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Heatwaves: 6 of the coolest places in France

From caves to catacombes, lakes to France's coldest village - if you're not a fan of the heat, here are 6 places you can go to stay cool this summer.

Published: 13 June 2022 16:57 CEST
Updated: 15 June 2023 14:40 CEST
Heatwaves: 6 of the coolest places in France
Photo by MEHDI FEDOUACH / AFP

With another long, hot summer forecast for France you might be looking to avoid the sun this year – so here is our pick of the places to visit that promise not to be too sweltering:

Go to the beach in Brittany or Normandy

France’s west coast is notorious for getting lots of rain throughout the year, but it is also known for moderate summers that don’t get too hot.

If you are looking for windy shorelines and temperate climates, Brittany and Normandy have the best beaches for you. In Brittany, temperatures in the summer typically stay around 25C.

Go surfing off of Brittany’s largest island Belle-Île-en-Mer or sunbathe in Saint-Malo. For Normandy, consider Le Touquet in the Pas-de-Calais département – escape the heat by walking along the cliffs at the nearby Parc naturel régional des caps et marais d’Opale.

Go hiking in the Alps

The Alps are not just for winter sports.

Well-connected by train, you can easily take a trip to the mountains to enjoy the cooler temperatures, mountain breezes and lovely views filled with colourful wildflowers.

As well as hiking, you can also enjoy rafting or biking. If you’re not as sporty, you can still enjoy the mountaintop by taking the year-round ski lift up the mountain.

The pretty town of Chamonix is also well worth a visit.

Visit the prehistoric caves in Dordogne

Down in southern France temperatures do get hotter in the summer, but there are still plenty of cool options for the scorching days.

Dordogne is home to several prehistoric caves, which in summer are a great place to escape the heat. You can also see the reconstruction of the original Lascaux cave, known for its cave art and referred to as the ‘Sistine chapel of prehistory’ with some of the earliest known artworks created by humanity. 

In the Vézére Valley several of the caves have made the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites. 

Caves in general are a good bet on a hot day – if you go to the Roquefort caves in Ariège it’s nice and cool and you can witness the famous Roquefort cheese maturing in the natural cave system. 

Visit France’s ‘coolest’ village

Famous for having the coldest recorded temperature in France, Mouthe is located in the Doubs département, which is in Eastern France along the Jura mountains.

The reason Mouthe stays so cold is because of its altitude – it is at 930m above sea level. That makes for some bracing winters, but it’s also a great place to visit during a heatwave.

Enjoy the village, go hiking in the surrounding countryside, or take a day trip into Switzerland which is just over the border.

READ MORE: Why is Mouthe the ‘coldest village in France’?

Float on the lake in Annecy

Known as the “Venice of the Alps,” Annecy is located in the mountains, so it also has a higher elevation, which helps keep it comparatively cooler in the summer months.

Annecy is mostly known for its sparkling blue lake that is clean enough to swim in – the water typically stays at around 22 to 24C – but it also has a highly picturesque town centre and the local vin jaune is worth sampling.

Visit the kingdom of the dead

If you’re in Paris and don’t have the time or the funds for a trip out of the city, there are still cooler places to go.

The city’s museums are often air conditioned while the churches offer cool indoor spaces, but for something a little different why not visit the Catacombes?

The temperature in the network of limestone passages underneath Paris stays at around 14C all year round – considerably cooler than the city in summer. There’s also the ‘chills’ imparted by the inhabitants of the Catacombes – thousands of skeletons dug up from the city’s cemeteries and arranged into interesting patterns.

The Catacombes also provide a fascinating snapshot of the history of Paris.

READ MORE: Are these the 10 best swimming pools in Paris?

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TRAVEL NEWS

Can I use my American Express card in France?

If you are travelling to France with an American Express card, there are a few things you ought to consider beforehand.

Published: 30 May 2024 11:14 CEST
Can I use my American Express card in France?

While many European establishments do accept American Express cards, outside of the US they are significantly less common and many businesses, especially smaller ones, refuse them. 

Why are American Express cards not accepted?

According to Forbes, it has to do with the fact that American Express is known for charging “higher merchant fees than other credit card networks.

“In other words: It’s more cost-efficient for many businesses (especially low-margin ones) to take Visa or Mastercard instead.”

The business magazine also noted that American Express credit card transactions made up just 4.61 percent globally. Whereas Visa and Mastercard transactions were significantly more common – making up 38 percent and 24 percent of the market share respectively.

READ MORE: Is it a good idea to rent a car in Paris?

What should I do if I have an AmEx card?

Travel blogs often recommend that AmEx holders bring along a Visa or Mastercard as well, in case they run into issues.

You can also consult American Express’ interactive map, which shows the businesses in France that definitely accept the card.

However, the map may not show every business that accepts AmEx, so feel free to ask (est-ce que vous acceptez les cartes ‘American Express’?) before sitting down for a meal or making a purchase. 

You can also look to see whether the store displays an AmEx sticker in the window. 

Generally, American Express cards are less likely to be accepted in small businesses – neighbourhood restaurants, cafés or independent shops – due to the reasons outlined above. You have a better chance of your AmEx card being accepted in larger companies and chains.

It’s also not accepted by all French apps for payment – so for example if you’re buying national rail tickets you can use AmEx for the SNCF Connect app, but it is not accepted by the Paris public transport app Ile de France Mobilities (which offers digital Metro, bus and tram tickets).

Any other things to consider?

Contactless payment (sans contact) is becoming much more common in France, albeit only for lower-value purchases.  If your AmEx card does not have the chip that allows you to tap and pay, then you may want to take cash out or bring another card along. 

If you still have an old-style card that requires swiping and signing, be aware that most smaller French businesses do not have this payment option.

ATMs should accept your AmEx card, so you should not have any issues being able to put in your pin number and take out cash, though there may be fees.

You’ll also want to look into the transaction fees associated with your card. Some AmEx cards offer the benefit of no foreign transaction fees, while others still charge them.

Finally, while AmEx no longer requires cardholders to inform them ahead of time if they will be travelling abroad, they still recommend “keeping your contact information updated in case we need to contact you while you’re away” and “downloading the Amex mobile app to conveniently manage your account on the go.”

READ MORE: Brits, Americans or Germans – who visits France the most?

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