Climate guide for Saint-Malo, France

Best Time to Visit
Saint-Malo

How to read the score (0–10)
05810
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01 · France

About Saint-Malo

Saint-Malo's ramparts enclose a rebuilt corsair town of granite houses, with the beaches and forts tracing its maritime past. The tides here are among Europe's largest, and the islands of Cézembre and Grand Bé can be walked at low water. May to September is the beach season; the Route du Rhum fills November, and winter brings storms and empty ramparts.

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Did you know?

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Travel Tips

01Best time & timing
Climate scores swing from 1.7/10 in November to 8.0/10 in July; the safest picks are July, August, June.
02Weather & what to pack
Expect around 19°C and 38 mm of rain in July, with roughly 24 bright days. Pack light clothing, swimwear and strong sun protection.
03Crowds & value
Peak-season pricing concentrates in July. For better value, June scores 7.2/10 at lower-season rates.

Things to do in Saint-Malo

Saint-Malo, France. Live activities and tours from GetYourGuide, matched to this destination.

When to visit Saint-Malo: the short answer

The best time to visit Saint-Malo is July, followed by August, June. Those months combine the most usable temperatures with the fewest lost days to rain: July averages 19°C with 38 mm of rain and about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine. The months to avoid unless you have a specific reason are November, January.

Across the year Saint-Malo swings from 6°C in January to 20°C in August, a 14-degree spread, while rainfall ranges from 38 mm in July to 90 mm in November. That is the whole planning problem in one sentence: Saint-Malo is not equally good year-round, and the difference between the best and worst month here is 6.3 points on a 10-point scale.

Warmest month: August (20°C). Coolest: January (6°C). Driest: July (38 mm). Wettest: November (90 mm).

Saint-Malo month by month

January in Saint-Malo — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 2.1/10

January averages 6°C (43°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 65 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.5 hours of daylight.

It scores 2.1/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 8/10 in the destination's best month.

Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

Flexible dates? July scores 5.9 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

February in Saint-Malo — off-season conditions

Hardest · 2.7/10

February averages 8°C (46°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Expect 41 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 9.9 daylight hours.

It scores 2.7/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 8/10 in the destination's best month.

Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.

Flexible dates? July scores 5.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

March in Saint-Malo — off-season conditions

Hardest · 3.3/10

Expect 9°C (48°F) in March. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.

Budget for roughly 52 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 5 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 11.6 hours of daylight to work around it.

That is 3.3/10 on the same scale — 7th of 12 months, versus 8/10 for the best month here.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Saint-Malo — 4.7 points higher on the same scale.

April in Saint-Malo — middling scores, decent value

Trade-offs · 5.2/10

April averages 11°C (51°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Expect 45 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 16 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 13.4 daylight hours.

It scores 5.2/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 8/10 in the destination's best month.

Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in.

Flexible dates? July scores 2.8 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

May in Saint-Malo — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 6/10

Temperatures hover around 15°C (58°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.

With around 42 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 25 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15 hours of daylight fill the rest.

That is 6/10 on the same scale — 4th of 12 months, versus 8/10 for the best month here.

Budget for mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Saint-Malo — 2 points higher on the same scale.

June in Saint-Malo: strong conditions, 3rd of 12

Good · 7.2/10

June averages 18°C (64°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 49 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.9 hours of daylight.

It scores 7.2/10 here, 3rd of 12 months, against 8/10 in the destination's best month.

Plan for mid-season pricing, with crowds are moderate.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

July in Saint-Malo — the year's strongest window

Best window · 8/10

July averages 19°C (67°F) — warm enough for beach and boat plans, still short of the heat that pushes sightseeing into early morning.

Expect 38 mm of rain — occasional showers rather than washed-out days — alongside about 24 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 15.5 daylight hours.

On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Saint-Malo at 8/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Figure on peak pricing, with this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack light clothing, swimwear and real sun protection.

August holds up well in Saint-Malo — 2nd best month

Good · 8/10

With 20°C (68°F) on average, August delivers classic beach weather: plenty of time in the water, with beach and boat plans rarely disrupted by cold.

With around 41 mm of rain, any showers tend to pass through rather than settle in; about 20 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 14.2 hours of daylight fill the rest.

That is 8/10 on the same scale — 2nd of 12 months, versus 8/10 for the best month here.

Budget for peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack light clothing, swimwear and real sun protection.

September in Saint-Malo: expect compromises

Hardest · 4.8/10

Temperatures hover around 18°C (64°F) — the kind of month where neither heat nor cold forces the schedule.

Budget for roughly 64 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with about 8 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 12.3 hours of daylight to work around it.

That is 4.8/10 on the same scale — 6th of 12 months, versus 8/10 for the best month here.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Saint-Malo — 3.2 points higher on the same scale.

October in Saint-Malo — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 2.4/10

October averages 15°C (59°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 69 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 1 days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 10.5 hours of daylight.

It scores 2.4/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 8/10 in the destination's best month.

Plan for low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

Flexible dates? July scores 5.6 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

November in Saint-Malo: expect compromises

Hardest · 1.7/10

November averages 10°C (51°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 90 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.9 hours of daylight.

It scores 1.7/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 8/10 in the destination's best month.

Figure on low-season pricing, with crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

Flexible dates? July scores 6.3 points higher here — enough to change the trip.

December in Saint-Malo — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 2.2/10

Expect 7°C (45°F) in December. A good month for city streets, viewpoints and long meals; leave swimming for another season.

Budget for roughly 61 mm of rain this month — a flexible day or two helps — with almost no days with 6+ hours of sunshine and 8.1 hours of daylight to work around it.

That is 2.2/10 on the same scale — 10th of 12 months, versus 8/10 for the best month here.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, July is materially better in Saint-Malo — 5.8 points higher on the same scale.

FAQ

Frequently asked

When is the best time to visit Saint-Malo, France?
In Ideal Weather mode, the best months to visit Saint-Malo are July, August. July is the single peak month with an Ideal Weather score of 8.0/10 based on temperature, rainfall, humidity, daylight and days with 6+ hours of sunshine.
What is the weather like in Saint-Malo year-round?
Saint-Malo has a climate profile suited to beach and coastal travel. Average monthly temperatures range from 6°C in January to 20°C in August, with Ideal Weather scores between 1.7 and 8.0 out of 10.
Which months should I avoid in Saint-Malo?
The lowest Ideal Weather-scoring months in Saint-Malo are November (1.7/10), January (2.1/10), December (2.2/10). These months typically combine less comfortable temperatures, higher rainfall or fewer days with 6+ hours of sunshine.
When is the rainy season in Saint-Malo?
November is the wettest month in Saint-Malo, averaging about 90 mm of rainfall. July is the driest, at roughly 38 mm.
Which is the sunniest month in Saint-Malo?
June sees the most sun in Saint-Malo, with about 27 days with 6+ hours of sunshine on average - ideal for outdoor plans.
Is Saint-Malo a good destination for beach and coastal travel?
Saint-Malo is well suited to beach and coastal travel. Its highest Ideal Weather window (July, August) aligns with the conditions travelers usually look for in this style of trip.
How is the bestime.to score for Saint-Malo calculated?
Each month receives an Ideal Weather score from 0-10 using ERA5 climate normals for Saint-Malo: temperature comfort, precipitation, humidity, daylight hours, and days with 6+ hours of sunshine - weighted for beach and coastal travel.

Climate data: Open-Meteo ERA5 historical archive, the five most recent complete years (2021–2025). Scores are monthly averages for that window, not forecasts, and short-window precipitation can differ from longer-term normals. “Sunny days” count days with at least 6 hours of measured sunshine — they are not dry days.

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