Temperature in November

[Zechmanm]

For those that have traveled to the Normandy region in early November, what are the weather conditions?  Do you think it is too cool to enjoy the outside tours?

[John Bull]

Much the same as the central south coast of England, about 100 miles north.

 

Unpredictable.

 

Always the chance of an "Indian Summer", with well above seasonal temperatures. On the rare occasions that the weather comes from the south.

 

But two main types......

1. Grey, mild, and sometimes wet. Generally when the weather comes from the west. Sometimes foggy -- which can burn off during the day. Lots of cloud cover, which can be depressing but keeps the warmth in. No frosts, no snow, daytime temperatures around 12 - 14 deg C.

.

2. Clear skies, little cloud, lots of sun. Generally when the weather comes from the north or east. Daytime temperatures about 8 deg C., either "brisk & bracing" or "jeez I'm cold" depending on your attitude. Gets colder from about mid-afternoon. Rare overnight frosts, no snow.

Late October to mid-December is the time for autumnal storms. I mention this not so much for your time in Normandy, but for your time at sea.

 

France usually puts its clocks back at the end of October, but their Parliament has voted to remain on "summer" time year-round. I don't know whether that's now law, just be aware.

 

I very much doubt you'll find it too cold for tours, it's more likely to be grey than cold. And a lot of the sights include inside visits. 

If you're unlucky and its colder than usual, knock back a shot of Calvados. Preferably farmer's Calvados 🙃. Or if you're a wimp, pour a shot into your coffee.☕🥃

 

Storms in the English Channel aren't common, but the risk is significantly higher in the Autumn & Spring.

You're clearly aware that it's not the ideal time of year, but should work out OK 

 

JB 🙂

 

Edited April 29, 2021 by John Bull

[CruiserBruce]

A Google search for a couple of your cities ("November Paris weather", for example) will get you a lot of info.

[Host Bonjour]

On 4/28/2021 at 9:46 AM, Zechmanm said:

For those that have traveled to the Normandy region in early November, what are the weather conditions?  Do you think it is too cool to enjoy the outside tours?

 

Hank and Bruce have got you most of the way there in terms of the weather can be anything and everything but probably won't be 20c. 

 

All that's left is, what kind of weather do you need and does it outweigh how much it matters to be exploring Normandy in November?

 

I've been to England, Scotland, and France in November and January. The weather never really mattered and here's why. As Hank indicated in his distinctly nuanced ways, there will be weather. What kind? Yes. Whatever kind doesn't happen from June to September. or February. But these days, even in February, I think this year we had a day of 78f in the northeast so, you know....

 

Go. Wear breathable layers made of natural materials with a layer that is waterproof, thin, and easy to store. It's likely you'll use it (or just stop caring if it's drizzly) and be taking things on/off during the day as the sun gets high and then goes lower. There may be a cold day, so bring a hat and lined gloves too. 

 

Otherwise, I can't think of a reason NOT to go. You'll probably be saving a lot of money, few of us have been anywhere in a long time, there will be fewer people, and it's Normandy! In some cases it might feel like you have a private (or almost) tour. So it's a little cloudy. You'll have experiences unlikely to be available again, anytime soon. And there are things that are special about this region, of course. 

 

As long as the health and safety measures allow, I hope you'll do it. If you do, please return to let us know what you did and saw. (Overcast skies can make for some incredible photography, btw, but it won't be overcast all the time!) 

 

Allez 🙂 

 

[edinburgher]

As mentioned by John Bull, the clocks in France may or may not go back an hour in late October.

 

Regardless, your daylight hours will be shorter and you should take that into account when you plan longer days out as it could be fully dark by 1700 or even slightly earlier, with poorer light before then as dusk arrives.

 

A quick internet search for something like NORMANDY SUNSET TIMES IN NOVEMBER should help.

Edited July 28, 2021 by edinburgher