Easter in France and Vacation Destination Ideas
Easter in France…Springtime is here (and chocolate!)
Easter in France is a lovely time to visit. April is not quite yet peak holiday season so you will still find good deals on flights and accommodation.
You can ski in France in April, but it is late season now so if you have a particular resort in mind, we’d suggest contacting them directly to find out what the snow cover is like in April, as it can vary depending on where you are.
The weather is starting to warm up a little now as we are heading into spring. You might get the odd spring shower, but overall it isn’t too rainy in April (although weather in France really depends on where you are and is variable, of course! 
).
In fact, we think April is one of the best months to travel – the weather can be very mild and comfortable, perfect for walking around and doing the essential France sightseeing. It’s also a good time of year for cycling, hiking or other active holidays.
As a guide, here are the average high/low temperatures in France in April, in some of the major cities:
Weather In France In April
| City | Average Low C°/F° | Average High C°/F° |
| Alsace | 5/41 | 15/59 |
| Bordeaux | 7/45 | 17/62 |
| Lyon | 6/43 | 15/60 |
| Marseille | 9/48 | 18/64 |
| Paris | 8/46 | 16/60 |
Vacation Destination Ideas
As far as where to go in April, there are lots of options, given the weather is on the whole very good.
Easter in France! You’ll see amazing candy and chocolate displays in shop windows (Pâques is French for Easter), some of them look like works of art. You’ll see lots of bells, fish, and chickens, which is more traditional in France than bunnies.
If you’re with the kids in Paris in April, you might like them to join in the Galeries Lafayette’s Big Easter Egg Hunt. You will need to register in advance on the Lafayette website. It’s free, but only open to 5-12 year olds!
Paris in spring can be also be a romantic time to visit (see our romantic vacation ideas here). And it’s a great base for daytrips or short getaways – the Loire, Normandy and Champagne are all nearby; you could even pop down to Provence for a few days…Avignon is less than 3 hours from Paris if you take the high-speed train.
The only thing to keep in mind that like in many other parts of the world, shops, attractions and restaurants will be closed on Easter Sunday. In France, you’ll find many places can be closed on the following Easter Monday. So if you are planning a special Easter dinner, check with the restaurant that they’ll actually be open to avoid disappointment.
More Vacation Destination Ideas for Easter in France
Here are some highlights and festivals in France in April (please confirm anything directly with the event organisers as dates can change).
- The Coulommiers Cheese and Wine Fair, east of Paris, takes place from late March to early April. Coulommiers is a soft cows milk cheese. See the Coulommiers) website for more details;
- Visit Troyes in Champagne for wonderful 16th century sculpture at St Jean-au-Marché church, April 18 to October 25th (www.sculpture-champagne.fr);
- As the ski season draws to a close, Val d’Isère holds a classical music festival in Val d’Isère, MusicaVal (l’Eglise de Val d’Isère) to celebrate the close of the ski season (here is the Val D’Isere website for more info;
- Or how about the Méli’môme Festival in Reims from 24 Mar – 8 Apr 2009, which features theatre, dance, and music that will be enjoyed by both kids and adults; (here is the festival website);
- Normandy has a jazz festival in April, called Jazz sous les Pommiers (Jazz under the Apple Trees), that runs from April to May every year, in the medieval town of Coutances (here is the festival website);
- There is yet another jazz festival in the Luberon, (in Provence, east of Avignon), that runs from April through to May, taking place in a number of small towns througout the area (find out more on the jazz festival website).
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Enjoy Easter in France….and the chocolates!