When is the Best Time to Visit Paris?

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Paris is welcoming about 27 millions people all year round. Whether you want to visit the French capital for tourism or professional reasons, you may want to look at the weather forecast prior booking your trip.

Overall July and August are the busiest and warmest months of the year. On the other hand, December, January and February are usually the coldest.

My favourite months to visit Paris are in Spring: May / June, or at the beginning of Autumn: September / October when temperatures are much better to walk around the city.

Having said that it does rain quite a bit in Paris. But it rarely rains all day long. You may have to cope with light showers or a grey sky (especially in March or in November), but as Audrey Hepburn once said: “Paris is always a good idea“!

Here is a table summarising all the key information you may need to know prior coming to Paris:

Weather in Paris month by month

I’ve experienced all seasons – and more than once! For that reason, if you’d like a personalised itinerary for your trip to Paris, feel free to check our Website. I can of course adapt all activities depending on when you come visit Paris!

Winter

January

Average temperature during the day: 5°C – 41°F

Average rain days per month: 14

January is great for the ones who want to avoid the Christmas crowds and prices, while enjoying the decorations in the city. Yes, Christmas decorations are usually still on until the 8th of January.

And shopping addicts are happy; indeed winter sales start on the second Wednesday of the month! And for a period of 6 weeks.

January is cold, you’ll need winter coat, along with small gloves and a hat to keep yourself warm during your visits. It’s a great time to visit museums due to the cold weather. There are also great covered walks in town to enjoy

February

Average temperature during the day: 6°C – 42°F

Average rain days per month: 13

The month of February is usually the coldest month of the year along with Jan, and Dec. It can snow a couple of days if you are lucky to see Paris under its white coat on! But it won’t stay on the roads for more than a few hours, so don’t be worried. The temperature may go under 0°C during the night. So make sure you bring a warm jacket with you along with some warm socks, and gloves!

Winter sales are usually on until mid February for the ones who want to find the best deals in shops.

Oh and yes, how can I forget! Obviously Valentine’s Day falls on February 14th! Wether you are in Paris with your loved one or your family, you can enjoy all the sweets novelties from Pastries and Chocolates shops. Or book a table in one of the fancy restaurants in town for a special night with your girlfriend / boyfriend.

If you do need recommendation, drop me an email so I can prepare a little something for your trip in the Capital of Love! We do have special itineraries for couples. And there are places you wouldn’t want to miss if you are visiting with your partner!

March

Average temperature during the day: 9°C – 47°F

Average rain days per month: 14

It’s hard to speak about March as we never really know what weather we will get! Overall it can rain a fair bit. It can also be cold some years. Or much better and sunny some others. It is hard to predict.

You can pack some long sleeves shirts in your suitcase. And look for the weather forecast before going, to see if a light winter jacket will be needed, or a warmer one. Spring officially starts on March 21st, and you’ll have more chances of having a good weather, the closer you get to April.

Place des Vosges

Spring

April

Average temperature during the day: 11°C – 51°F

Average rain days per month: 14

The sun is getting warmer and warmer in April. Overall, even if can enjoy some good days, mornings and evenings are cooler.

We have a famous sentence in French that sums-up the weather forecast: “en Avril, ne te découvre pas d’un fil, en Mai, fais ce qu’il te plait” and which can be translated as: in April keep your jacket on at all cost, in May do as you wish!

A reminder for us to keep a jacket with us all the time, to avoid getting the flue when temperature drops in the evening!

It’s a great month to visit Paris overall, especially if you want to enjoy nice walks by the Banks of Seine, or see the beautiful Luxembourg garden blossoms.

May

Average temperature during the day: 15°C – 59°F

Average rain days per month: 12

By far my favourite month of the year! The flowers already blossomed, it is getting warm and it usually rains less in May. And on top of that, my favourite sport events of the year is on: Roland Garros!

Trees are already flourished and it’s a great time of the year to enjoy picnics, or apéro in the parks. The touristic season starts in May with more and more people coming every week, as the sun gets warmer.

Prior COVID, the European Museum Night took place in May. During this evening, museums are free from 6pm to midnight. A great occasion to discover the Pompidou Centre, the Louvre, the Orsay or the Rodin Museums!

Paris in May during the French Open

June

Average temperature during the day: 16°C – 61°F

Average rain days per month: 11

If May did not exist, June would be my preferred month of the year. The days are the longest, with a sunrise around 10pm – and about 16 hours of daylight per day!

Roland Garros finishes the first week of the month, summer sales start around the last days of June, and the Fête de la Musique (Music Day) is on Summer day (21st June)!

A lot of events start to take place over the weekend in parks and around the canals. Everyone is rushing to enjoy a glass of rosé on a terrace, and it seems the whole of Paris is smiling again. A few music festivals take place in June such as We Love Green, or Solidays.

You can go out in a dress, or in shorts. Even during the evening, as long as you bring a light jacket /pullover with you for the night time.

Summer

As everywhere in the world, summers are getting hotter and hotter every year. And Paris is no exception to it.

When heat waves hit the city, it can be hard to enjoy walking around the capital, as there is barely wind and air in the city when heat waves strike.

Bear in mind, air condition is not common in France. If you can’t live without it, you may pick another season such as spring, or fall for example. Most of accommodations, especially Airbnbs’ are not equipped with A/C, but some hotels may have it.

While July and August can be very hot, September is much better in terms of temperatures.

Banks of Seine in Summer

July – Hottest month of the year!

Average temperature during the day: 20°C – 68°F

Average rain days per month: 11

July is the start of Summer holidays in France. Some Parisians start leaving the city for a few days by the sea, but overall the activity in town remains the same, and all shops are open.

The average temperature is 20°C – 68°F. Some days can be cooler, or much hotter, especially if you are in the middle of a hot wave. In that case, you may have to wake early, or visit monuments later in the day to avoid the hottest hours of the day.

July is the busiest months in terms of tourist frequentation. So make sure you get skip the line tickets if you don’t want to queue-up under the sun for hours.

August

Average temperature during the day: 20°C – 67°F

Average rain days per month: 10

The month of August is usually quieter in the French capital. Most of locals are on holidays. As a result, many restaurants and shops are closed for a couple of weeks at least. And it can be hard sometimes to find restaurants open for your lunch or dinner.

On the other hand, there are less people in the streets, metro are not as crowded and you can feel that the town is going at a slower – and nice pace.

August is most of times sunny and can be very hot, especially until around 20th August. Then it can get slightly cooler depending on the year, as fall slowly starts to arrive.

September

Average temperature during the day: 16°C – 61°F

Average rain days per month: 11

French kids return to School in September, and Paris sees itself buzzing again. September is an ideal month to visit Paris, and to discover the Parisian life, from a local point of view.

The weather is on average very pleasant, and not too hot. The days are still very long as the sunrise happens around 8pm which gives plenty of times to visit all the landmarks. It gets cooler in the evening, or during rainy days so make sure you bring a jacket with you.

Autumn – Fall

October

Average temperature during the day: 12°C – 54°F

Average rain days per month: 13

The temperatures are starting to drop. Colourful leaves are taking over branches and trees which gives wonderful colours to the city especially in parks and around castles (Versailles gardens, Fontainebleau forest).

The city starts to be less crowded with tourists, lines in museums and monuments are getting smaller. On the other side it can be a bit rainy. But temperatures are usually still ok for you to walk around, as long as you have some long sleeves and a jacket on.

There are some great places to visit for Halloween (Disneyland, Manoir de Paris) however French are not so much obsessed with Halloween so decorations and events are more limited than in other countries.

Moulin Rouge in November

November

Average temperature during the day: 7°C – 45°F

Average rain days per month: 15

November is a “transition month”. Temperatures are quite low, it can be windy, winter is slowly coming. And everyone is starting to think of Christmas. The trees lost all their leaves by then. It is getting much colder and it can rain for a few days in row. Long sleeves, and a winter jacket are necessary to visit the city and you can swap your trainers for your boots.

Yes, you got it, not my favourite month of the year. But on the other hand, monuments are less crowded, as there are less tourists in the city!

December

Average temperature during the day: 5°C – 41°F

Average rain days per month: 15

Ah! Christmas in Paris, what a beauty! It makes us all forget about the rainy and cold days. Streets and shopping windows are all illuminated, you can hang around Place Vendôme and Galeries Lafayette just to admire the Christmas Trees. And quickly go in a tea room to warm your hands and feet!

Bring a scarf and gloves with you, especially if you plan on being outside most of the day.

Some years, the month of December can be “warmer” than others. But temperatures rarely go below 0°C.

Conclusion

Paris offers different settings to suit everyone, all year long. Where Spring and Fall seems to be the most appropriate months to visit; Summer definitely has its perks! And obviously December with all the Christmas decorations in town.

If you do need help with your planning, I’m happy to provide an itinerary that will suits your needs. And don’t forget to book your luggage delivery service on your last day in the capital, so you can enjoy Paris until the very last minute!

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Sophie

Originally from the French Alps, Sophie lived in the United States, Singapore and Belgium before coming back to Paris in 2019. Passionate about sports, food and new experiences, Sophie loves discovering new bars, restaurants, and places to hang out while documenting it along the way. Sophie’s favorite district is Le Marais, and every time she goes to a bakery in the morning, she asks for a Pain au Chocolat.

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