What's the best time of year for visiting Paris, France...and why?

Question

What's the best time of year for visiting Paris, France...and why?

Answer 1

I think spring would be the best time.  Summer would be good too but there would be loads of people.  Went there at the start of winter and I kept on thinking that it would be much better sight at spring.

Answer 2

I went in May/June and it was beautiful. The weather was warm, and it only rained once. April apparently has lots of showers and July and August are really busy with tourists. After August/September things slow down as the cooler weather arrives and some tourist places actually start shutting down. I would really recommend May/June.

Answer 3

Spring, April/ May. Gardens are in bloom, not too hot, not too cold - just right. Seriously, it depends on what you want to do, where you want go etc.

Answer 4

In the spring! Paris is beautiful in April or May.

Answer 5

In August since most locals "flee" the city for their vaccations! So Paris will almost be yours for a change...

Answer 6

My own opinion is that the best time is the period from the third week of September thru the end of October.

First because the prices (especially airfares) are better than in the heavily touristed summer months. And while the spring has the same advantage my own, very unscientific observation, is that there seem to be slightly fewer tourists in the fall than in the Spring (maybe everyone thinks about the song "April in Paris") Less tourists also means less crowding.

Next, the weather in that time period also seems to be better (again that's just my personal observation from 35 years of trips to Paris...I may be wrong). The spring seems to have more rain than the fall. The summer is often very hot (and air conditioning in Paris isn't as good as in the USA). The winter can be quite cold which is limiting when so much of Paris is best enjoyed by just walking around.

Fall is the start of the school year and Spring the end so there seems to be a bit more activity when kids are coming back to school than when they are preparing for exams.

Mind you, I've been to Paris at almost every time of the year and its a pleasure no matter when you are there.

Answer 7

july/august because alot of people in france leave at that time to go travel on thier vacations for some odd reason. things are usually less crowded and you can get around easier

Answer 8

April-may for the weather, August for the calm and lack of traffic jams, september for the famous "rentrée". And february for the sales :-))

Bottom line: Paris is great all over the year...

Answer 9

It's almost always wonderful, for various reasons.  But I like going to Easter services in Paris.

Answer 10

April in Paris is something else.