November is the quietest month in France and the cheapest after January. Paris runs at about 11°C, the evenings are dark by 17:30, and the country turns inward: two public holidays, the release of Beaujolais Nouveau on Thursday 18 November 2027, the best restaurant season of the year, and the Christmas markets opening in Alsace at the very end of the month.
Beaujolais Nouveau, 18 November 2027
By law the year’s Beaujolais Nouveau is released at 00:01 on the third Thursday of November, which in 2027 is 18 November. It is a young, light, fruity wine that nobody claims is great, and the point is the occasion: bars across France open bottles at midnight, Beaujolais villages hold all-night celebrations, and Beaujeu’s Sarmentelles runs for five days around it.
It is a genuinely fun, unpretentious piece of French life, and it is the one date in November that fills a region.
The two holidays
- Monday 1 November – La Toussaint, All Saints’ Day, a public holiday. French families visit cemeteries with chrysanthemums, which is why those flowers are never given as a gift in France. It closes the autumn school holidays, so the roads are busy that weekend.
- Thursday 11 November – Armistice 1918, a public holiday, with ceremonies at every war memorial in the country and the main national one at the Arc de Triomphe. In 2027 the Thursday invites a pont, so expect a four-day weekend.
Both days close banks, offices and many shops; museums and major attractions generally stay open.
Weather by region
- Paris and the north – about 11°C by day and 6°C at night, with roughly 54 mm of rain. Grey, damp and dark early; sunset is around 17:00 by the end of the month.
- Provence and the Riviera – 16–17°C and often sunny between the autumn storms; the mistral returns.
- Brittany and Normandy – mild but stormy; November Atlantic gales are serious.
- Alsace – cold and clear, with the Christmas markets opening in the last week.
- The Alps – between seasons for most of the month; the highest glacier resorts open first, and the main season generally starts in December.
The best restaurant month
If eating is the point of the trip, November is the month most French cooks would choose. The autumn produce is at its peak – game, cèpes, the first black truffles from late November, oysters, scallops and chestnuts – while the summer rush is long over and the Christmas rush has not started.
The practical consequence is availability: restaurants that need a month’s notice in June will seat you this week, and the tasting menus are at their most interesting. It is also the month the Michelin-starred kitchens are most relaxed.
The Christmas markets begin
Alsace runs the oldest and best Christmas markets in France, and they open at the end of November – Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik dates from 1570 – along with Colmar, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg. The last days of November are the best time to see them: everything is running, and the December crowds have not arrived.
Book Strasbourg and Colmar accommodation early, and note that Strasbourg operates bag checks and restricted access around the market perimeter.
Prices and crowds
The lowest of the year after January, right up until the markets open. Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux and the wine regions are all cheap and empty, and the museums have no queues. Alsace in the last week is the one exception.
See what a trip to France costs.
What to pack
A warm waterproof coat, layers and shoes that cope with wet streets. Alsace is genuinely cold; the Riviera is not. A small umbrella earns its place everywhere except the Mediterranean, where the wind will destroy it. See what to pack for France.
The November 2027 calendar
- Monday 1 November – La Toussaint, a public holiday; the autumn school break ends and the roads are busy.
- Thursday 11 November – Armistice 1918, a public holiday, with a pont likely into the weekend.
- Thursday 18 November – Beaujolais Nouveau released at 00:01; Les Sarmentelles in Beaujeu.
- Third weekend – the Hospices de Beaune wine auction and the Trois Glorieuses in Burgundy.
- From late November – the Christmas markets open in Strasbourg, Colmar and across Alsace.
- From late November – the first black truffles; Christmas lights switch on in Paris and Lyon.
- Through November – the best restaurant availability of the year.
Read alongside
- France in October – gold vines and the autumn table.
- France in December – the markets, the Alps and Christmas.
- Best time to visit France – all twelve months compared.
- Best food in France – and why November is its month.
- Paris in November – the city-level version of this month.
- Trip to France cost – low-season daily numbers.
- What to pack for France – the autumn list.
Frequently asked
When is Beaujolais Nouveau released?
At 00:01 on the third Thursday of November, fixed by law – 18 November in 2027. Bars across France open bottles at midnight, and Beaujeu holds the five-day Sarmentelles celebration around it.
Is November a good time to visit France?
For cities, food and wine regions, yes – it is the quietest and second-cheapest month, with no queues and the best restaurant availability of the year. The weather is grey and the days are short.
How cold is France in November?
Paris averages about 11°C by day and 6°C at night with roughly 54 mm of rain and sunset around 17:00 by the end of the month. The Riviera holds 16–17°C and Alsace is genuinely cold.
When do French Christmas markets open?
In the last week of November in Alsace, where Strasbourg’s market dates from 1570, along with Colmar, Riquewihr and Kaysersberg. The final days of November are the best time to see them before the December crowds.
What is La Toussaint?
All Saints’ Day on 1 November, a public holiday when French families visit cemeteries with chrysanthemums – which is why chrysanthemums are never given as a gift in France.
Can you ski in France in November?
Generally not. A few high glacier resorts open first, but the main French season starts in December. November is the gap between the hiking and ski seasons.
Is France cheap in November?
It is the cheapest month after January, until the Christmas markets open at the very end. Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux and the wine regions are all quiet and inexpensive.
Why is November good for restaurants?
The autumn produce peaks – game, cèpes, oysters, scallops and the first black truffles – while the summer rush is over and the Christmas rush has not begun, so tables that need a month’s notice in June are available the same week.
You Might Also Love
Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
