When is the best time to visit Paris?
“Paris is always a good idea,” Audrey Hepburn told us in the 1954 film, Sabrina. I may be biased, but of course, I agree. Winter, spring, summer or fall, there’s never a bad time to come to Paris, just better times for some travelers depending on your budget and what attractions you want to see.
The shoulder seasons, the period in the fall or early spring that’s wedged between high season and low season, might offer lower prices and decent weather, but this doesn’t always mean it’s the best season to go. “I would say that the best time to come to Paris depends on what you want to do,” said Heather Stimmler-Hall, editor of Secrets of Paris and author of “Naughty Paris: A Lady’s Guide to the Sexy City”.
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The Best time to visit Paris on your vacation
Depending on your priorities, budget travelers can win in any season. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of visiting Paris during the four seasons.
I love Paris in the springtime…
Visit in the spring (late March to May) for the Paris that people sing songs about. Sure it can be wet and icky, but once that sun starts to come out and play, Parisians are on a euphoric crash course for the summertime. All of the sins of winter are quickly forgotten.
You can push the picnic season with some wine along the Seine, or at least enjoy a comfortable evening on a café terrace. You can run the Paris Marathon or maybe just cheer (me!) from the sides. The city starts to come alive again, and you’ll be here before the summer prices start to jump.
Just avoid the spring break in April when it seems all of Europe descends upon Paris. Though after Easter, there are a few leftover chocolate eggs at a discount.
Related: 9 Ways to celebrate Spring in Paris
A lovely autumn day along Canal Saint-Martin. Photo: Craig Nelson
I love Paris in the fall…
Visit in the fall (September to mid-November) for gorgeous weather, thinner crowds, and some great events. The Salon du Chocolat, Journée de la Patrimoine, and Nuit Blanche all occur at this time of the year, allowing you to participate in some of the city’s best events during your stay.
And then there’s the fall foliage in the Père Lachaise cemetery—just try to beat it. Paris feels fresh and renewed as everyone is getting back into the grove after a busy summer (and an August break), and all restaurants and attractions are on a normal schedule.
As for prices, September is still considered “high season” for traveling to Paris, making hotel rates at their peak. However, rates quickly fall as you head into October. (Just avoid fall fashion week, September 25 – October 3 in 2019.)
The downside? Picnic season is over, weather can go from hot to cold, but that’s about it in my book. At least you can walk all over the city without having to feel guilty about heading into a museum.
I love Paris in the winter when it drizzles…
Visit in the winter (late November to early March), and you’ll have to bundle up in Paris. But who doesn’t like scarves, right?
Prices spike around Christmas, but this doesn’t mean you can’t find a deal. The Christmas lights and markets all around town also add a bit of magic to the city during the often frigid days.
Related: Tasty & cheap ways to stay warm in the Paris drizzle
The sky never seems to open up in January or February, but this is primo time for visiting the museums and galleries that help make Paris so famous. Or take in some shopping during the twice-annual soldes (nation-wide sales) that happen in January.
And did we mention the seemingly endless hot chocolate and/or mulled wine options?
Lines for major attractions are virtually non-existent, and hotel rates are at their lowest during the year. (Be sure to avoid spring fashion week when every hotel in town fills up.)
Also, prepare for a crush of people at the stores before Christmas, and a generally disappointing New Year’s Eve and/or Valentine’s Day—they aren’t quite as festive as you’d think! If you can’t make for Valentine’s Day, you can still check into our favorite romantic hotels in Paris at any time of year!
I love Paris in the summer when it sizzles…
Hot and sticky, but absolutely delightful, Paris in the summer can really be a treat. The Fête de la Musique keeps buskers and singers out all night on June 21, and Gay Pride seems like the city’s biggest party at the end of the month (this year on June 29, 2019).
The fireworks on July 14th (Bastille Day) are one of the most breathtaking experiences I have witnessed in Paris. Add in concerts, free outdoor cinema, beaches along the Seine, and a sun that sets around 10 am, and you can’t go wrong.
Ice cream, picnics, and chilled rosé wine are just more reasons to come in the summer. No need for a stuffy museum when you can picnic your days away in any of the green oasis around town or stroll endlessly throughout the city.
The downsides? Prices are generally at their highest for all of the major aspects of visiting, including hotels, flights and trains. May, June and July are particularly busy and expensive, while the city clears out in August, which ushers in a surprising drop in hotel rates. Check for the latest hotel prices in Paris on EuroCheapo.com.
The fact that some hotels and other buildings don’t have AC might also scare some away, but the city is generally pretty cool at night, and you can make up for that by picnicking nonstop. Also, many restaurants and shops close in August for their own summer break, so be prepared for a few disappointments. But I have a feeling you’ll have a memorable experience (and perhaps even come home with a tan!).
When do you love Paris?
Tell us your favorite time to visit Paris (and explain why!) in the comments section below.
About the author
I spent a month in Paris in November and it was perfect. Had a bargain apartment without air conditioning (but with a nice view of the Eiffel) so appreciated the cooler weather. The foliage was pretty and wendid not have to stand in lines for anything but the Louvre on Free Sunday. I recommend going to the Tower on the first clear day you get, though, because it may be the only clear day you get. Plus the souvenir shop is quite reasonable and would have liked to have those big coffee mugs for the duration of the trip — the ones in the apartment were pretty small. I got beautiful pictures of Paris in rain, fog, and crisp afternoons — some quite unexpected and beautiful. So if you’re into photography, going off-season offers benefits, and you have fewer people to dodge around.
This sounds lovely. Did you stay at an Airbnb, and if so can you share which property it was? I want to stay at an Airbnb but I’m travelling solo and don’t know which areas of Paris to consider.
Hello Bryan! Such an inspiring post really!
It’s been a week I booked tickets and a room in Paris for March and then your post happened. As I’m woman of art, visiting Louvre is much more precious than you can imagine. So I came across the site https://rove.me/to/paris which offered me much shorter queues to reach my dream, as well as https://travel.usnews.com/Paris_France/When_To_Visit/ promised cheaper prices. Okay with that, but I’d also like to enjoy the streets of this romantic city either so I’m really concerned about the weather. So here’s the answer: Heavy rain? Strong winds? What should I be prepared for? Mel
I used to live in paris. The best month by far is September. It is less crowded, in the 70’s and usually sunny. Spring is risky. The year I was there it didn’t get nice until the end of May. Starting in June you get a lot of tourists and July and August are too hot and crowded. October is okay but it can start getting cold and the days are shorter. So September is the best month.
I like the premise of your post that the right time is the one that best meets the needs of each individual traveller. For a young Australian university student on summer break who dreams of visiting Paris, the northern winter may be the only option. My nephew made such a trip and it’s interesting that he too mentioned soldes, hot chocolate, museums and non-existent lines to visit popular locations. In the event it is of interest, here’s a link to his Winter in Paris post: http://packinglighttravel.com/destinations/winter-in-paris/
We went to Paris a couple of years ago in the spring. Lovely place to visit but the best thing we did was to take a trip on one of the river boat cruises down the Seine. You get to see a lot of the sights from the relaxation of a boat. We also did an evening trip and took the opportunity to have a meal on board. Wonderful trip and a beautiful city!
i was in Paris a couple of years ago in January and I froze! It snowed almost every day I was there. When I bring a group, I usually come in June. Even though it is crowded, it’s a great time to be there. I really love coming in the fall, and I hope to come this September. We’ll see!