Marseille vs Nice: which is sunnier?
🇫🇷 France vs 🇫🇷 France · 163 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Marseille is the sunnier overall: about 2,885 hours of sunshine a year to Nice's 2,722. Marseille has the higher Sunshine Score in 4 of 12 months, Nice in 2 (6 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Marseille | Nice | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 2,885 | 2,722 |
| Sunniest month | July (93/100) | July (92/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 32/100 | 36/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 92/100 | 91/100 |
| Rain / year | 532 mm | 682 mm |
| Warmest sea | 23°C / 73°F | 27°C / 81°F |
| Peak midday UV | 8 (very high) | 8 (very high) |
Marseille vs Nice month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | Sea °C | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marseille | Nice | Marseille | Nice | Marseille | Nice | Marseille | Nice | |
| January | 22 | 28 | 11° | 12° | 45 | 55 | 14° | 15° |
| February | 30 | 28 | 12° | 12° | 35 | 53 | 14° | 14° |
| March | 52 | 42 | 15° | 14° | 38 | 62 | 14° | 14° |
| April | 73 | 56 | 18° | 16° | 47 | 56 | 14° | 16° |
| May | 88 | 79 | 22° | 19° | 43 | 48 | 17° | 19° |
| June | 91 | 90 | 27° | 23° | 28 | 29 | 21° | 22° |
| July | 93 | 92 | 30° | 26° | 16 | 17 | 22° | 26° |
| August | 92 | 91 | 29° | 26° | 21 | 23 | 23° | 27° |
| September | 86 | 86 | 25° | 23° | 54 | 47 | 22° | 24° |
| October | 83 | 79 | 21° | 20° | 73 | 88 | 20° | 21° |
| November | 47 | 48 | 15° | 16° | 87 | 123 | 17° | 18° |
| December | 29 | 40 | 12° | 14° | 45 | 81 | 15° | 16° |
The sunnier month by month: Jan Nice · Feb even · Mar Marseille · Apr Marseille · May Marseille · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep even · Oct Marseille · Nov even · Dec Nice.
When to pick which
- November–February: Nice (average score 36/100 vs 32). Daytime highs are similar (13°C vs 14°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Marseille (average score 71/100 vs 59). Marseille is the warmer, around 18°C daytime highs vs 16°C.
- June–August: too close to call — Marseille averages 92/100, Nice 91/100. Marseille is the warmer, around 29°C daytime highs vs 25°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Marseille averages 85/100, Nice 83/100. Daytime highs are similar (23°C vs 22°C).
Sea temperature
Nice's sea gets warmer: 27°C / 81°F at its peak vs 23°C. Swimmable water (21°C+): Marseille about 4 months a year, Nice about 5 months a year. Month-by-month sea temperatures are in the table above.
Full month-by-month guides: Marseille weather by month · Nice weather by month · Best time to visit France.
More comparisons: Marseille vs Toulon · Marseille vs Montpellier/Méditerranée · Nice vs Genoa · Nice vs Toulon · all head-to-heads