The climate of the Loire Valley: when to go to the Loire Castles

The Center region, where most of the famous castles of the Loire Valley are located, is characterized by a temperate, often variable, mixed type of climate between continental and oceanic, which in the western part of the region is dominated by oceanic influences while in the eastern one the continental influence predominates.

The temperatures are mild with average minimum temperatures that do not drop below zero even in winter, in January, which is the coldest month, the values of the average minimum temperatures in the main cities of the region vary between 0.9°C (Orléans and Bourges) and 1.8°C (Le Mans and Tours), while in the same month the average maximum temperatures vary between 7.5°C in Le Mans and 6.1°C in Chartres.

Summer temperatures reach average maximum values in July and August between 24°C (Chartres) and 25.5°C (Bourges), while average minimum temperatures vary between 13.8°C (Bourges and Chateroux) and 12, 7°C (Chartres).

The rains are well distributed in every month of the year, and vary between 800 mm in the south and less than 600 mm in the north-west of the region. In Chartres, in the north of the region, there are 598 mm of rain per year, with 109 days of rain and 1,697 hours of sunshine in a year, while in the south in Chateauroux the average annual rainfall is 737 mm, with 115 days of rain and 1,835 hours of sunshine in a year. In winter the precipitation can sometimes be snowy, in most of the region there is snow for 11 – 15 days a year.

WHEN TO GO TO THE LOIRE VALLEY

The best time to visit the Châteaux region of the Loire Valley are the months between April and October, with a mild climate and a good chance of having good weather, the rainy days are slightly fewer between June and September.

LOIRE VALLEY CLIMATE TABLES

ORLÉANS (100 m)
Month	Average low (°C)	Average high (°C)	Rain (mm)	Rainy days
January	0,9	6,4	50	11
February	1,1	7,9	50	9
March	2,8	11,6	47	10
April	4,4	14,4	49	10
May	8,3	18,6	67	11
June	11,0	21,7	45	8
July	13,1	24,8	54	7
August	12,9	25,0	40	7
September	10,3	21,1	56	8
October	7,4	15,9	62	10
November	3,5	10,1	56	10
December	2,0	7,2	58	11
YEAR	6,5	15,4	636	112