Climate and weather

Do you want to go on vacation in Tarn , Aveyron and Tarn et Garonne and are you wondering when is the best time ? What will be (in principle and according to the average!) the weather during your stay ? Here is some information on the weather and annual forecasts for these departments.

The Tarn and Garonne

Tarn et Garonne is a pleasant department at all times of the year . It is geographically well located and benefits, depending on the era, from the influence of the Mediterranean on one side and the Atlantic on the other. A few steps from the Massif Central, we also find a mountain climate as soon as we get closer to the hilly mountains.

The sunny landscapes of Lauzerte

The plains of the Garonne and the Tarn are bathed in sunshine and also experience good rainfall . In general, the shoulder seasons are marked by mist in the river valleys. The causse is more marked by the drought and aridity of certain areas.

The winds from Tarn and Garonne are dominant in the West , the wind from Autan which comes from the south-southeast is warmer and drier , it blows strongly , it is turbulent . The ancients say that it is a wind that drives you crazy . It blows mainly on the high plateaus , but we find it accentuated in the valleys in the form of sometimes violent and surprising gusts .

Montauban, under the late afternoon sun

Thunderstorms can be frequent and violent in summer , under oceanic and Mediterranean influence. With heavy rains (this is when the most intense precipitation is recorded), but over short periods . The wettest seasons are autumn and spring.

At the beginning of spring the temperature cools quickly and it is not uncommon to spend the afternoon in a T-shirt in the sun! The month of May is generally quite rainy .

Summer is a dry season, even arid and scorching on the causse, the temperature easily rises above 30/33 degrees and you will happily enjoy the shaded areas and the numerous lakes and river beaches designed for swimming .

As in the entire region of nearby Gascony , autumn is very pleasant and mild , the sun stays on and the glowing forests shimmer thanks to the sun's rays! Expect days at 15 degrees on average, until All Saints' Day , no problem!

Winter is a region that remains pleasant in Tarn et Garonne, although it is the calmest tourist-speaking, it is not (very) cold (5°c on average in the morning and 8/10°c during the day). If snow and ice occur exceptionally for short periods, fog is however common on the plains and in the valleys.

Even in winter, the landscapes of the Aveyron gorges are magnificent!

The Tarn

Tarn , which borders Tarn et Garonne to the northwest, is a department with an oceanic climate , which is also subject to Atlantic and Mediterranean influence . The relief of the Tarn is however different, more mountainous with steep mountains . The altitude develops in the crescent -shaped department in the east and south, it blocks the clouds , which cause marked precipitation and in winter, snow and frost . This is why there are small ski resorts in the Tarn (on the Lacaune mountains).

Ambialet, under the sun

As in a good part of the southwest and in nearby Haute-Garonne , the Autan wind blows . Hot and dry , it is less turbulent when it runs north and offers good conditions for the development of the vines !

The Tarn and especially the region around Albi benefit from very good sunshine , rain remains scant , unlike the average in other regions of France. It is good to come to the Tarn at all times of the year .

Albi, magnificent at sunset, bright red bricks!

In spring , the climate is rather unstable , generally with rain interspersed with mild and dry spells. Several seasons sometimes appear in the same day!

In the Tarn in summer, it is hot and dry. If you don't suffer from the heatwave , sit near a water point, enjoy hiking in the morning "in the cool" and splash around in the afternoon before returning to the sun at the end of the day and continuing these sweet evenings with an aperitif with your feet in the grass. Nice program, isn't it? If you don't like high temperatures , go to mountainous areas , where storms are less frequent in summer and the mountain air cools the atmosphere.

In autumn , the Tarn also benefits from the Indian summer , it's a great time for holidays : it's still mild and warm, the light is golden and beautiful... The agricultural products are full of sunshine and the wine arrived ! The end of autumn, on the other hand, is decidedly cooler , with stormy phases and the first cold weather on the hills.

Winters are mild in the Tarn, obviously it is colder in the mountainous areas where you can even take out your skis and sled , but on the plains, the temperature does not stay negative for long.

Puycelsi on its sunny hillock

Aveyron

There are several types of climates in Aveyron , this is due to the changing relief , but also to the influence of currents. The southern sweetness arrives through the valleys of the Lot, Aveyron and Tarn. Rouergue to the west can record up to 6 degrees higher in average temperature than the Aubrac highlands to the northeast.

The department is rather sunny and records an average of around 2100 hours/year, which is within the French average. It is really the mountain influence that causes the cold weather in the off-season and the cold of winter. Snow is common in the cold season and there is an average of around sixty days of morning frost . The Aubrac plateaus and the Caussenard plateaus are the coolest regions, the temperature and climate are harsh in winter and summers are mild (15°C on average for Laguiole in July)

Villefranche-de-Rouergue in the early morning

To the west of Rodez, the climate is therefore the mildest , it is not uncommon to have days comparable to those of the Toulouse climate in spring, summer and early autumn.

In spring , there is still snow on the plateaus and at altitude , the southern region is the sunniest and it is pleasant to enjoy the return of sunny days with a few warm rays of sunshine . In the valleys, the snow is melting and you have to be careful of the precipitation , which is frequent during this season.

Rivière-sur-Tarn, where the altitude is close to 800m!

In summer , it is mild , there is no heatwave region, although the climate is pleasant and warm in the west of the department. The maximums during the day are around 20/25 degrees (towards Rodez, more like 17/20 in Laguiole)). It's perfect for outdoor sports activities and from May to October, you will fully enjoy nature . This is why Aveyron is very popular with athletes !

Autumn in Aveyron is pleasant but quickly cools. If you go to the mountains, don't hesitate to cover up well and be careful of the rapidly changing weather. Even in Rodez, wool quickly becomes essential, even if the sky remains very blue.

On the Causse, it is always a little cool in all seasons