What to do in the PACA region in November?

In brief

• A mild but wet month: in Nice, it is the rainiest month of the year.
• The santon season opens: the Marseille fair, the Arles show and the Aubagne market.
• Olives and new-season oil at the mills, and the first truffle markets at the end of the month.
• The Nice-Cannes marathon at the start of the month, and the first Christmas markets from mid-November.
• Two public holidays, 1 and 11 November; winter equipment compulsory in the mountains from 1 November.

The weather in November

November tips the region towards winter, but gently on the coast. According to the Météo-France 1991-2020 normals, Nice keeps an average high of 17 °C and an average low of 9.7 °C. In Marseille (Marignane station), it drops to 15.7 °C in the afternoon and 7.7 °C in the early morning. Beautiful bright days, often swept by the mistral in the west of the region, alternate with rainy spells.

That’s because November is still in the season of Mediterranean episodes (torrential rain events), which Météo-France places up to mid-December. In Nice, it is even the wettest month of the year, with an average of 138.4 mm and 8.5 days of rain. Marseille receives 75.9 mm on about seven days of rain.

In the mountains, winter settles in. In Embrun (873 m), the average high falls to 11.3 °C and the average low to 1.6 °C, with an average of 10.6 days of frost in the month. Snow may cover the passes, and the resorts are getting ready to open: Montgenèvre, in the Hautes-Alpes, is often one of the first to launch the season, usually at the very end of the month.

Festivals and traditions: the santon season begins

The month has two public holidays. 1 November, All Saints’ Day (the Toussaint), is the day when graves are decorated with flowers. On 11 November, the anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, ceremonies are held at the war memorials in every town and village.

Then Provence gets ready for Christmas, and it all begins with the santons, the clay “little saints” that people the nativity scene. In Marseille, the Foire aux santons (santon fair) has been held since 1803. It traditionally opens around the third weekend of November and runs until early January. Around twenty santon makers set up on the quai du Port, at the Vieux-Port (Old Port), with clay-modelling workshops for children at weekends. Entry is free.

In Arles, the Salon international des santonniers (international santon makers’ show), created in 1958, exhibits the work of craftspeople from Provence and beyond every year from mid-November to mid-January. In Aubagne, a town with a ceramics tradition, the santon and ceramics market sets up on the cours Foch, usually from mid-November to the end of December.

November’s major events

The Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes Nice-Cannes. It is usually run on a Sunday in early November. The race starts on the Promenade des Anglais and finishes on the Croisette, in Cannes, after 42.195 km along the sea. A duo format (two half-marathons) lets you run it as a pair. On the day, the seafront is closed to traffic along the route: take the train between Nice and Cannes to follow the race.

The first Christmas markets. In Aix-en-Provence, the Christmas market chalets go up on the cours Mirabeau from mid-November, until 31 December. In Nice, the Christmas Village usually opens in late November in the Jardin Albert-Ier and on the place Masséna, until early January.

Where to go in November

Marseille, between santons and museums. The city is good to visit out of season: the santon fair on the harbour, the climb up to Notre-Dame de la Garde on a clear day, then the Mucem and the Cosquer cave when the sky clouds over.

The Alpilles, olive country. Around Les Baux-de-Provence and Mouriès, the mills of the Vallée des Baux-de-Provence PDO are running at full capacity. Several offer tours and tastings, a chance to taste freshly pressed oil.

The Comtat and the Enclave des papes, for truffles. Friday morning in Carpentras, Saturday in Richerenches: the truffle markets reopen between mid-November and early December, depending on the year and the harvest. The detour combines well with a visit to Avignon.

The Riviera, for mild weather. With the mildest afternoons in the region, the coast between Nice and Menton is ideal for seaside walks and visits to gardens and old villages.

Ideas for days out

With the family. The santon workshops at the Marseille fair and the donkey rides offered on site are a hit with the youngest. It’s also the time to buy the first figures for the family nativity scene.

When the weather is bad. The museums take over: the Mucem in Marseille, the Palais des Papes in Avignon or the major art museums of Nice. On days with an orange rain-flood warning, it’s best to stay indoors.

When the sun is out. Cool, clear days suit low-altitude hikes: the calanques, the Provençal hills and the coastal paths. Set off early, as night falls quickly.

What to eat in November

New-season olive oil. The olive harvest usually takes place from November to December. The mills press the new oil, often more peppery on the palate, and several towns celebrate it every year, such as Mouriès in the Alpilles and Aix-en-Provence.

Black truffle. Truffle events run from late November to early March. The Richerenches market, in the Enclave des papes, is presented by the regional tourism board as the largest in Europe. In the Var, the Aups market is held on Thursday mornings from late November. Prices are not set in advance: they take shape as the market goes on.

Good to know

• Public holidays. 1 November (All Saints’ Day) and 11 November (Armistice Day). The Toussaint school holidays, the same for all zones including zone B, end at the start of the month.
• Winter equipment. From 1 November to 31 March, in the mountain municipalities designated by prefectoral order, cars must have four winter tyres or carry chains (or snow socks). Signs mark the entrance to and exit from these zones.
• Mont Ventoux. The summit road usually closes around mid-November, beyond Mont Serein and the Chalet Reynard. These two resorts remain accessible.
• Mediterranean episodes. Before setting off, check the Météo-France warnings. In the event of intense rain, never venture onto a flooded road and stay away from rivers and streams, as the prefectures remind us.
• Out of season. Some beach restaurants and coastal accommodation close for the winter: check opening times before you travel.