Last and first frost dates in Lille
France
In Lille the last spring frost usually comes around 8 April and the first autumn frost around 21 November, which leaves about 227 frost-free days (median of 2016–2025). Tomato seedlings can go into open ground from 16 May to 1 August.
Your location is not available. Pick your city from the list below.
| Last spring frost | around 8 April |
|---|---|
| First autumn frost | around 21 November |
| Frost-free days | 227 days |
Median of 2016–2025 for the 25 km grid cell of the city: the last day at or below 0 °C in spring and the first in autumn (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo). In a cold year a frost can come a week or two later — Greenly warns 48 hours ahead.
When is the last frost in Lille?
The last frost in Lille usually comes around 8 April: that is the median of 2016–2025, so in about half of those years the last night at or below 0 °C came later. Hardy crops start before it and frost-tender ones only after it: in the table below arugula can go into open ground from 18 March, while corn waits until 20 April. The first autumn frost follows around 21 November, about 227 days later: harvest or cover frost-tender crops before then.
When to sow and plant
| Crop | Sow for seedlings | Plant out in a greenhouse | Open ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achocha | 13 February – 13 August | 25 March – 22 September | 15 April – 22 September |
| Ageratum | from 28 February | — | from 16 May |
| Arugula | — | — | sow 18 March – 17 October |
| Basil | 13 April – 19 September | 21 May – 27 October | 11 June – 27 October |
| Beet | — | — | sow 18 March – 22 September |
| Bell Pepper | 22 March – 2 June | 21 May – 1 August | 11 June – 1 August |
| Black-eyed Susan | from 22 January | — | from 15 April |
| Bok Choy | 18 February – 30 September | 25 March – 4 November | 15 April – 4 November |
| Borage | — | — | sow 15 April – 27 September |
| Broad bean | — | — | sow 18 March – 13 August |
| Broccoli | — | — | sow 18 March – 6 August |
| Brussels Sprouts | 11 January – 4 July | 25 February – 18 August | 18 March – 18 August |
| Busy Lizzie | from 21 January | — | from 15 April |
| Cabbage | — | — | sow 18 March – 14 July |
| Calendula | — | — | sow from 18 March |
| Carrot | — | — | sow 18 March – 29 August |
| Cauliflower | 14 January – 6 August | 25 February – 17 September | 18 March – 17 September |
| Celeriac | 7 January – 3 June | 25 March – 19 August | 15 April – 19 August |
| Celery | 7 January – 13 June | 25 March – 29 August | 15 April – 29 August |
| Celosia | from 18 March | from 2 May | from 23 May |
| Chamomile | — | — | sow 18 March – 17 September |
| Chayote | 1 January – 27 May | 30 March – 23 August | 20 April – 23 August |
| Chickpea | — | — | sow 18 March – 3 August |
| Chicory | 31 January – 28 August | — | 18 March – 22 September |
| Chili Pepper | 22 March – 9 July | 21 May – 7 September | 11 June – 7 September |
| China aster | from 30 March | from 21 May | from 11 June |
| Chives | — | — | sow 18 March – 8 September |
| Cilantro | — | — | sow 18 March – 18 September |
| Corn | — | — | sow 20 April – 3 August |
| Corn poppy | — | — | sow from 18 March |
| Cosmos | from 18 March | from 2 May | from 23 May |
| Cucumber | 23 April – 9 August | 21 May – 6 September | 11 June – 6 September |
| Daikon | — | — | sow 18 March – 15 September |
| Delphinium | from 28 December | — | from 18 March |
| Dill | — | — | sow 18 March – 28 September |
| Edging lobelia | from 21 January | — | from 15 April |
| Eggplant | 22 March – 2 June | 21 May – 1 August | 11 June – 1 August |
| Florence fennel | 8 February – 13 August | 25 March – 27 September | 15 April – 27 September |
| Foxglove | from 10 December | — | from 18 March |
| Garden sorrel | — | — | sow 18 March – 16 September |
| Green Beans | — | — | sow 23 May – 11 August |
| Hollyhock | — | — | sow from 18 March |
| Hyssop | — | — | sow 18 March – 9 August |
| Kale | — | — | sow 18 March – 10 September |
| Kiwano | 24 March – 16 August | 25 April – 17 September | 16 May – 17 September |
| Kohlrabi | — | — | sow 18 March – 20 September |
| Leek | 17 December – 25 May | 25 February – 3 August | 18 March – 3 August |
| Lemon balm | — | — | sow 18 March – 12 September |
| Lettuce | — | — | sow 18 March – 25 September |
| Lisianthus | from 30 November | from 25 February | from 18 March |
| Lovage | — | — | sow from 18 March |
| Luffa | 9 April – 10 June | 21 May – 22 July | 11 June – 22 July |
| Marigold | from 11 February | from 25 March | from 15 April |
| Marjoram | 22 March – 28 August | — | 11 June – 27 October |
| Melon | 23 April – 27 July | 21 May – 24 August | 11 June – 24 August |
| Microgreens | — | — | sow 23 May – 7 November |
| Moringa | 6 April – 2 September | 31 May – 27 October | 21 June – 27 October |
| Moss rose | from 28 January | — | from 15 April |
| Mustard greens | — | — | sow 18 March – 7 October |
| Napa cabbage | 20 February – 7 September | 25 March – 10 October | 15 April – 10 October |
| Nasturtium | from 15 February | from 25 March | from 15 April |
| Okra | 9 April – 21 August | 21 May – 2 October | 11 June – 2 October |
| Oregano | 27 December – 18 August | 25 February – 17 October | 18 March – 17 October |
| Pansy | from 31 December | from 25 February | from 18 March |
| Parsley | — | — | sow 18 March – 6 September |
| Parsnip | — | — | sow 18 March – 26 July |
| Peanut | 14 April – 17 July | 21 May – 23 August | 11 June – 23 August |
| Peas | — | — | sow 18 March – 8 September |
| Petunia | from 19 March | from 21 May | from 11 June |
| Physalis | 11 March – 14 July | 25 April – 28 August | 16 May – 28 August |
| Pumpkin | 9 April – 15 June | 21 May – 27 July | 11 June – 27 July |
| Purple coneflower | from 25 December | — | from 18 March |
| Radish | — | — | sow 18 March – 22 October |
| Sage | 7 January – 14 August | 25 February – 2 October | 18 March – 2 October |
| Scarlet sage | from 4 March | — | from 16 May |
| Snapdragon | from 22 December | from 25 February | from 18 March |
| Soybean | — | — | sow 11 June – 2 September |
| Spinach | — | — | sow 18 March – 27 September |
| Stevia | 7 March – 5 July | 25 April – 23 August | 16 May – 23 August |
| Stock | — | — | sow from 18 March |
| Sunflower | — | — | sow from 23 May |
| Sweet alyssum | — | — | sow from 18 March |
| Sweet Corn | 14 March – 28 August | 5 April – 19 September | 26 April – 19 September |
| Sweet pea | from 14 January | from 25 February | from 18 March |
| Sweet William | — | — | sow from 18 March |
| Swiss Chard | — | — | sow 18 March – 22 September |
| Thyme | — | — | sow 18 March – 3 August |
| Tomato | 4 March – 10 June | 25 April – 1 August | 16 May – 1 August |
| Turnip | — | — | sow 18 March – 24 September |
| Watercress | — | — | sow 18 March – 5 October |
| Watermelon | 23 April – 15 July | 21 May – 12 August | 11 June – 12 August |
| Zinnia | from 26 April | from 31 May | from 21 June |
| Zucchini | 30 April – 14 August | 21 May – 4 September | 11 June – 4 September |
Planting out: a week after the last frost once the soil is warm enough for the crop; frost-hardy crops three weeks before it; an unheated greenhouse three weeks earlier. Seedlings are sown so they are ready on that day. Each window starts on the Greenly calendar date and ends on the last day that still leaves the crop’s days to harvest (from its card) before the average first autumn frost, plus six weeks of picking for crops harvested over weeks (tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, courgettes, pumpkins, watermelons, beans) — our rule; earlier in the window is safer.
When the soil warms up in Lille
The day the top 7 cm of soil first averages each temperature over a week, median of 2016–2025 (ERA5 via Open-Meteo). The soil reaches 10 °C 5 days before the last spring frost and 15 °C 38 days after it.
| Soil | Date | Against the last spring frost |
|---|---|---|
| 5 °C | already in the first week of January | — |
| 10 °C | 3 April | 5 days earlier |
| 15 °C | 16 May | 38 days later |
| 18 °C | 11 June | 64 days later |
Frost dates near Lille
Of the nearest cities on our list, the last spring frost ends earliest in Bruges (27 March) and latest in Ghent (12 April).
Seeds, seedlings and markets in Lille
Within 15 km of Lille OpenStreetMap lists 14 garden centres, 3 farm-supply shops, 4 plant nurseries, 20 markets and 33 farm shops (collected 20 October 2026). The nearest garden centre to the city centre is Botanic, 6 km away.
- Botanic — garden centre
Rue Louis Constant 1, 59491 Villeneuve-d'Ascq · Mon–Fri, Sun 09:30–19:00; Sat 09:00–19:00 · 6 km · lille.compagnonsdessaisons.com - ICKO Lille — farm supply
Rue de Lille 71, 59710 Avelin · 10 km - Les Halles — market
Tue–Sat 08:00–20:00; Sun 08:00–15:00 · 1 km · halles-wazemmes.com - Otera — farm shop
Rue Léon Gambetta 392, 59000 Lille · Mon–Sat 09:00–20:00; Sun 09:00–13:30 · 1 km · magasins.otera.fr - Jardiland — garden centre
Mon–Sun 09:30–19:00 · 6 km · jardiland.com - Marché de Wazemmes — market
Sun, Tue, Thu 07:00–15:00 · 1 km
Places: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
What to grow at home in winter in Lille
Frosts in Lille usually come from about 21 November to about 8 April. These plants have indoor care in their Greenly cards and are harvested quickly, so they can be sown on a windowsill in winter.
Lille: weather for the next 7 days
Forecast by Open-Meteo. Nights at or below 0 °C are marked as frost.
Weather in Lille by month
Average weather in Lille over 2016–2025: the warmest month is August. Months that average 20 °C or more by day: June–September (20.5–23.3 °C). No month averages below 0 °C at night; the coldest nights, in January, average 1.3 °C. About 775 mm of rain falls in a year, on 139 days; January is the wettest month (80 mm) and April the driest (45 mm).
| Month | Day, °C | Night, °C | Rain, mm | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.7 | 1.3 | 80 | 14 |
| February | 8.9 | 2.4 | 59 | 12 |
| March | 11.3 | 3.3 | 64 | 13 |
| April | 14.5 | 4.9 | 45 | 10 |
| May | 18.4 | 8.6 | 60 | 11 |
| June | 22.1 | 12.5 | 64 | 11 |
| July | 23.1 | 13.8 | 54 | 10 |
| August | 23.3 | 14.3 | 61 | 11 |
| September | 20.5 | 11.9 | 60 | 10 |
| October | 16 | 9.2 | 80 | 12 |
| November | 10.5 | 5 | 74 | 12 |
| December | 8.1 | 3 | 74 | 13 |
Average of the daily highs and lows, rain per month and days with at least 1 mm (ERA5 via Open-Meteo, the same grid cell as the frost dates).
Planted in autumn
| Crop | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Bearded Iris | by 22 October |
| Crocus | 22 October – end of December |
| Daffodil | 22 October – end of December |
| Garlic | 22 October – end of December |
| Grape hyacinth | by 22 October |
| Hellebore | by 22 October |
| Hyacinth | 22 October – end of December |
| Lily | by 22 October |
| Ornamental onion | by 22 October |
| Peony | by 22 October |
| Saffron | by 22 October |
| Snowdrop | by 22 October |
| Tulip | 22 October – end of December |
| Wild garlic | by 22 October |
From a month before the first autumn frost, so the roots grow before winter, to the late-planting limit on each crop’s page (about two weeks before the ground freezes, by ten years of weather).