Updated on 8 November 2026
There is no single best time to visit Paris. There is a best time for you, and it depends on what you care about most: mild weather, fewer people, lower hotel prices, long evenings, or a particular event. Paris is open all year, and every month has something going for it and something to plan around.
This guide goes through the year month by month: what the weather is usually like, how busy the city tends to be, what is on, and the main downside. At the end you will find a quick way to match a month to your kind of trip.
SHORT ANSWER
โบ For many first-time visitors, late April to June and September to mid-October give the best balance of weather and crowds.
โบ For lower hotel prices and quieter museums, go in January, February (outside the French school holiday) or November.
โบ For long evenings and outdoor life, choose June.
โบ For Christmas lights and markets, late November to December.
The Best Time to Visit Paris at a Glance
| If you wantโฆ | Go in | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Mild weather and a good balance | Late AprilโJune, Septemberโmid-October | Popular months; book hotels and timed tickets early |
| Fewer people and lower hotel prices | January, February, November | Short days, grey skies, French school holidays in February |
| Long evenings and outdoor life | June | Busy, and hotels fill up around big events |
| Warm weather and summer events | July | Heat, crowds at the main sights |
| A quieter city of locals | Mid-August | Many small restaurants and bakeries close for a few weeks |
| Christmas lights and markets | Late NovemberโDecember | Cold, sunset around 5 pm, hotels fill up early for New Year |
Temperatures in this guide are typical daytime highs and night-time lows for Paris (Mรฉtรฉo-France, 1991โ2020 averages, rounded). Any given week can be warmer or colder. Recent summers have been much hotter than these averages, and in winter snow is rare but possible (see July and January).
Paris Month by Month
Jump to a month: Jan ยท Feb ยท Mar ยท Apr ยท May ยท Jun ยท Jul ยท Aug ยท Sep ยท Oct ยท Nov ยท Dec
Paris in January
Weather: typically around 8ยฐC (46ยฐF) in the day and 3ยฐC (38ยฐF) at night, with rain on roughly ten days of the month. Days are short and often grey. Snow is rare and seldom settles for long, but it does happen: in January 2026 people skied and sledged down the slopes below Sacrรฉ-Cลur.
Crowds: after the New Year holiday week the city goes quiet. Museums are noticeably calmer, and hotels are usually easier to find.
What is on: the winter sales start in early January (by law on the first or second Wednesday of the month) and run for four weeks. The menswear and haute couture fashion weeks take place in the second half of the month, which can push up hotel prices for a few days.
Downside: the weather. Plan your days around museums, covered passages and cafรฉs, and save the long walks for the drier days.
Paris in February
Weather: similar to January, around 9ยฐC (48ยฐF) by day and 3ยฐC (38ยฐF) at night, with nights at or below freezing a few times a month.
Crowds: February is usually one of the quieter months for visitors. The exception is the French school winter holiday, two weeks for the Paris region in February (sometimes running into early March), when museums and family attractions get noticeably busier with French families.
What is on: Valentine’s Day, and the large Paris International Agricultural Show at Porte de Versailles, usually from late February into early March. The women’s ready-to-wear fashion week usually starts in late February or early March. Our winter in Paris guide has more ideas for cold days.
Downside: short, cold days. If you can travel outside the French school holiday, this is one of the best-value months of the year.
Paris in March
Weather: changeable. Typically 13ยฐC (55ยฐF) by day and 6ยฐC (42ยฐF) at night, with a mix of bright spring days and showers. The clocks go forward on the last Sunday of March, and evenings suddenly feel longer.
Crowds: still moderate for most of the month, building towards Easter when it falls early.
What is on: the women’s fashion week in the first days of the month, the Paris half marathon (usually in early March) and the first cherry blossoms towards the end of the month. Our cherry blossom guide explains where and when they usually bloom.
Downside: you need clothes for both cold and mild days, sometimes in the same afternoon.
Paris in April
Weather: typically 17ยฐC (62ยฐF) by day and 8ยฐC (46ยฐF) at night. Parks and gardens come into flower, and the weather can change quickly from sunshine to showers within a day.
Crowds: this is when the season really starts. Easter (the date changes every year) and the French spring school holidays, usually in April and sometimes running into early May, bring a noticeable rise in visitors.
What is on: the Paris Marathon, usually on a Sunday in April. Outside the city, the musical fountain shows in the gardens of Versailles start their season, and Monet’s house and garden in Giverny usually opens around 1 April. Our day trips from Paris guide covers both.
Downside: Easter week can feel as busy as summer at the big sights. See our spring in Paris guide for a closer look at March, April and May.
Paris in May
Weather: typically 20ยฐC (68ยฐF) by day and 11ยฐC (52ยฐF) at night, often very pleasant. One surprise: on average May has the highest rainfall total of the year in Paris, though it has fewer rainy days than December or January.
Crowds: busy, especially on long weekends. France has several public holidays in May: 1 May, 8 May and Ascension Day, and often Whit Monday too. Many French people take an extra day off to make a long weekend.
What is on: the Roland-Garros tennis tournament runs from late May into early June. On 1 May, Labour Day, the Louvre and a number of other museums close. The Eiffel Tower is normally open every day of the year, holidays included, though strikes or special events occasionally close it.
Downside: crowds on holiday weekends. Check the dates of the holidays for your year before you fix your trip.
Paris in June
Weather: typically 23ยฐC (74ยฐF) by day and 14ยฐC (58ยฐF) at night. Around the summer solstice the sun sets at about 10 pm, and it stays light well after that.
Crowds: high. June is one of the busiest months for hotels, especially on event dates.
What is on: the Fรชte de la Musique on 21 June, when free concerts fill streets, squares and bars across the city until late. Nuit Blanche, a free night-time art event, has moved from October to early June in recent years. The menswear fashion week takes place in the second half of the month, and the summer sales start on the last Wednesday of June (or the one before, depending on the calendar).
Downside: prices. If June suits you, book your hotel early and check event dates before you choose your nights.
Paris in July
Weather: the warmest month together with August, typically 26ยฐC (78ยฐF) by day and 16ยฐC (61ยฐF) at night. Those averages hide the heatwaves: on average Paris has around five days above 30ยฐC (86ยฐF) in July, and the city’s record, 42.6ยฐC (109ยฐF), was set in July 2019. Recent summers have pushed well past the averages. In 2026 Paris had 39 days at 30ยฐC (86ยฐF) or more, reached 40.6ยฐC (105ยฐF) in late June, and had a run of nights that stayed above 20ยฐC (68ยฐF). If you travel in July or August, look for a room with air conditioning and keep the hottest hours for museums, churches or a shaded park.
Crowds: high at the main sights. French schools break up in early July, and many Parisians start leaving the city in the second half of the month.
What is on: Bastille Day on 14 July, with a military parade on the Champs-รlysรฉes in the morning and, usually, fireworks from the Eiffel Tower in the evening (in 2026 they were exceptionally moved to 13 July, so check the date on paris.fr). Several metro stations near the parade and the fireworks close for several hours; check ratp.fr before you set off. Paris Plages turns parts of the riverbanks and the Bassin de la Villette into free summer beaches from early July to the end of August, and the Tour de France usually finishes on the Champs-รlysรฉes on the last Sunday of the month. Our Bastille Day guide has more on the celebrations.
Downside: heat and queues. In our experience, air conditioning is often missing in older Paris hotels, so check the listing before you book a summer stay. The city of Paris publishes a map of cool places (parks, pools, air-conditioned museums and libraries) on paris.fr during heatwaves.
Paris in August
Weather: much like July, typically 26ยฐC (78ยฐF) by day and 16ยฐC (61ยฐF) at night, with hot spells likely.
Crowds: the city empties of locals and fills with visitors. The big museums and monuments stay busy, while residential neighbourhoods feel noticeably calmer.
What is on: Paris Plages continues until the end of the month. 15 August is a public holiday.
Downside: closures. Many independent restaurants, bakeries and small shops close for two or three weeks, mostly around the middle of the month, with a note on the door saying when they will reopen. The main sights, department stores and many restaurants in the tourist areas stay open. Our summer in Paris guide covers June, July and August in more detail.
Paris in September
Weather: often one of the most comfortable months of the year, typically 22ยฐC (71ยฐF) by day and 13ยฐC (55ยฐF) at night, and on average the driest month by number of rainy days, together with July.
Crowds: Parisians are back after the rentrรฉe, the return to work and school at the start of the month, and the city feels lively again. Visitor numbers stay high, and large trade fairs and medical congresses can fill hotels on specific dates.
What is on: the European Heritage Days on the third weekend of September, when official buildings and other places that are normally closed to the public open their doors, mostly for free. Expect long queues at the most famous ones. The women’s fashion week starts in the last days of the month.
Downside: hotel prices stay close to summer levels. Book early if your dates are fixed.
Paris in October
Weather: typically 17ยฐC (62ยฐF) by day and 10ยฐC (50ยฐF) at night, with more rain and wind as the month goes on. The clocks go back on the last Sunday of October, and from then on the sun sets before 6 pm.
Crowds: busy in the first half of the month. From the second half of October into early November the French autumn school holiday brings more families to museums and attractions, while hotels are usually less in demand than in September.
What is on: the end of the women’s fashion week, and the Montmartre grape harvest festival, usually in the first half of October. Our Clos Montmartre guide explains the vineyard behind it. The Versailles fountain shows end their season around the end of the month.
Downside: shorter days. Do outdoor sights in the morning and museums in the late afternoon. Our autumn in Paris guide has more on September, October and November.
Paris in November
Weather: often grey and damp, typically 11ยฐC (52ยฐF) by day and 6ยฐC (43ยฐF) at night, with rain on about ten days. On 1 November the sun sets at around 5:30 pm, and earlier as the month goes on.
Crowds: one of the quietest months, especially in the first half. A good time for museums without the queues.
What is on: the Christmas lights on the big shopping streets and the first Christmas markets usually appear from mid to late November. Beaujolais Nouveau, the year’s first wine, is released on the third Thursday of the month and celebrated in many bars and bistros. 1 November and 11 November are public holidays. Giverny usually closes for the winter in early November. See our Christmas in Paris guide for where the markets and lights usually are.
Downside: the weather and short days. Pack for rain and plan indoor alternatives for each day.
Paris in December
Weather: typically 8ยฐC (46ยฐF) by day and 4ยฐC (39ยฐF) at night, with the most rainy days of any month, around eleven. Around the winter solstice the sun sets just before 5 pm.
Crowds: moderate for most of the month, with Christmas markets and department stores busy at weekends. Hotels fill up early for New Year’s Eve.
What is on: Christmas markets, light displays and department store windows all month. Our New Year’s Eve guide covers where people gather on 31 December and what to book ahead.
Downside: cold, dark afternoons, and closures on 25 December, when the Louvre and many other sites close. Book your New Year’s Eve accommodation well in advance.
โ Once you know when you are going, plan your days with the Paris Trip Planner.
Peak Season vs Off-Season in Paris
Paris does not have a true off-season. The city welcomes visitors all year, and even the quietest months have busy days. Still, the pattern is clear enough to plan around:
- Busiest: Easter and the spring school holidays, May long weekends, June, July and New Year’s Eve. The big sights are also busy in August.
- In between: September and October are popular with visitors but often a little less crowded than early summer.
- Quietest: January after the first week, February outside the French school holiday, and November.
Hotel prices follow demand, not just the season. A fashion week, a large trade fair or a big sporting event can push hotel prices well above the usual level for that time of year. If you have flexible dates, compare prices for a few different weeks before you decide.
Whatever the month, most of the main sights work with timed tickets, and in busy months the best time slots go first. Our guide to what to book before visiting Paris explains what to reserve and how far ahead.
School Holidays and August Closures
French school holidays matter more than many visitors expect, because they change who is in the museums, parks and trains. The Paris region follows its own calendar for the winter and spring breaks:
- Autumn: about two weeks around the end of October and the start of November.
- Christmas: about two weeks from just before Christmas into early January.
- Winter: two weeks in February, sometimes running into early March. The dates change every year.
- Spring: two weeks in April, sometimes running into early May. The dates change every year.
- Summer: from early July to the end of August.
You can check the exact dates for your year on the French Ministry of Education website (education.gouv.fr). Paris is in Zone C.
August is a special case. Paris does not shut down, but a lot of everyday life pauses. Many family-run restaurants, bakeries and shops close for a few weeks, usually around 15 August. If there is a particular restaurant you want to try, check its website or social media before you go.
Which Month for Which Traveller
| Traveller | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-time visitor | May, June, September | Mild weather, long days, everything open |
| On a budget | January, February, November | Lower hotel demand, quieter museums |
| Families | Your own school holidays; June if you can | Long days and parks; family attractions are busiest in French school holidays |
| Couples | Late AprilโMay, September | Pleasant evenings for walks and terraces |
| Photographers | April, June, October | Blossom, long golden evenings, autumn colour |
| Gardens and day trips | AprilโOctober | Versailles fountain shows and Giverny are seasonal |
| Christmas atmosphere | Late Novemberโ23 December | Lights and markets before the holiday rush |
Planning a day out of the city between April and October? That is when the Versailles fountain shows run and Monet’s garden in Giverny is open, and both can be booked as day trips from Paris.
If you want to keep things simple, aim for May, June or September and book early. If you would rather have the city at a slower pace and do not mind a coat and an umbrella, January, February and November give you Paris with far fewer people around.
FAQ
For many people, late April to June or September to mid-October. The weather is usually mild, the days are reasonably long and everything is open. They are also popular months, so book hotels and timed tickets early.
January, February (outside the French school holiday) and November usually have the lowest hotel demand. Prices can still rise on dates with big trade fairs or fashion weeks, so compare a few weeks if you can.
Not bad, but different. Many locals are away, and a lot of small restaurants and bakeries close for a few weeks, mostly around mid-August. The big sights stay open and busy. It can also be hot.
Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year, with something like 7 to 11 rainy days a month. July and September usually have the fewest, December the most. May has the highest rainfall total on average, even though it does not have the most rainy days.
In January after the New Year week, in February outside the French school holiday, and in November. Early mornings and the last hours before closing are quieter in any month.
Yes, if you plan for short days and cold weather. Museums are calmer, hotels are easier to find, and December has the Christmas lights.
Summary
The best time to visit Paris is the one that matches your priorities. Choose late April to June or September to mid-October for weather and balance, January, February and November for quiet and value, June for long evenings, and December for Christmas. Whatever you pick, check the dates of holidays and big events for your year, and book the sights you care about before you go.
Download the Paris For You App
Whichever month you choose, the Paris For You app helps you find your way around: more than 100 sights on an offline map, with text and audio guides, available in 26 languages. It works without Wi-Fi or mobile data. Start with the Paris For You map to see the main sights in one place.
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