanic influence weakens and gradually transitions to a temperate climate, similar to that of the Loire Valley.
Summer in Poitou
During the summer period, the weather is very pleasant with hot temperatures, but not too hot, and generally clear skies. In Niort as in Poitiers, the maximum temperatures hover around 25°C (77°F) in the middle of the day and the minimum temperatures are around 20°C (68°F) at the coolest part of the night.
In terms of precipitation, it is not uncommon for thunderstorms to occur at the end of the day, but these episodes are short and the risk of rain remains low, especially in September, which is the least rainy month of the year in Deux-Sèvres.
Autumn in Poitou
During autumn, the weather in Poitou is marked by two distinct periods:
- Until the end of October, the weather is perfect for visiting the region: temperatures are mild, around 18°C (65°F) in both departments. However, showers become more frequent, especially in Vienne.
- From early November until the end of December, there is a significant drop in temperatures: it averages between 9 and 13°C (56°F) at the warmest part of the day depending on where you are. Precipitation increases and the risk of rain is quite high.
Winter in Poitou
The winter period is cool and humid. Temperatures generally remain above freezing, but rarely exceed 10°C (50°F) in Niort and Poitiers in January and February. These two months are also characterized by heavy precipitation, and snow and ice may appear during this season.
From March, temperatures rise slightly and rainfall decreases, especially in Vienne. It is therefore entirely possible to consider a stay in Poitou just before the arrival of spring.
Spring in Poitou
In spring, the climate in Poitou is more temperate in terms of temperatures:
- In April, maximum temperatures are around 16°C (61°F) and nights are milder in Deux-Sèvres than in Vienne, with temperatures around 11°C (52°F) .
- In May, spring is well established and temperatures can reach around 19°C (67°F) during the day.
- In June, you can feel summer approaching with temperatures exceeding 20°C (68°F) , regardless of the department.
The season, however, is very rainy, especially in May, which is the rainiest month of the year in Vienne as well as in Deux-Sèvres.
Temperatures and rainfall in the Poitou
On these 2 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Poitou and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Poitiers, Futuroscope, Niort (Deux-Sèvres), Saint-Hilaire-la-Palud and Parthenay.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in the Poitou
Find out when Poitou 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 Poitou
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, October and December. The number of visitors to Poitou is high in: May, June, July, August, September and November.
- Very low season in the Poitou: January.
- Low season in the Poitou: February, March, April, October and December.
- High season in the Poitou: May, June, September and November.
- Peak season in the Poitou: July and August.
Figure: Visitor index for Poitou month by month
Average price for flights to the Poitou region
A return flight between London and Poitiers is generally cheaper if you go in january ($ 94 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 84 more for your airline ticket to Poitiers if you go in december.
Find the best price for your flight Flight prices to the Poitou region
Where to go in the Poitou?
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. |
| Poitiers | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Futuroscope | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Niort (Deux-Sèvres) | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 79°F | 79°F | 76°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Saint-Hilaire-la-Palud | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 79°F | 79°F | 76°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Parthenay | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 76°F | 65°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Châtellerault | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Bressuire | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 72°F | 77°F | 77°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Cerizay | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 72°F | 77°F | 77°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Chauray | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 79°F | 79°F | 76°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Chauvigny | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Chef-Boutonne | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 79°F | 79°F | 76°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Civray | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Loudun | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Montmorillon | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
| Pamproux | 49°F | 50°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 79°F | 79°F | 76°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Thouars | 47°F | 49°F | 56°F | 61°F | 67°F | 74°F | 77°F | 79°F | 74°F | 65°F | 56°F | 49°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Poitou
What can I do in the Poitou?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Gastronomy
Is this weather information for Poitou reliable?
Climate data for Poitou has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Poitou allows us to determine the average for each month in Poitiers, Futuroscope, Niort (Deux-Sèvres), Saint-Hilaire-la-Palud, Parthenay, Châtellerault, Bressuire, Cerizay, and 8 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.