“When is the best time to visit Paris, France” is a question that I get quite often. If this is something that you have been wondering about then this blog post is for you.
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When is the best time to visit Paris, France
Honestly, I think that Paris is beautiful at anytime, however, if you are on a budget, there are definitely some seasons/ time of the year that you should take full advantage of to visit.
What is the best season or time to visit Paris?
For me, the best seasons to visit Paris are fall, winter and spring. Before I tell you why, let me tell you why you need to skip Paris in the summer.
Why skip Paris in the summer?
The summer season is pretty much a time for most Parisians to get out of the city for an extended period of time. With school children and most universities closed during that time, parisians as well as students take advantage of that time off to leave the city to return home or to visit other parts of the country as including the overseas regions (Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin … ). Some popular destinations in no particular order are:
- Bretagne ( Brittany)
- Normandie ( Normandy)
- Le sud de la France ( South of France)
- Les Pyrénées ( The Pyrénées)
- Jura
- Loire
- Corsica
- The French overseas regions
Most French people tend to stay close to home or discover other parts of the country that they aren’t familiar with. When we travel, we tend to look for smaller villages or cities where we can rent a house, enjoy nature, the beach and quieter and releaxing sceneries.
Too many tourists
As Parisians leave the city, tourists return in trongs and take over the city. If your plan is to mingle with locals and experience Paris like a Parisians you might be disappointed to run into so many tourists.
Most shops are closed
It can be a bit annoying to arrive in a city and find out that most shops are closed but vacation time here is something sacred for us.
Restaurants/coffee shops are closed
Most restaurants/coffee shops are closed, and as a result, you might end up struggling to find a restaurant open. If there is a restaurant that you would like to try, check their summer’s schedule ahead of time.
Most businesses are closed and short on staff
Businesses and administrative offices tend to slow down drastically during that time and be short on staff. If you are have an emergency, you will have to be patient to get the help you want. I personnally don’t take care of any admimistrave/governmental tacks during the summer because I know the wait is gonna be long.
Now that you know why you should skip Paris during that time, let’s see why you should visit it in the fall, winter and spring.
Why Visit Paris in the fall, winter and spring?
Because that is the time that you can:
- Immerse yourself into the Parisian lifestyle
- Get great deals on airfares
- Find affordable accomodations
- Meet and mingle with locals
- Try seasonal specialties that you will not find during the summer season
- Explore France without big crowds of tourists
E.g. the fall/winter season is the time to enjoy some of our favorite dishes such as fondues, tartiflètes and raclettes. During that time, the city sets up chalets in some areas for Parisians to create a winter wonderland and promote France’s rich terroir. A quick tip, in the fall, the weather is still beautiful. It is not too hot nor too cold. However, pack a warm sweater and a scarf just in case the evenings and early mornings get chilly. In the winter time, it gets cold, windy, rainy and greyish. Make sure to dress warm. Wear a winter hat, gloves and carry (if possible) a umbrella with you. Days get shorter and by 4 pm it starts to get dark. Take full advantage of the day time to do whatever you need to do.
Great exhibits and events
If you are into the arts and cultural events, you will not be disappointed. There are lots of events free of charge or paying that attract every year thoussands of people from all over the country. Some of our favorites and most popular are in no particular order:
- Le salon de l’agriculture (The agricultural show)
- Le salon de la patisserie ( Pastry salon)
- The vine and grappe festival
- Foire de Paris (one of the biggest events in Europe)
- Journée du Patrimoine ( Heritage day)
- Taste of Paris and more
Explore France and other European destinations
Let me let you in on one of my secrets. I eagerly wait for September to get train tickets at a reduced price to explore France but also other European destinations such as Germany, spain, Italy … for 50 euros round trip. These deals are for travel during a certain period and are available on France’s official railway website early September. If this is someting that you think that you might be interested in, then check them out here.
Find cheap airfares and hotel accomodations
I cannot say it again, traveling during off peek season is one of the best way to save money especially if your budget is tight. Not only you can get great deals on airfares and on logding but most of all save money and use it toward something else.
Here’s a few posts that you might have missed and that might come in handy for you:
Conclusion
The best time to visit Paris, France is before the busy summer travel season starts based on the reasons mentionned above. If despite it, you end up in Paris in the summer, try to make the best of it. There will still be things to do and see. The bottom line is Paris is really beautiful in the summer so even with most Parisians gone, you can still make the best of your trip. Find this content helpful? Feel free to leave me a comment and to share this post.
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Nice article. Certainly will help visitors. I hope you have written something for PSG supporters who wish to visit Paris too.
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Thank you for your comment.