Early October 1 October
71°F
Typical afternoon high
29% historical wet-day frequency
France · Countryside
Is October a good time?
October averages 67°F afternoons and 64°F seas, with about 9 rain days. Later October is typically cooler.
Historical Poitou-Charentes regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers La Rochelle and Île de Ré; conditions vary within the region.
What matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#2 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your October
Afternoons around 67°F (19°C): light layers; nights around 49°F (10°C): a sweater and a light jacket. Bring rain gear: about 9 days with at least 1 mm of rain. About 11 hours of daylight.
The sea averages 64°F. Our swimming guide: fresh: fine once you are in. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
The sun rises about 08:16 and sets about 19:16 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 49°F (10°C); afternoons reach about 67°F (19°C). Expect rain on about 9 days in a typical October.
Early, middle or late?
Early October is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 71°F on the 1st, versus 63°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency rises from 29% to 43% between those dates.
71°F
Typical afternoon high
29% historical wet-day frequency
68°F
Typical afternoon high
33% historical wet-day frequency
63°F
Typical afternoon high
43% 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.
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2026.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 171° | 270° | 370° | 470° | |||
| 570° | 669° | 769° | 869° | 968° | 1068° | 1168° |
| 1268° | 1368° | 1468° | 1568° | 1667° | 1767° | 1867° |
| 1967° | 2066° | 2166° | 2266° | 2366° | 2465° | 2565° |
| 2665° | 2764° | 2864° | 2964° | 3063° | 3163° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons cool from about 70°F (21°C) in the first week to 64°F (18°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 27–43%. Local schools are out 18–31 October 2026.
Schools here are off 18–31 October 2026 (All Saints holidays). Elsewhere in October 2026, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: Germany 33%, Netherlands 39%, Switzerland 32%, Belgium 15%. (School holidays: OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Visitor season
Low season. October averages 18% of August's overnight stays per day. Fewer overnight stays than September.
Overnight stays across Poitou-Charentes do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, typical for Europe this month.
Hotel price season
About 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.
Year-to-year variation
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 62°F (17°C) and 72°F (22°C); in 11 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 67°F (19°C). Rain days ranged from 3 to 17; half the years had 6–13.
Rain days in each October
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 68°F | 5 |
| 2012 | 65°F | 15 |
| 2013 | 67°F | 13 |
| 2014 | 69°F | 9 |
| 2015 | 63°F | 6 |
| 2016 | 65°F | 5 |
| 2017 | 69°F | 3 |
| 2018 | 68°F | 9 |
| 2019 | 67°F | 16 |
| 2020 | 62°F | 17 |
| 2021 | 66°F | 9 |
| 2022 | 72°F | 12 |
| 2023 | 71°F | 13 |
| 2024 | 67°F | 13 |
| 2025 | 66°F | 9 |
Checked against 73 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
| Typical conditions | Sep | Oct | Nov |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 75°F | 67°F | 57°F |
| Sea | 67°F | 64°F | 59°F |
| Rain days | 7 | 9 | 13 |
| Overnight demand | 33% | 18% | 10% |
September: Warmer afternoons, warmer sea and fewer rain days than October. More overnight demand. September guide →
November: Cooler afternoons, cooler sea and more rain days than October. Less overnight demand. November guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. October stays as your reference.
September has a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than October, but more overnight stays.
Your comparison
Overnight stays are 33% of the busiest month.
National hotel prices and local visitor demand suggest about usual. No measured regional room rate is available.
Read the September guide →| Typical conditions | October | September |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 67°F | 75°F |
| Nights | 49°F | 54°F |
| Sea | 64°F | 67°F |
| Rain days | 9 | 7 |
| Visitor season | Low season | Low season |
| Overall / 10 | 8.0 | 8.2 |
| Month rank | #2 | #1 |
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5.4 | #12 | 50°F | 37°F | 51°F | 12 | 4.8 | Off season |
| February | 6.4 | #10 | 52°F | 37°F | 50°F | 10 | 5.5 | Low season |
| March | 7.2 | #6 | 58°F | 41°F | 51°F | 10 | 6.6 | Low season |
| April | 7.6 | #5 | 64°F | 44°F | 55°F | 8 | 7.8 | Low season |
| May | 7.8 | #3 | 70°F | 49°F | 59°F | 10 | 8.5 | Low season |
| June | 7.7 | #4 | 77°F | 56°F | 65°F | 8 | 8.7 | Moderate season |
| July | 7.0 | #7 | 81°F | 59°F | 68°F | 5 | 9.1 | Busy season |
| August | 6.4 | #9 | 81°F | 58°F | 69°F | 5 | 8.9 | Peak season |
| September | 8.2 | #1 | 75°F | 54°F | 67°F | 7 | 9.3 | Low season |
| October | 8.0 | #2 | 67°F | 49°F | 64°F | 9 | 8.2 | Low season |
| November | 6.5 | #8 | 57°F | 43°F | 59°F | 13 | 6.1 | Low season |
| December | 6.0 | #11 | 52°F | 39°F | 54°F | 14 | 5.3 | Off season |
Near here
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
LimousinFrance · about 90 miles
Balanced Overall 7.6 · Very good weather, 65°F (18°C) · Low season · Cost pricey
Nantes & Pays de la LoireFrance · about 100 miles
Balanced Overall 6.6 · Good weather, 65°F (18°C) · Low season · Cost pricey
Loire Valley & CentreFrance · about 120 miles
Balanced Overall 7.4 · Very good weather, 65°F (18°C) · Moderate season · Cost pricey
Bordeaux & the Atlantic coastAquitaine · France · about 130 miles
Balanced Overall 7.2 · Good weather, 70°F (21°C) · Low season · Cost pricey
Toulouse & the PyreneesMidi-Pyrénées · France · about 180 miles
Balanced Overall 8.1 · Very good weather, 69°F (21°C) · Low season · Cost pricey
Elsewhere in Europe
Poitou-Charentes' weather ranks 25 of 117 countryside regions this month. These countryside regions outside France have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Poitou-Charentes.
It's low season, 18% of the busiest month and 42% below its average month. That means about 27,000 overnight visitors on a typical October night across the region, 88% of them from France itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 11,000 more: 41 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Urban, 0–100) | 76 |
| How our weather was checked | 73 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.4°C), night lows within 1°F (0.3°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 15 |
| Busiest month here | August · 81 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 1.5% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 62nd percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 88% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 41 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 2.0% |
| National hotel-price season | France historical 2024–2025 index: A little above usual (+5% vs its average month). Not a local room quote. |
| Population used | 1.8 million |
| Statistical region | FRI3 · Poitou-Charentes |
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.