What to do in the PACA region in April?

In brief

• Easter kicks off the festival season: the Féria d’Arles and the Festival de Pâques (Easter Festival) in Aix-en-Provence.
• A mild spring on the coast: around 19 °C in the afternoon in Marseille and 17 °C in Nice.
• End of the ski season: most resorts in the Southern Alps close between early and mid-April.
• The best time to hike in the Calanques, the Luberon and the Alpilles, before the heat.
• At the markets: Carpentras strawberries and asparagus.
• Zone B spring school holidays: remember to book.

The weather in April

April marks the real return of mild weather. According to the Météo-France normals (1991-2020), temperatures in Marseille (Marignane station) range on average from 9.4 °C in the morning to 19.3 °C in the afternoon. In Nice, the range is narrower, from 10.8 °C to 17.4 °C: the sea softens the nights but also tempers the afternoons. April is not a dry month for all that. An average of 51.6 mm of rain falls at Marignane, spread over 5 to 6 days, and 68.8 mm in Nice.

In the mountains, the contrast between day and night is marked. In Embrun, at 873 m above sea level, the normal goes from 4 °C in the early morning to 16.4 °C in the afternoon. It can still snow at altitude, and the highest passes often remain closed.

Then there’s the mistral. Météo-France points out that it is often stronger in winter and spring, that it can blow for several days in a row and that it mainly affects the lower Rhône valley, from Orange to Arles. It is a dry wind that chases the clouds away: mistral days are cool but very bright. Bring a windbreaker, even in the sunshine. The sea, meanwhile, is still chilly for swimming.

Easter and the month’s traditions

Easter is a moveable feast, falling between late March and late April. In Arles, it gives its name to the Féria de Pâques (Easter Feria), held over the long Easter weekend. The regional tourism board presents it as the opening of the French bullfighting season: corridas in the Roman arena, but also abrivados, bandidos and encierros (bull runs) in the streets, and bodegas and peñas until late into the night. Attendance runs into hundreds of thousands of visitors: book accommodation early. When Easter falls early, the Féria takes place in late March.

Easter Monday is a public holiday. In the villages, it is often the first big weekend of markets, car-boot sales and spring festivals. Check with the tourist offices, as programmes change every year.

April’s major events

In Aix-en-Provence, the Festival de Pâques brings together leading orchestras and soloists around Easter, mainly at the Grand Théâtre de Provence. It generally runs over two weeks, between late March and mid-April depending on the date of Easter. It is a paid classical music festival, and the best seats go quickly.

On the Croisette, Canneséries, the international TV series festival, is held in spring, in April in recent years. Free and open to all, it takes place at the Palais des Festivals, which makes it an unusual outing in Cannes, well before the May crowds.

Where to go in April

The Luberon. The hilltop villages regain their colours without the summer crowds. Head up to Gordes at sunset, then on to Roussillon and its ochre cliffs. Further east, the Colorado provençal in Rustrel is pleasant to explore before the intense heat.

The Alpilles. Olive trees, garrigue in bloom and quiet little roads: it’s the right season for Les Baux-de-Provence, to combine with Arles on the Féria weekend.

The Calanques. In spring, the trails of the Calanques National Park can be walked without the summer restrictions linked to wildfire risk, which start on 1 June in the Bouches-du-Rhône. Set off early, take water and avoid the ridges on days of strong mistral.

The Riviera. Menton and its gardens enjoy the mild climate around Nice: an ideal stop when the weather is unsettled inland.

The Southern Alps. The last days of skiing are often spent in the sunshine, on spring snow. According to the resorts’ provisional calendars, Pra-Loup and Val d’Allos are among the first to close, in early April, while Serre-Chevalier, Montgenèvre and Isola 2000 generally hold out until mid-April. Dates depend on snow cover: check before you go.

Ideas for days out in April

When the sun is out, Mont Ventoux is there to rediscover. The summit road, closed in winter, reopens in spring in two stages: first the south side from the Chalet Reynard, then the north side. The Vaucluse département sets the dates each year depending on the snow. At the top, the wind and cold always take people by surprise: a fleece is a must.

For a hike, the Gorges du Verdon offer cooler days than in summer, ideal for the clifftop paths. Check the condition of the trails after rain.

When it rains, in Marseille, the Cosquer cave introduces children and adults alike to the prehistoric art of a cave that now lies beneath the sea. It is a stone’s throw from the Mucem, where you can carry on for the afternoon.

What to eat in April

April is the month of the Carpentras strawberry. Ciflorette, Gariguette or Cléry: Vaucluse Provence Attractivité presents it as the fruit that heralds spring. Strawberry festivals take place every year in April and May, notably in Carpentras and Velleron. It is also asparagus season, long grown in the Durance plain, around Lauris and Pertuis. Farmers’ markets return to their fine-season rhythm in many villages.

Good to know

• Public holiday: Easter Monday, in April most years, sometimes in late March.
• School holidays: the Aix-Marseille and Nice education authorities are in zone B. The spring holidays generally fall in the second half of April and can spill over into early May. Weekends are then busy at well-known sites.
• Mountain roads: the winter equipment requirement in the mountain municipalities concerned ends on 31 March. Snow is still possible at altitude, though. Keep chains in the boot if you are driving up to a resort.
• Mistral: in strong winds, avoid going out to sea in a small boat and stay off exposed ridges.