Best time to visit Paris

Paris in January is crisp and grey, with highs around 8°C / 46°F, dusk by 5pm and the odd dusting of snow on the zinc rooftops.

Winter is the smartest time to tackle the Louvre: queues shrink, so book a timed slot and have the Winged Victory almost to yourself.

The winter sales (les soldes) run for four weeks from early January, when Le Bon Marché and the Marais boutiques slash their prices.

Hot chocolate thick enough to stand a spoon in is a January ritual at Angelina on the Rue de Rivoli, ideally after a frosty stroll through the Tuileries.

Still chilly at 9°C / 48°F, but the days stretch by well over an hour across the month and hotel rates stay pleasingly low.

Chinese New Year brings dragon dances and firecrackers to the 13th arrondissement, Paris's Chinatown, usually on the Sunday after the lunar new year.

Valentine's in Paris is predictable in the best way: book a candlelit table on the Île Saint-Louis weeks ahead, then walk home along the Seine.

Classic car devotees make a pilgrimage to Rétromobile in early February, where gleaming Bugattis and vintage Ferraris fill the halls at Porte de Versailles.

Spring arrives in fits and starts, with Paris reaching 13°C / 55°F, magnolias popping and the occasional hailstorm keeping you on your toes.

Magnolias and early cherry blossom burst out in the Jardin des Plantes and in the little square behind Notre-Dame from mid-March.

Notre-Dame, reopened in December 2024 after the fire, is far easier to visit before the spring rush; entry is free, but reserve a slot to skip the queue.

Hotel rates stay low until Easter, so March is a sensible time to splash out on a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower.

Parc de Sceaux, a short RER ride south, hosts Paris's hanami season, with picnics beneath pink clouds of Japanese cherry blossom in mid-April.

Versailles switches its fountains back on for the Grandes Eaux Musicales in spring, with baroque music drifting through the gardens at weekends.

Crowds swell around Easter, so book popular museums and the Eiffel Tower summit well in advance.

April in Paris is soft and fickle: 17°C / 63°F on a good day, blossom everywhere and showers that clear as quickly as they arrive.

Paris in May brings long, luminous evenings at 20°C / 68°F, though it's also the city's wettest month, so pack an umbrella.

Nuit des Musées opens dozens of Paris museums free after dark on a Saturday in mid to late May, often with concerts and candlelit tours.

Roses peak in late May at the Parc de Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne, where some 10,000 rose bushes scent the air.

Riverside life returns in earnest: an aperitif on a Seine barge bar, then a sunset stroll across the Pont des Arts as the Louvre turns honey-gold.

Rooftop bars reopen for the season, from Le Perchoir in the 11th to the terrace atop Galeries Lafayette, with views to the Eiffel Tower.

Paris in June is glorious, with 23°C / 73°F days and daylight lingering until almost 10pm.

Late sunsets make June the month for evening picnics on the Seine quays, with the Eiffel Tower sparkling on the hour after dark.

The Paris Jazz Festival fills the Parc Floral in the Bois de Vincennes with weekend concerts from June into July (picnic blankets encouraged).

On summer Saturday nights, Versailles lights its gardens for the Grandes Eaux Nocturnes, finishing with fireworks over the Grand Canal.

The Marche des Fiertés, Paris Pride, paints the city in rainbow colours in late June.

June is busy and hotel prices climb, so book your preferred neighbourhood early.

Hot, bright and occasionally sticky, with Paris averaging 26°C / 79°F and heatwaves that can push past 40°C / 104°F.

Paris Plages turns the riverbanks into a summer playground from early July, with deckchairs, pétanque and pop-up bars along the water.

On the nights of 13 and 14 July, fire stations throw open their courtyards for the Bals des Pompiers, where you can dance with firefighters until dawn.

Air conditioning is still far from universal in Paris hotels and apartments, so check before you book a July stay.

Warm and oddly peaceful, with 26°C / 79°F days and a city that feels half-empty as Parisians decamp to the coast.

Without the locals, Paris slows right down: calmer Métro rides, easy riverside strolls and no need to book restaurants weeks ahead (just check they're open).

Rock en Seine closes the summer in late August, drawing big-name acts to the leafy Domaine national de Saint-Cloud just west of the city.

Many independent bistros, bakeries and boutiques shut for two or three weeks around 15 August, so August suits sightseeing more than serious eating.

La rentrée brings a fresh buzz, and September is one of the best months to visit Paris, with a gentle 22°C / 72°F and some of the year's clearest days.

The city is back from holiday, the terraces are full again and the late-summer light turns the limestone façades a buttery gold.

Autumn blockbuster exhibitions open at the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Grand Palais, so book timed tickets as soon as they're released.

Picnic weather lingers, and the cliff-top temple in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a lovely, less touristy spot for a lazy afternoon.

Hotel rates dip after the first fortnight, though late-month Fashion Week sends them soaring again, so time your stay with care.

Crisp and golden, with 17°C / 63°F afternoons, chestnut sellers on the boulevards and plane trees turning amber.

The Jardin du Luxembourg and the Bois de Vincennes turn copper and russet, ideal for crunchy walks.

Roast chestnuts from street carts and mushroom-laden menus signal the change of season; order a cep omelette at a Left Bank bistro.

Late-October showers are common, so a Paris Museum Pass, covering more than 50 sites including the Louvre and Orsay, earns its keep.

Damp and short, with highs of 11°C / 52°F, but Paris in November starts wrapping itself in fairy lights from mid-month.

November is the cheapest month for a Paris hotel, and museums such as the Musée d'Orsay are delightfully calm midweek.

Wine bars in the 11th pour the season's new natural wines, and a zinc-topped counter on a rainy night is Paris at its most Parisian.

On 11 November, Armistice Day ceremonies are held at the Arc de Triomphe, where a wreath is laid at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Paris in December is cold and festive, with 8°C / 46°F days, early dusk and the whole city twinkling.

Notre-Dame, reborn after the 2019 fire, celebrates Christmas with Masses beneath its gleaming restored vaults; arrive early, as queues form fast.

The Champs-Élysées hosts the New Year's Eve party, with a light show on the Arc de Triomphe and fireworks at midnight (dress warmly!)

Oysters are at their plumpest, and a tiered seafood platter at a brasserie such as Bofinger is a very Parisian way to celebrate.

Christmas week is pricey and many restaurants close on 24 and 25 December, so book festive meals well ahead.