Best time to go to Drôme 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 Drôme?
Even though all seasons have their advantages for visiting the region, the best time to visit the Drôme is from May to the end of September. The weather will be very pleasant during this period, allowing you to make the most of all the splendors of this corner of the Alps at the gates of Provence.
When to visit the Drôme based on your interests?
- For hiking in regional parks and nature reserves, head to the Drôme between early April and mid-October. In spring, nature is in full bloom and the landscapes of flower-filled valleys are wonderful. In the summer, the heat remains reasonable, thanks to the relief that always offers a pure atmosphere. As for autumn, it is the ideal season for a stay to disconnect in the great outdoors.
- For swimming in rivers: July and August are the best time to splash around to the gentle sound of cicadas. If you are a fan of water sports, such as canyoning or rafting, go in spring, just after the snow melts.
- To visit villages while avoiding crowds, it is best to go during the shoulder seasons: May-June and September-October. Tourists have then deserted the places, but the sun is still shining!
- For skiing, the Vercors and Diois resorts are perfect between December and March. Especially since the towns light up during the holiday season.
Annual weather in Drôme
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Drôme for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 29°F to 49°F | very bad weather | |||
| February | 29°F to 52°F | very bad weather | |||
| March | 34°F to 59°F | very bad weather | |||
| April | 41°F to 67°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| May | 49°F to 72°F | good weather* | |||
| June | 56°F to 83°F | perfect weather* | |||
| July | 59°F to 88°F | perfect weather* | |||
| August | 59°F to 88°F | perfect weather* | |||
| September | 52°F to 79°F | good weather* | |||
| October | 45°F to 68°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| November | 36°F to 58°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| December | 31°F to 50°F | very bad weather |
Best time to travel to Drôme by cities
Climate and Weather in Drôme
The Drôme department is divided into three regions with different terrains and therefore different climates:
- Between Valence and the north of Drôme, the climate is continental with Mediterranean and mountain influences.
- Between Valence and Montélimar, the climate is more Mediterranean with continental influences.
- In the south of Valence, in the Drôme Provençale region, the climate is distinctly Mediterranean.
Due to its geographical location, with Ardèche, Hautes-Alpes, and Vaucluse as neighbors, the climate in Drôme has several characteristics:
- The winds: the Mistral and the southern wind can blow for several days in a row, especially in the Rhône Valley.
- The temperature range between seasons is significant with hot and dry summers and harsh winters.
- Inclement weather is frequent with violent storms (it is the most lightning-struck department in France), intense rainfall, black ice, and heavy snowfall.
- The annual sunshine duration averages 2500 hours, making it the 8th sunniest department in France, ahead of Southern Corsica!
Summer in the Drôme
The summer season is the best time to visit the region. The climate in the Drôme is then very pleasant with temperatures generally below 30°C (86°F) . While the thermometer can soar in the middle of the day in Buis-les-Baronnies, it remains around 27°C (81°F) in Valence and in the mountain villages.
In terms of precipitation, it is not uncommon for a storm to break out at the end of the day but the summer months are generally dry, especially in September.
Autumn in the Drôme
From the beginning of October, autumn sets in and the weather in the Drôme changes abruptly, especially in the northern part around Valence:
- Temperatures drop and the temperature difference between day and night widens. It can still be warm in the middle of the day but cold as soon as the sun sets.
- Storms are becoming more frequent and intense, instantly cooling the atmosphere.
- The risk of rain is significant in October, peaking in November.
In the Drôme Provençale and in the Baronnies, temperatures remain mild, but precipitation is much heavier than in the rest of the department.
Winter in the Drôme
Winters are harsh in the Drôme, especially in the Haut-Diois and on the Vercors plateau, with temperatures often below freezing at night and around 6°C (43°F) during the day.
Further south and in the plains, temperatures are milder, but snow is still present throughout the department for much of the winter: take advantage of it to enjoy winter sports!
Spring in the Drôme
Still timid in March and April, spring really settles in from the beginning of May, with temperatures that can rival those of the Provence Côte d'Azur. In Dieulefit, for example, maximum temperatures are around 22°C (72°F) in May and 27°C (81°F) in June.
However, inclement weather is still prevalent, with high risks of rain, especially in the Crest region.
Temperatures and rainfall in Drôme
On these 2 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Drôme and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Valence, Buis-les-Baronnies, Crest, Dieulefit and Drôme provençale.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Drôme
Find out when Drôme 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 Drôme
The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Drôme is high in: June, July, August and September.
- Very low season in Drôme: January, February, March and November.
- Low season in Drôme: April, May, October and December.
- High season in Drôme: June, August and September.
- Peak season in Drôme: July.
Figure: Visitor index for Drôme month by month
Where to go in Drôme?
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. |
| Valence | 45°F | 49°F | 56°F | 63°F | 68°F | 77°F | 85°F | 85°F | 76°F | 67°F | 54°F | 47°F |
| Buis-les-Baronnies | 49°F | 52°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 83°F | 88°F | 88°F | 79°F | 68°F | 58°F | 50°F |
| Crest | 45°F | 49°F | 56°F | 63°F | 68°F | 77°F | 85°F | 85°F | 76°F | 67°F | 54°F | 47°F |
| Dieulefit | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Drôme provençale | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Grignan | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Hauterives | 43°F | 47°F | 56°F | 63°F | 67°F | 76°F | 81°F | 81°F | 74°F | 63°F | 52°F | 47°F |
| Mirmande | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Montélimar | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Nyons | 49°F | 52°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 83°F | 88°F | 88°F | 79°F | 68°F | 58°F | 50°F |
| Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Suze-la-Rousse | 49°F | 52°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 83°F | 88°F | 88°F | 79°F | 68°F | 58°F | 50°F |
| Bouvante | 38°F | 40°F | 47°F | 54°F | 59°F | 68°F | 72°F | 74°F | 67°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Châtillon-en-Diois | 38°F | 40°F | 47°F | 54°F | 59°F | 68°F | 74°F | 74°F | 67°F | 58°F | 47°F | 40°F |
| La Garde-Adhémar | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Romans-sur-Isère | 45°F | 49°F | 56°F | 63°F | 68°F | 77°F | 85°F | 85°F | 76°F | 67°F | 54°F | 47°F |
| Saint-Agnan-en-Vercors | 38°F | 40°F | 47°F | 54°F | 59°F | 68°F | 72°F | 74°F | 67°F | 58°F | 47°F | 41°F |
| Taulignan | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Poët-Laval | 47°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 72°F | 81°F | 86°F | 86°F | 79°F | 67°F | 56°F | 50°F |
| Rémuzat | 45°F | 47°F | 54°F | 59°F | 67°F | 76°F | 81°F | 81°F | 74°F | 63°F | 54°F | 47°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Drôme
What can I do in Drôme?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Gastronomy
Is this weather information for Drôme reliable?
Climate data for Drôme has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Drôme allows us to determine the average for each month in Valence, Buis-les-Baronnies, Crest, Dieulefit, Drôme provençale, Grignan, Hauterives, Mirmande, and 15 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.