What's the Weather like in Marseille in August
Marseille is a popular holiday destination due to its wealth of culture, rich history and, most important of all, the spectacular scenery of the historic centre, the lively docks, and the serene beachfront and coastline. Travellers aren't the only ones to acknowledge the city's delights, with Hollywood blockbusters such as Love, Actually, The Bourne Identity, and The Count of Monte Cristo all being filmed within Marseille.
Temperature
The midsummer heats continue throughout August, with very similar weather to that of July. That is, high temperatures and low rainfall. Lows average around 18°C, while highs can reach around 29°C, sometimes 30 and above. August the second-warmest month of the year, only very slightly cooler than July. It is undoubtedly one of the peak tourist months. The beginning of the month is the warmest time of year. Temperatures do decrease slightly as the month progresses, though. The sea temperature is at its annual high, averaging 22°C.
Rainfall
Rainfall does increase slightly, to around 30mm over the month, but this is still lower than the majority of the year. In fact, August is the third-driest month of them all, after July and June. There are only 5 days with precipitation. Although the chance that rainfall occurs increases from 16% to 20% in the course of the month, you should not expect to get very wet this time of yearith the exception of swimming in the Mediterranean Sea of course! Thunderstorms are the most common type of rainfall, occurring on 46% of the days with rainfall. Moderate rain happens on 35% of those days, while light rain is observed on 17% of those days.
Cloud Cover
As rainfall increases a tiny bit, so does cloud cover. The percentage of cloud cover climbs from 18% to 23%, which still means that the sky is mostly clear all-month long. August is also characterised by decreasing day length. August 1 is the longest day of the month; August 31 is the shortest. The day-to-day decrease is about 2.5 minutes.
Average Sunshine Hours
This, naturally, influences the amount of sunshine. However, August still enjoys 10 glorious sunshine hours per day on average, making it the second-sunniest month of the entire year.
Marseille Hotels in August
Hotel Marseille Centre Vieux Port
Situated conveniently close to the Old Port, the three-star Hotel Marseille Centre Vieux Port is managed by Best Western and offers great accommodation in a great location. It's affordable and features several wonderful facilities and services, such as daily breakfast, room service, free Wi-Fi and a business corner.
Beaches in Marseille for August
Although there are several nice beaches in and around central Marseille, it's the beaches of Cassis that are the most popular among sunbathers. Located about 20 kilometres southeast of the city, Plage de la Grande Mer is without question one of the area's greatest beaches. Boasting soft sand and crystal-clear water, backed by the colourful buildings of the pretty village of Cassis, this is definitely a recommended beach to check out in August, when the sea temperature is at its highest, 22°C.
Also in Cassis are the renowned Calanques, mini-fjords made up of sheer cliffs that drop into the azure sea. This rugged coastline is dotted with little, but gorgeous sand beaches, arguably the most romantic beaches in the region. The most well-known are Port Pin and d'En-Vau, two secluded beaches ideal for a quiet time under the sun.
Eating and Drinking Out
Marseille has many Irish themed pubs, but none is as famous as O'Brady's Irish Pub, the oldest Irish pub in the city. Ciders, beers, wines, cocktails, and, of course, pints of Guinness, are on offer here, along with some Irish favourites including stew and Guinness braised beef. However, the signature menu item here is the Irish tiramisu, which, with a twist on the traditional recipe, allegedly tastes like you are eating a glass full of Guinness.
Restaurant Passarelle is a popular Mediterranean restaurant in the heart of the Old Port district. With its beautiful garden, this recommended establishment grows many of its ingredients itself, guaranteeing the absolute freshest dishes.
Things to Do in Marseille in August
Although more frequently seen throughout Asia, Marseille is home to its very own tuk tuks! Tuk Tuk Marseille offers trips around the city in the famous three-wheeler vehicle, and the ride can even be combined with a 35-minute sightseeing boat trip from the historic Old Port. The cart ride itself takes passengers throughout the historic district, down the old cobbled streets of the centre, and close to many central hotels so it is easy to hop on and off wherever you like. This is great way to explore Marseille on a hot August day.
Take advantage of the 10 hours of sunshine per day and stroll around the Old Port, arguably Marseille's number one tourist attraction. This was where the city originated about 2,600 years ago and it has been the focal point of everything that matters ever since. There are several impressive old buildings to be seen and/or visited, while the ferry dock can take you to other places around the city, including gorgeous Calanques National Park.
