October is the first month that fully falls in autumn in the Loire Valley in France. This is one of the most beautiful months of the whole year, the leaves of trees and other wooded plants bursting out in the warmest of colours. With crisp and revitalising morning air, this is a great time to head out and see this stunning region on a bicycle or on foot.
What's The Weather Like In Loire Valley In October
Temperature
The average temperature is now 12°C, which is a three-degree drop since September, but still fairly comfortable. Especially the afternoons remain pleasant with average temperatures around 16°C. Nights get chilly, though, with an average low temperature of 7°C. These average temperatures tend to decrease in the course of the month, by about three to four degrees each.
Sunshine Hours
The day length also continues to decrease. With 11.40 hours of daylight, 1st October is the month's longest day. 31st October is the shortest day and has 10.01 daylight hours left. This means that each day is 3.2 minutes shorter than the previous one.
Cloud cover increases drastically throughout this month, from 63% in the beginning to 77% at the end. As the sky gets gradually cloudier and the day length decreases, the days get progressively less sunny. There are 5 hours of sunshine per day on average in October, 2 hours fewer than in the month before. The following monthsa href="http://www.holiday-weather.com/loire_valley_/averages/november">November, December, January and Februaryill be less sunny still.
Rain
As cloud cover rises, so does the chance of rainfall. The total amount of rainfall this month is 56mm, which is spread out over 10 days with rainfallhis is, in fact, the lowest number of rainy days in any month in the year.
The most common rainfall type is moderate rain, by far, which occurs on 69% of those 10 days with rainfall. The second most common type, light rain, is observed on merely 15% of those wet days.
If you're looking to visit the Loire Valley in the near future, make sure to check out the weather forecast for the region.
Loire Valley Hotels In October
Relais des Trois Châteaux
Located on the edge of the Sologne, the magnificent Relais des Trois Châteaux is a 36-room hotel in the quiet village of Cour-Cheverny, merely 800 metres from the Château of Cheverny. Its location is perfect for exploring this stunning French regionost of the châteaux lie within 30 kilometres of the hotel. There are plenty of facilities and services to make your stay as pleasant as possible, including a fine restaurant, a bar, a bicycle rental service, room service, free Wi-Fi, a TV lounge, private car parking and a terrace.
Le Haut des Lys
Another recommended place to stay is Le Haut des Lys, a three-star hotel in Villandry with 20 bedrooms. Housed in a large building surrounded by lawns and gardens, this makes for an ideal base to explore the region in October. Facilities include a car park, a spa, a bicycle garage, and a bar and lounge.
Hostellerie du Château
For an affordable stay within easy distance from the region's iconic châteaux, consider staying at the three-star Hostellerie du Château. Located in the small village of Chaumont-sur-Loire in the middle between Chenonceaux, Blois, Amboise and Chambord, this is a superb base for anyone wanting to visit the region's spectacular châteauxhich is the absolute main thing to do. Amenities include a restaurant, swimming pool, garden, terrace, shops and library.
Bars And Restaurants
Hôtel Restaurant Auberge du Centre
Hôtel Restaurant Auberge du Centre is situated close to many of the most spectacular castles in the Loire Valley. Run by a talented chef, this country restaurant serves delicious gourmet food, typical of this beautiful region and made with fresh local produce. The menu features everything from puff pastries with snails and oyster mushrooms to cod steak and saddle of lamb.
Le Relais Chenonceaux
Le Relais Chenonceaux is another suggested hotel-restaurant. Its restaurant features a rustic dining room with a cosy fireplace and wooden beams. It serves traditional French cuisine. You can also go for a snackhe crèperie is amazing.
Relais de la Mothe
Relais de la Mothe is yet another charming hotel with a restaurant. This restaurant calls itself semi-gastronomic and serves food that's prepared with seasonally available produce. Try its specialties, such as roast duck breast, mushroom risotto, red mullet barbecue à la plancha or Saint-Jacques scallops.
Things To Do In Loire Valley In October
Château de Blois
The main highlight in the medieval town of Blois, which is filled with bustling streets, taverns and brasseries, and pretty squares, is the phenomenal Château de Blois. Unlike other châteaux in the Loire Valley, which are set amid beautiful gardens or along the Loire River, this particular castle stands in the heart of the town of Blois.
It used to be the residence of a number of old French monarchs (7 kings and 10 queens), as well as the place where Joan of Arc was blessed by the Archbishop of Reims before she set out with her army to beat the English in Orléans. This striking building has no fewer than 564 rooms, each with a fireplace. The castle is open to the public every day of the year, with the exception of Christmas and New Year's Days.
Gardens/Parks
October with its crisp autumn mornings is a downright spectacular season in this green region. This month, the trees and shrubs in the Loire Valley's numerous parks, gardens and forests change colour, painting the landscape in the warmest of tints. In addition to the renowned gardens of the châteaux, there are a large number of smaller parks and gardens that you can visit. Consider, for example, the manicured gardens in Descartes, a tiny village that was the home ofndeedhe philosopher René Descartes.
