Weather in Marseille

Each year, Marseille attracts nearly 5 million visitors. There are always tourists who go to the Phocaean city, whatever the season. Of course, they are attracted by the history of the city, its famous buildings and monuments, its beaches and its calanques, but they come especially to enjoy the Mediterranean climate in which Marseille bathes all year long.Like all seaside resorts of the French Riviera and all the south-east of France, the sun is very present in Marseille. Indeed, the region benefits from an exceptional duration of sunshine, more than 2,800 hours per year, more than a third of the year. This situation is mainly favored by the mistral, a cool dry wind that blows on average 3 to 4 months a year.In Marseille, precipitations are low. The lowest in France has been recorded in the Marseille bay, on the islands of Friuli. It is mainly in autumn and winter that it rains regularly, but in total, rainy days are out of fifty a year, a little more than 2 months.As for the temperature in Marseille, the annual average would be 16 ° C. The coldest periods are of course between December and January when the thermometer can display 5 or 6 ° C. However, it must be emphasized that winter is generally mild in Marseille and all the Mediterranean coast. From March, temperatures start rising from 14 ° C to 25-26 ° C in July and August.Although this is very rare, Marseille has nevertheless experienced some extreme climatic episodes. The heat record was 36 ° C during the heat wave in 2003. In January 2009, the whole city was paralyzed by 10 cm of snow, equaling the record of January 1987. In 2011, a whole district of the 10th arrondissement was flooded under 1 meter of water and mud after an exceptionally heavy rain.It must be emphasized that these episodes are extremely rare in Marseille. Generally, it is good to live in the Phocaean city. It is an excellent holiday destination by the sea, under the sun in a soft and pleasant atmosphere.