Early March 1 March
50°F
Typical afternoon high
35% historical wet-day frequency
France · Mountains
Franche-Comté & the Jura
in March.
Is March a good time?
Cool days.
Fewer overnight stays than February.
March averages 55°F afternoons, with about 9 rain days. Later March is typically warmer.
- Afternoons
- 55°F
- Rain days
- 9
- Visitor demand
- 18%of August peak
Historical Franche-Comté regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Besançon; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
7.2/10 · scores & prioritiesThis weather score measures sightseeing comfort. Snow and ski conditions need a separate check.
What matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#6 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather6.0/10Good
CrowdsLow seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, quieter than most of Europe this month
CostModeratefor Europe; France-wide price level
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your March
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 55°F (13°C): a sweater and a light jacket; nights around 36°F (2°C): a winter coat, hat and gloves. Bring rain gear: about 9 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 12 hours of daylight.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 12 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 06:51 and sets about 18:40 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 36°F (2°C); afternoons reach about 55°F (13°C). Expect rain on about 9 days in a typical March.
Typical afternoon
55°F (13°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Marches
Night low
36°F (2°C)
average daily minimum
Daylight
11h 49m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late March?
Late March is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 50°F on the 1st, versus 58°F on the 31st.
Mid March 15 March
55°F
Typical afternoon high
32% historical wet-day frequency
Late March 31 March
58°F
Typical afternoon high
32% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2027: 29 Mar Easter Monday.
Daily calendar & holiday datesMarch 2027 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
March 2027 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2027.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150° | 251° | 351° | 451° | 551° | 652° | 752° |
| 853° | 953° | 1054° | 1154° | 1254° | 1354° | 1455° |
| 1555° | 1656° | 1756° | 1856° | 1956° | 2056° | 2156° |
| 2257° | 2357° | 2457° | 2557° | 2657° | 2758° | 2858° |
| 2958° | 3058° | 3158° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons warm from about 51°F (11°C) in the first week to 58°F (14°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 27–37%.
No school holidays here in March 2027. Public holidays: 29 Mar Easter Monday. Elsewhere in March 2027, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: Germany 27%, Spain 30%, Italy 19%, Netherlands 38%. (School holidays: OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Low season. March averages 18% of August's overnight stays per day. Fewer overnight stays than February.
Overnight stays across Franche-Comté do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, quieter than most of Europe this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
A little below usual. Estimated from national hotel prices and local visitor demand; no measured regional room rate is available.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
France as a whole
Above EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 110 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
Year-to-year variation
How much does March vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 49°F (10°C) and 59°F (15°C); in 9 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 55°F (13°C). Rain days ranged from 4 to 17; half the years had 8–13.
Rain days in each March
Rain days
9
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 15 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
8 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no March in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
14 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded MarchHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 56°F | 8 |
| 2012 | 59°F | 5 |
| 2013 | 49°F | 12 |
| 2014 | 57°F | 5 |
| 2015 | 54°F | 9 |
| 2016 | 51°F | 12 |
| 2017 | 58°F | 12 |
| 2018 | 51°F | 17 |
| 2019 | 55°F | 13 |
| 2020 | 54°F | 9 |
| 2021 | 54°F | 9 |
| 2022 | 58°F | 4 |
| 2023 | 55°F | 14 |
| 2024 | 57°F | 16 |
| 2025 | 56°F | 9 |
Checked against 77 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
February, March
or April?
| Typical conditions | Feb | Mar | Apr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 47°F | 55°F | 61°F |
| Rain days | 11 | 9 | 10 |
| Overnight demand | 20% | 18% | 22% |
February: Cooler afternoons and more rain days than March. More overnight demand. February guide →
April: Warmer afternoons than March. More overnight demand. April guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with March Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. March stays as your reference.
April and October have a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than March, without a substantially busier visitor season.
Your comparison
March or February?
Overnight stays are 20% of the busiest month.
National hotel prices and local visitor demand suggest a little below usual. No measured regional room rate is available.
Read the February guide →| Typical conditions | March | February |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 55°F | 47°F |
| Nights | 36°F | 31°F |
| Rain days | 9 | 11 |
| Visitor season | Low season | Low season |
| Overall / 10 | 7.2 | 6.5 |
| Month rank | #6 | #9 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5.8 | #12 | 44°F | 31°F | 14 | 3.8 | Low season |
| February | 6.5 | #9 | 47°F | 31°F | 11 | 4.7 | Low season |
| March | 7.2 | #6 | 55°F | 36°F | 9 | 6.0 | Low season |
| April | 7.6 | #2 | 61°F | 41°F | 10 | 7.0 | Low season |
| May | 7.2 | #5 | 67°F | 48°F | 13 | 7.5 | Moderate season |
| June | 7.3 | #4 | 76°F | 56°F | 10 | 8.2 | Moderate season |
| July | 6.7 | #7 | 79°F | 58°F | 10 | 8.6 | Peak season |
| August | 6.3 | #10 | 79°F | 58°F | 9 | 8.5 | Peak season |
| September | 7.9 | #1 | 71°F | 51°F | 8 | 8.5 | Moderate season |
| October | 7.5 | #3 | 63°F | 45°F | 11 | 7.1 | Low season |
| November | 6.7 | #8 | 51°F | 37°F | 12 | 4.9 | Low season |
| December | 6.0 | #11 | 46°F | 33°F | 17 | 4.0 | Low season |
Near here
Nearby places in March
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
Bern & the Bernese OberlandSwitzerland · about 70 miles
Balanced Overall 5.9 · Good weather, 53°F (12°C) · Moderate season · Cost expensive
Lake Geneva & ValaisSwitzerland · about 80 miles
Balanced Overall 5.1 · Good weather, 54°F (12°C) · Busy season · Cost expensive
Freiburg & the southern Black ForestGermany · about 110 miles
Balanced Overall 6.9 · Good weather, 54°F (12°C) · Moderate season · Cost pricey
Lyon & the French AlpsRhône-Alpes · France · about 130 miles
Balanced Overall 6.3 · Good weather, 58°F (14°C) · Moderate season · Cost pricey
PiedmontItaly · about 170 miles
Balanced Overall 7.3 · Good weather, 58°F (15°C) · Moderate season · Cost moderate
Elsewhere in Europe
Better March weather than Franche-Comté & the Jura
Franche-Comté & the Jura's weather ranks 14 of 28 mountain regions this month. These mountain regions outside France have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Franche-Comté & the Jura.
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's low season, 18% of the busiest month and 50% below its average month. That means about 5,800 overnight visitors on a typical March night across the region, 82% of them from France itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 3,500 more: 60 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Urban, 0–100) | 65 |
| How our weather was checked | 77 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.5°C), night lows within 1°F (0.3°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 5 |
| Busiest month here | August · 27 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 0.5% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 21st percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 82% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 60 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 0.8% |
| National hotel-price season | France historical 2024–2025 index: A little below usual (−6% vs its average month). Not a local room quote. |
| Population used | 1.2 million |
| Statistical region | FRC2 · Franche-Comté |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national. Full method · this region's data.