The Loire Valley in central France is one of the country's main tourist destinations. Even in winter, visitors can enjoy the best the region has to offer, from world-class wine and delicious cuisine to cycling along the river and hiking in the countryside.
What's The Weather Like In Loire Valley In January
Temperature
With an average temperature of 4°C, January, together with December, may be the coldest month of the year, but the weather in general is still quite nice, relatively speaking. The mercury ranges around freezing during the night, but tends to climb to an average high of 7°C in the afternoons. These low and high averages remain basically constant throughout the whole month. The first days of January are typically among the coldest of the year.
Sunshine Hours
After December, the "darkest" month, January sees the length of the days steadily increase. The day length increases from 8.34 hours of daylight on January 1 to 9.32 daylight hours on January 31.
Cloud cover is at its annual maximum during this mid-winter montht ranges between 85% and 88% and tends to decrease, albeit minimally, toward the end of the month.
Because of these still-short days and high cloud cover, January doesn't receive too much sunshine, especially not when compared to summer months such as July and August. There are 3 hours of sunshine per day on average this time of year, a number that's also recorded in November and December.
Rain
In terms of rainfall, which is essentially constant all-year long, ranging between 44mm and 64mm, January can be considered to be the average month. The total amount of 54mm is spread out over 15 days with rainfall.
Visitors may expect to see some precipitation one day out of two, in other words. The probability that rainfall occurs is 59% and doesn't vary much in the course of the month. When visiting the Loire Valley in January, you are most likely to experience moderate rain, which occurs on no less than 62% of the days with rainfall. Light rain and drizzle are far less likely, respectively happening on 16% and 12% of those days. Snowfall is quite rare, observed on merely 4% of the 15 days with precipitation.
Loire Valley Hotels In January
Hôtel Les Jardins de Beauval
During your visit to the Loire Valley in January, consider staying at the three-star Hôtel Les Jardins de Beauval in Saint-Aignan. It is located only 500 metres from the popular ZooParc and boasts 112 spacious rooms, which are spread out across 4 different pavilions that are set within lush Mediterranean gardens. Amenities are exceptional and plentiful, including a bar and restaurant, outdoor pool, spa with saunas and Turkish baths, free Wi-Fi and shops.
Hostellerie et Résidence du Château
Another three-star accommodation that's suggested is located in Saint-Pere-sur-Loire. Hostellerie et Résidence du Château. Beautifully set on the banks of the scenic Loire River near the Château de Sully-sur-Loire, this welcoming inn has 42 rooms in two different buildings. This is a great place to base yourself and to explore the region, boasting a restaurant and brasserie, meeting rooms, and an area with billiards and bowling alley.
Bars And Restaurants
Auberge de Vienne
The region is dotted with fantastic eateries. One of those is Auberge de Vienne in Vienne-en-Val. This cosy establishment has a fine à la carte menu and a rather long wine listhe house sommelier can help you find the perfect wine to complement your meal.
Château de Rochecotte
Of course, when visiting the Loire Valley, you'll want to have dinner in an actual château. You can do so at Château de Rochecotte. Surrounded by beautiful gardens, this is a superb setting for a meal. Its menu is refined and extensive, the food delicious.
Things To Do In Loire Valley In January
Chartres Cathedral
If you find the average afternoon temperature of 7°C too low to spend most of your time outside, consider visiting one of the region's major cultural attractions: Chartres Cathedral. Dominating the historic heart of medieval Chartres, in the north of the Loire Valley, Chartres Cathedral is amazingly well preservedts design and details are original. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this has been a hugely popular pilgrim's destination since the Middle Ages, its interior no less impressive than its massive exterior and monumental appearance.
While the cathedral is the absolute main attraction in Chartres, there is, in fact, much more to this charming historic city. This medieval town is dotted with beautiful, old stone and half-timbered houses, old bridges and old churches. When you're done visiting the cathedral, spend some time wandering the historic streetsr hopping on the white tourist train that runs through the historic heart of town. If the weather is good, you can also go pedal boating, kayaking or canoeing on the Eure River. Additionally, there are many excellent restaurants serving local cuisine, as well as craft shops, such as glassblowers, cabinet makers and perfumers, which is something the region is famous for.
