Wondering when the best time of year to visit Paris is? You’re not alone. Planning a vacation to the world’s biggest tourism capital can be a pain in the wallet, so you want to make sure you visit Paris when you’re likely to get the most bang for your buck. But by planning smart (and way ahead of schedule), it’s possible to make that dream vacation to Paris a reality without cracking open the piggy bank.
The Most Crowded Time to Visit Paris
The summer months (June, July, and August) are the ones to watch out for when traveling to Paris, because locals flee for the South and tourists on summer holiday clog up the city. If your goal is to see major tourist attractions like the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, or Arc de Triomphe, then summer is not the time to go. (And don’t even think about trying to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa over the crowds in Paris’ famous museums!)
Many people also visit Paris over spring break in March or April, or around Christmas, making these periods also bad for the crowd-averse.
The Best Time to Visit Paris to Avoid Crowds
Traveling off season is a great way to visit Paris with fewer people walking around the city. Paris tends to see the most tourists in the summer, between June and August. To avoid crowds, stick to October and November, or January through March. Further check to make sure your trip doesn’t overlap with events like Paris Fashion Week, to insure a relaxed trip when you visit Paris.
The Best Time to Visit Paris for Good Weather
Paris in the Spring
Paris has similar weather to New York and the American Mid-Atlantic states, with hot, humid summer months, and cold, gray winter months. But Paris is at its most beautiful in late spring and early summer, from the end of April through mid-June. After all, there’s a reason “April In Paris” is one of the greatest perennial jazz standards of all time. While March sees plenty of rain, April and May are all blue skies, sunshine, and blooming flowers, with average temperatures in the 60s and 70s. But nice weather tends to be the first warning bell of tourist season. To catch the gorgeous springtime vibes without getting pushed out by the summer fanny pack-clad out-of-towners (or suffocated out by the absence of air conditioning), go in early April when tickets are cheap and tour buses are still dormant.
Paris in the Fall
Paris is also gorgeous in the fall, and stays warm through September, with beautiful autumn days and cooler weather in October. The tourists tend to head out at the end of August, and Parisians return from their beach vacations, making this a great time for visiting Paris.
The Best Time to Visit Paris for Lower Prices
Budget-Friendly Travel in the Off Season
Paris hotel prices tend to drop off steeply after the New Year, when the city takes a sleepy respite. January is the most budget-friendly time to visit Paris, especially if you want to splurge on a fancy hotel room or enjoy the treasure trove of hidden gems the city has to offer when the tourists depart. It’s also a great time to visit attractions like the Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, or Arc de Triomphe, which will have few lines. And the cold weather makes this a great time explore Paris’ many museums and other indoor activities.
Finding Deals During Winter Sales (Les Soldes)
Another benefit of traveling to Paris in winter is getting to take advantage of Les Soldes, the biannual sales. Shop luxury brands or go thrifting throughout the city, where everything in sight will be heavily discounted. (The other branch of Les Soldes takes place at the height of summer.)
The Best Times to Visit Paris for Holidays and Festivals
Cultural Celebrations and Events
There are plenty of celebrations and festivals that bring Paris to life throughout the year. Bastille Day, on July 14th, is one of the most famous French summer holidays, when crowds gather beneath the Eiffel Tower to watch the fireworks.
Though not a festival per se, many people also enjoy visiting Paris for Paris Fashion Week. PFW is actually presented across four different series of showcases per year, with the haute couture and menswear shows taking place in June/July, and the women’s ready-to-wear shows taking place in February/March and September/October. Hotel rooms and flights will likely come at an extra cost during these periods, so be sure to check the dates in advance. But for those who love Paris fashion and taking in the street style around these events, it might be worth it. (It’s worth noting that since the February/March Paris Fashion Week takes place during the city’s off season, there will be fewer crowds and cheaper expenses than during the other fashion shows.)
Summer sees several favorite Paris festivals, including Nuit Blanche (“White Night”) and the Fête de la Musique. Nuit Blanche, which will take place on June 1 in 2024, is a city-wide free art festival that showcases public art throughout Paris. Many museums stay open late with free entry, and public transportation runs all night. Fête de la Musique, or World Music Day, takes place each year on June 21st. Paris’ public parks fill with musicians playing public concerts, and visiting Paris for this festival is always a treat.
Paris in the Holiday Season
Though the city is colder in December, the Christmas holiday season is an amazing time to visit Paris. Because no one does Christmas like the City of Lights. Not New York, not Munich, not even the North Pole has displays like early-winter Paris. The city’s famous Christmas markets open in late November, and tend to run through early January. Wander through the markets, decked out with Christmas lights and comprised of Swiss-style chalets that sell mulled wine, canelés, and all kinds of holiday souvenirs. You can also go ice skating, see the Christmas Village at La Défense, and experience the stunning window displays of department stores like Les Halles and Printemps. These cheerful sites are definitely worth braving the colder months in France’s capital. But be sure to go in early December, because the French take their winter holidays seriously, and many shops, businesses, popular attractions, and restaurants tend to shut down the week between Christmas and New Year’s.
The Worst Times to Visit Paris
Weather-wise, January is the worst time to visit in Paris. The city is gray and cold, and there isn’t much going on. Many people, then, expect summer to be a great time to visit Paris. However, it gets quite hot in July and August, and air conditioning is rare in Paris, so the city can get a little sweaty and gross. It’s also more expensive to visit Paris in the summer, so if you don’t like to be hot and broke at the same time, avoid late July and August in Paris. Hold off until mid-September, when temperatures (and prices) start to cool down.
The Best Time to Get Cheap Plane Tickets to Paris
Of course, it’s always helpful to buy tickets as far in advance as possible, but there are a few times a year when prices consistently dip. The big one is January, when the lowest prices of the year are available, since Paris isn’t exactly a mid-winter tanning destination and most people are returning home from their Christmas vacations. The weather will be a little gray, but incredibly mild by New York standards. (Flying is even cheaper if you’re willing to fly out on New Year’s Eve.)
Other general rules of cheap flying are: don’t be afraid to fly out in the middle of the week, and don’t discount red-eyes or low-cost airlines like French bee. A Wednesday flight will be cheaper than a Friday weekender, and sleeping on an overnight plane will save you a lot more cash than just what you’ll save in hotel fees. And for any student flyers, you can save buckets with the students-only site StudentUniverse, which is always cheap and also offers frequent discounts.
FAQ: Best Time to Visit Paris
What is the best month to go to Paris, France?
May is when Paris is at its most beautiful, decked out with spring flowers and settled in mild temperatures. But it can also be expensive. A cheaper alternative is to travel in late September or early October.
What months are expensive in Paris, France?
The most expensive times of year to visit Paris fall between April and September. Many people visit Paris for spring break, or over their summer vacation. It can also be expensive around Christmas in December.
