What’s on in Paris this winter
One of the best times to visit Paris is in the off-season -
there are ferwer tourists in the city, fewer tourists means less time spent waiting in the lines, easier access to monuments and museums, and less hassled and therefore friendlier Parisians.
On the financial front you’re more likely to get good prices/rates because hotels need guests and one sure fire way to attract them is low prices.
You feel less like a local than a tourist because you get to do what Parisians do.
- Winter time in Paris is less cold than many places in the world. The average winter temperature is 7°C (about 45°F), and it’s less rainy than people often think. Plus Paris is one of these great cities where, even if the weather isn’t so nice, the monuments and facades look amazing. The grey colour of the sky gives to the city, a historical aspect even deeper than what it actually is. It makes you feel “special” in a special city.
- Some French food is only available during winter time. Take oysters for example, there is a phrase saying that you can only eat oysters on months ending with “er”, so September, October, November, December and no January or February etc. What a pity not to eat these huge delicious seafood trays.
- Winter sales happen on January; right after you spent all your money on Christmas’s gifts. It stays about 5 weeks, depending on the French department you are in. You wouldn’t want to miss the Galeries Lafayette facades, it’s a national event every year.
- Christmas markets (Marchés de Noel) are so cut. You will find them in various cities in France, some are expected, like the one in Strasbourg, and some are more intimate and still very attractive.