France
Best Time to Visit Pau
Pau has a mild microclimate, shielded by the Pyrenees, but it rains often. The best windows are late spring and early autumn, when the weather is pleasant and the town isn't packed.
✦ Go in May or September for the best blend of decent weather, lowish crowds, and reasonable prices.
✅ Best months
May and September. May offers warm, sunny days and blooming gardens; September has settled warmth, fewer summer crowds, and lower hotel rates.
🔥 Peak season
July and August. School holidays fill the city with families, hotel prices jump 30–50%, and the Tour de France (usually July) and the Pau Grand Prix (motor racing in August) drive demand.
💷 Shoulder (best value)
June and October. June has good weather but lighter crowds than midsummer. October is mild and quiet, with hotel deals 20–30% below summer highs.
🌙 Quietest & cheapest
November to February. Driest? Actually no – it's the rainiest period. Days are short (sunset around 5:30pm in December) and many tourists stay away, so you get rock-bottom hotel prices (often half peak rates) but dreary weather.
Pau season by season
Spring (Mar–May)
Weather: 5–17°C, frequent showers, increasing sunshine from April
Crowds: low in March, moderate in May
Good for hiking in the Pyrenees foothills and visiting the Château de Pau without queues.
Summer (Jun–Aug)
Weather: 15–26°C, generally warm with occasional thunderstorms; driest months
Crowds: high in July–August
Best for outdoor markets, the Festival de Pau (music/street arts in July). Book well ahead.
Autumn (Sep–Nov)
Weather: 8–22°C, cooling fast; September is pleasant, October wetter, November chilly
Crowds: low from October
Vintage car rally ‘Pau Classic Grand Prix’ in October; good for wine tasting in Jurançon.
Winter (Dec–Feb)
Weather: 1–10°C, grey, frequent rain, rare snow in town; snow on nearby peaks
Crowds: low
Cheapest for accommodation; good for skiing 45 minutes away in the Pyrenees, but Pau itself is quiet.
🎭 Events worth timing a trip around
Tour de France stage in early July (road closure chaos but free spectacle), and the Pau Grand Prix vintage car race in mid-August (roaring engines, packed town).
🧳 What to pack
Always bring a waterproof jacket or umbrella. Pau gets rain any month – even summer afternoons can have a sudden downpour.
Found your dates? Get your hotel briefing.
Room tips, the 14-day forecast for your exact stay, dining, transport and more — free for any Pau hotel.
Researched & reviewed by the TripSage editorial team · Updated July 2026.