Month guide · Marseille · France
Marseille in December
What December is really like in Marseille: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
December is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 12°C (54°F), lows of 4°C (39°F), about 5 rainy days and roughly 9 hours of daylight. Cool and bright with festive lights; a good time for museums and Provençal Christmas traditions.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 12°C (54°F) / 4°C (39°F)
- Rainy days
- About 5
- Daylight
- About 9 hours
- Sea temperature
- 14°C (57°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the coolest month in Marseille: days average 12°C (54°F) against a yearly average high of 20°C (68°F), and nights fall to about 4°C (39°F). Rain falls on roughly 5 of its 31 days. Compared with November (15°C (59°F)), December is cooler; by January highs stay near 12°C (54°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 08:04
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 17:04
- Daylight
- About 9 hours
- Sea
- 14°C (57°F)
Winter (December–February). Cool, bright and windy, with few visitors, santon fairs in December and sea-urchin season on the coast.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 2 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- Foire aux santons continues (usually until late December)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Market · Cours Julien and Noailles
Noailles and the Marché des Capucins
Marseille's most cosmopolitan market district fills the streets around Place des Capucins and Rue Longue des Capucins with fruit and vegetable stalls, spice merchants, North African bakeries, butchers and kitchenware shops.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Free
Street · Cours Julien and Noailles
Cours Julien
Explore the side streets such as Rue des Trois Rois and the stairs down to Rue d'Aubagne for the densest street art.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- After dark
- Food
Religious site · Vieux-Port
Notre-Dame de la Garde
The neo-Byzantine basilica on a 149-metre limestone hill is crowned by a gilded statue of the Virgin and Child, known to locals as la Bonne Mère.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
Museum · La Joliette
MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean
Even without a museum ticket, cross the footbridge to the fort for sunset views; the rooftop terrace has a café.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- Rainy day
- History
What to pack
For highs near 12°C, lows near 4°C and 5 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit Marseille?
A quieter month with trade-offs, with a notable event on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, May–June and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Marseille in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Marseille?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Cool and bright with festive lights; a good time for museums and Provençal Christmas traditions.
+How warm is Marseille in December?
Average highs are around 12°C (54°F) and lows around 4°C (39°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Marseille in December?
Expect rain on about 5 days of the month.