Are you wondering what outfits to pack for a winter trip to the South of France? While the region gets very hot in summer, a trip during January or February is a different story. As it happens, I’ve just returned from spending one fantastic week in Nice in January and am sharing my complete packing list below.

For seven days my husband and I skipped around to many different towns in the region, from the colorful harbor of Menton to the hilltop hamlet of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. There were days where we’d do a little afternoon hiking, but later dress up to dine at an upscale restaurant. Basically, we needed to have clothes available for a variety of scenarios.

While packing for winter brings its own challenges, I didn’t find this season as tricky to prepare for as fall. This is due to the fact that the January weather was basically the same every day: chilly and sunny, save for one partly cloudy day. This made it easier to plan what clothes to bring.

Without further ado, I am sharing the perfect South of France winter packing list based on what I actually packed and found useful during my own trip.

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The Perfect South of France Winter Outfits + Packing List

While I usually try to fit everything into one carry-on bag, for this trip my winter clothing was a little too bulky. Therefore, my husband and I ended up splitting one carry-on and one bigger suitcase.

We have a credit card that allows us to check a bag for free, so it was no extra expense to have this extra space. I am also finding that more and more, airlines with limited overhead bin space are making people check bags anyhow. We indeed ended up having to check both of our bags to Nice, but thankfully they arrived as scheduled!

Here are all the items I packed for the South France, from winter outfits to essentials you shouldn’t forget.

South of France Packing List Essentials:

Below are the nonnegotiable items to pack when visiting the South of France:

• Passport
• Copy of passport to keep on your person. I like to keep my actual passport locked in my hotel room to avoid it being lost or stolen. Even a phone screenshot is better than nothing.
• Global Entry card (make sure it won’t expire during your trip like mine did!)
• Boarding pass (be sure it reflects TSA PreCheck if you have it)
• Credit cards: I like to bring one Visa and one Mastercard when traveling internationally. We also have an AMEX we like, but many places in France would not accept it.
• ATM card: You generally won’t need much cash when traveling in the South of France, unless you’re really planning to get off the beaten path. Withdrawing about €100 upon arrival will ensure you have cash for small purchases at markets and cafés, as well as for tips. You can always take out more if needed.
• Face masks: While optional at this point, let’s face it – winter is flu season and a face covering can help prevent contracting (or spreading) an illness during travel.

Good to know: Starting in the first half of 2025, Americans will need a visa to enter France and other European countries.

Winter Outfits for the South of France

Planning winter outfits to wear in the South of France doesn’t have to be difficult. Obviously, you want to look stylish when going to nice restaurants in cities like Nice and Cannes, but it makes sense to dress comfortably for daytime exploring. After several visits, here are my best tips when considering what to wear during January or February in the French Riviera:

• Bring Layers: Temperatures are rather mild in the South of France during winter compared to other parts of the world (average highs around 55°F (13°C) and lows around 42°F (6°C). Don’t come expecting snow, as you’re more likely to get sun every day. Mornings and evenings can be cold and require a warm winter coat, but sunny afternoons might only necessitate a light jacket.
• For wet weather: Although not as rainy as fall (1.9 inches vs 3.2 inches), it’s still possible to get at least one rainy day during a winter trip to the South of France. Rain wasn’t in the 10-day forecast the day before our trip, so we didn’t bother bringing an umbrella and raincoat and were fine. However, it never hurts to pack rain gear if you have the space.
• Packing bulky items: Coats can be difficult to fit into carry-on luggage. Therefore, I’d advise simply wearing them on the plane if you are lacking space (you can always take them off during your flight).
• Channel the Locals: If you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb, remember that the French have a more subdued style and tend to wear timeless classics in basic colors. No one wears the attention-grabbing outfits that you see in Emily in Paris. That said, the French are generally better dressed than Americans, and you won’t see them heading out to cafés in yoga pants.

Winter Clothing I Packed for 7 Days in the French Riviera

• Knit winter hat
• Black gloves
• Fuzzy dark blue zip-up fleece
• Black and white houndstooth wool winter coat
• 1 pashmina scarf
• Sunglasses
• 2 sweaters (one white, one purple)
• 1 long-sleeve lounge shirt
• 1 pair of lounge pants
• 2 pairs of jeans
• 10 pairs of underwear
• 7 pairs of warm wool-type socks
• 8 pairs of regular socks
• 1 pair of black tights
• 7 tank tops for sleeping
• 2 pairs of pajama shorts
• 3 regular bras
• 1 sports bra (for hiking)
• 1 long-sleeve athletic top (for hiking)
• 1 pair of athletic bottoms (for hiking)
• 4 T-shirts
• 1 long-sleeve black and white polka dot blouse
• 1 black 3/4-length sleeve knit top
• 3 casual long-sleeve tops
• 1 long-sleeve flowy midnight blue dress
• 2 bracelets
• 2 necklaces
• 2 pairs of earrings (1 pair studs, 1 pair small hoops)

Footwear for the South of France

I packed three pairs of shoes for this trip, which is not the norm for me since I usually can only squeeze two in my carry-on. Here’s what I brought:

• 1 pair of tennis shoes to wearing hiking and exploring
• 1 pair of beige dress shoes to wear out to dinner
• 1 pair of black winter boots
• Shoe inserts for those of us who need arch supports

If you want to blend in with the locals, try to keep shoes neutral. White sneakers and black or beige dress shoes work nicely. I brought black running shoes for daily explorations since that is what I already owned.

Personal Care Items

Below are all the essentials you’ll need for personal care when packing for the French Riviera or elsewhere in the South of France. If you aren’t checking luggage, you will be limited to a 1-quart bag with up to 3.4 oz. each for liquids, gels, and aerosols.

To comply with this, I often use small reusable containers for shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. However, if you aren’t picky, hotels and vacation rentals usually provide these items for free. For things like face wash and shave gel, I try to find samples sizes to purchase from stores like Target, Sephora, and Ulta Beauty.

Pack in Your Carry-on

• Face sheet masks
• Eye sheet masks (I like brightening ones with caffeine)
• Wide toothed comb
• Dental floss
• Toothbrush
• Deodorant
• Cream blush
• Black eyeliner
• Hair ties
• Cotton balls
• Q-tips
• Eyelash curler
• Pads/tampons
• Razor
• Nighttime braces and such (ie. I wear foot braces to bed, but you may need things like a mouth guard or retainer)

Pack in a Separate 1-Quart Liquids Bag

• Toothpaste
• Eye makeup remover (consider bringing wipes instead to save space in liquids bag)
• Perfume
• Mascara
• Sunscreen with skin tint
• Face wash
• Moisturizer
• Eye cream
• Under eye concealer
• Hand lotion
• Shave gel
• Vitamin C serum
• Hand sanitizer

If it is still difficult to squeeze the above items into a small 1-quart bag, see if you can share anything with your travel companions (if applicable). My husband always seems to have extra space and we can both use the same toothpaste.

Additionally, some airlines have become more lenient with hand sanitizer in recent years. Therefore, you might be able to pack a small container outside of your normal liquids bag.

Medications

It’s critical to continue taking care of your health while traveling; the last thing you need is downtime in your Nice hotel nursing an ailment. I’ve actually caught some sort of stomach bug in France twice now, including this most recent time, so it does happen!

Minimize interrupting your adventures for medical reasons by staying prepared. This includes daily prescriptions and preventative items, just in case.

• Prescription meds
• Advil or other pain reliever
• Band-aids
• Neosporin
• Vitamins (keep that immunity high while traveling)
• Probiotic in case of upset stomach

Electronics

These days, it’s hard to imagine anyone traveling without at least some sort of electronic device. For example, you’ll definitely want your cell phone for communication, if not also for navigation and photos.

Even though international flights usually have decent entertainment, I still like to download a few Netflix shows to my iPad. I also prefer to bring my Sony A6000 camera for high quality photos.

• Cell phone
• Phone charger
• iPad
• iPad charger (may be same as phone)
• Portable USB charger
• Universal travel adapter/converter (the outlets in Europe are a different shape and voltage than in the USA)
• Camera
• Camera lens
• Camera charger
• Hair wand for curls (or curling iron)

Other South of France Packing List Necessities

Below are some other miscellaneous items you will want for your South of France trip. I know I was glad to have the following:

• Printed copies of itinerary, entry tickets, addresses for lodging
• Small cross-body purse
• Any unused euros from prior trips
• Reusable water bottle (insulated is ideal – be sure to fill up before boarding your flight!)
• Under-the-seat-bag for plane
• Cell phone tripod
• Headphones
• Pen
• Alcohol wipes for airport and plane (surfaces can be dirty)
• Books
• Snacks for plane. I really don’t like plane food, so I often bring granola bars from home and purchase sandwiches in the airport

Items to Leave at Home When Packing for the South of France

Don’t bother bringing the below items, which are supplied by your hotel or will otherwise take up extra space. You can always buy the below products as needed in Nice or elsewhere.

• Hair Dryer: Normally I don’t pack a hair dryer, but in France my tune may be changing. Technically, everywhere I’ve stayed in the South of France has had a hair dryer, but most of them are so awful I avoid using them.
• Towels: All hotels and Airbnb’s have bath towels. Unless you are from a Nordic country and enjoy swimming in very cold water (this really is a thing!) I expect you won’t need a beach towel.
• Sunscreen for body: You’ll mostly be covered up in winter, but sunscreen for your body can easily be purchased at a pharmacy if you need it.
• Bug spray: Mosquitos were not a factor during our winter trip.

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Now you are all set to start planning winter outfits to pack for the South of France that will allow you to blend in while staying comfortable. All you have to worry about now is buying train tickets and deciding which charming villages to visit (after getting that much-desired passport stamp!).

Planning a trip to the South of France? Then make sure to join my Facebook group for the best tips, places, and hotels on the French Riviera.