To ask when is the best time to visit Paris, Audrey Hepburn gave the best answer in the 1954 classic movie “Dragon and Phoenix with Sabrina”: “Paris is always a good idea.” You can stroll in the Jardin du Luxembourg in spring, or enjoy summer nights along the Canal Saint-Martin; sit on the outdoor terrace of the cafe on a cool autumn morning, or stroll around the lively winter Christmas market. Everything in Paris sounds so wonderful that a trip alone may not fulfill all wishes. However, it is not too difficult to save budget by taking advantage of your Paris trip or airline discounts.
In order to complete the most complete pre-trip strategy for Paris tourism, we specially invited Paris tourism experts from “Condé Nast Traveler” to share the most practical Paris tourism knowledge. As the director of the European Line of the luxury travel company “Scott Dunn”, Nick Cunningham specially shared the secrets of Paris' cultural calendar and itinerary planning. Camilla Davidson is the director of the French Tourism Department of the high-end customized travel agency “Red Savannah”, so he provides unique insights on must-visit attractions and the best tourist seasons in Paris.
Best time to travel to Paris
Generally speaking, the best time to travel to Paris is around summer. April to early May, and September to early October are ideal Paris tourism seasons. “The weather in Paris is warm and pleasant at this time, and there is no sultry feeling like it is during peak summer season,” said Camilla. Also, since family travelers have to return to the workplace or school, there will be no more tourists in these months as they do in the summer.
Nick also agreed to avoid the peak of Paris tourism from June to August, when temperatures are rising across Europe, and hot Paris is particularly humid and uncomfortable. September is his favorite time to visit the French capital, and you only need to pack a few T-shirts and set off. “But this is still Paris. If you report early in the fall, you can still bring a fashionable coat to make the streets of Paris your booth.”
Paris tourist season
The peak season for Paris tourism starts around the end of May, and with the opening of the French Open, the peak season will continue until the summer and will not gradually end until mid-September. Camilla specifically notes that many local Parisians will also travel in August and go on vacation to the beach or mountain areas, so many small local boutiques and restaurants will be closed this month. The absence of locals not only means that you will feel that there are a lot of tourists in Paris, but may also be unable to experience the real Paris pocket list because of a bar or a restaurant.
On the other hand, Nick also reminds you to pay attention to the schedule of the fashion industry when planning your trip to Paris. “Although fashion week is the best time to see first-tier stars, if you come to Paris during the fashion cycle, especially women's week, you may find prices everywhere soaring unusually high in autumn and spring during the non-peak season. It is worth noting that women's ready-to-wear shows, or what most people call “Paris Fashion Week”, will be held at the end of February or early March, and at the end of September or early October.”
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When is the cheapest time to go to Paris?
Regarding the low-priced time periods of Paris tourism, Nick believes that generally speaking, you can travel to Paris at a very favorable price from mid-November to mid-December. “At this time, the crazy and busy summer tourism peak season has passed, but the time has not reached the end of the year when the price is rising. Therefore, you can avoid most important activities in the annual calendar in Paris, such as Fashion Week, French Open, etc. During this period, there are many empty rooms in the hotel, which can also shorten the queue time for major tourist attractions.”
Laura Lindsay, a global travel trend expert at Skyscanner, said that with the Olympics held in France this year, the cheaper season for traveling to Paris in 2024 will be after the summer, especially in October and November. As for 2025, she recommends focusing on discounted flights from January to March first.
