What's the best time to visit France's wine country?

Question

I'm looking to go sometime in the next year. Flights look cheapest in January, but will it be too cold to enjoy wine country (Bordeaux)? What are the cold temperatures in France? I'm currently fairly open on travel time and am looking for the best combination of inexpensive without being so off-season that it's no fun, but some places are shut down off-season and some are kind of wonderful because you get no crowds and people are happy that you're there when they have no business. We're also looking to visit Paris. Any issues with January there?

Answer 1

January is the dead of winter in France. Almost all of it, except the Mediterranean coast in the south, will be cold and gray and probably wet. Expect highs in the single digits (Celsius). Dress in layers.

From a tourism perspective, any of the wine regions including  Bordeaux will be dead, dead, dead that time of year. No festivals, no winery tours, nothing.

On the upside, travel will be cheap, and you won't have any problems finding a hotel room or a table at a nice restaurant.

Paris is Paris all year long, so don't worry about finding things to do there. You'll also be able to take advantage of the semi-annual "soldes"--big sales that run for a few weeks in January and February.

For travel outside of Paris, your sweet spot is usually about right now--April/May--or in the fall--September/October. That's not the super-expensive, super-crowded high season of summer, but many of the sights will be on their extended hours calendar and there are starting to be some festivals and events.

Answer 2

Noon !

...and stay all day.

Answer 3

I'd go sometime in the fall, since that's when they harvest the grapes.

Answer 4

Bordeaux isn't (the) wine country.  Anything south of the river Loire is wine country.  And some north if you include Champagne.  My choice would be Dijon (Burgundy) in September.  A far more interesting town than Bordeaux.

As has already been said, Paris is Paris any time of year.  If it has to be January then the only wine place you won't freeze is the southwest Med coast.