September in Provence: What's on and weather

September is when the heat in Provence begins to let up. Average temperatures generally sit around 20ºC, with a low of 15ºC in the evenings and a high of 24ºC during the day. It does tend to be a little wetter than previous months, so there is a chance of a shower. Sunrise around 07:15 and sunset after 19:30. This is a much pleasanter time to be in the area, especially as the families have gone home and things are quiet.

Live music
Jazz à Saint Rémy is back. You'll be able to enjoy jazz and swing in an outdoor festival setting. There will also be 'apéros swing' every afternoon and a photography exhibition.

Also, if that's not enough or classical is more your thing, the Liszt en Provence Festival, which takes place in Uchaux, will see pieces by Liszt, Mozart, Mussorgsky and Rossini.

Local culture
Take a visit to a traditional French village festival with the Fête du Romerage, you can enjoy the religious parade, folk dancing and music, and a shared Italian meal at the end.

And if you want more, check out the local listings for what's on for the European Heritage Days. This annual weekend celebrating French heritage will see various venues open their doors to the public on the increasingly popular event.

Trail running
This is a trail race event around the mountain of the Alpes Maritimes. The Trail des Alpes Maritimes holds two main races and a few children's ones also. You can simply support the runners and watch the finishers if it looks a little too much like hard work.

Markets
There are plenty of open-air markets still running across the region in all the major towns and cities. From flower markets to antiques, local produce and pottery, they take place literally on every day of the week. 

Guided tours
You'll find guided tours in English taking place throughout September, across Provence. Whether you're looking to discover some of the secrets behind the region's best tourist attractions or a hiking adventure into nature, you'll find something suitable. 

Food and gastronomy in Provence play a tremendous part in the culture and daily life, from the fresh seafood markets to the abundance of locally grown fruit and vegetables.

This huge Mediterranean region is widely renowned to offer healthy, flavoursome and colourful cuisine, as well as traditional dishes; take a look a some of Provence's local dishes with our guides.