Rainy day · Paris · France
7 things to do in Paris when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Didier B ( Sam67fr ), CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Start with Louvre Museum, Musée d'Orsay and Musée Carnavalet. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 11–16 hours across 7 areas; 1 is free. December is usually the wettest month, with about 11 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 11–16 hours
- Areas
- 1st arrondissement, 7th arrondissement and Le Marais
Paris on a rainy day
Museum · 1st arrondissement
1.Louvre Museum
Go straight to the Mona Lisa at opening time or leave it for the final hour, then explore the quieter Richelieu wing.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · 7th arrondissement
2.Musée d'Orsay
Start on the fifth floor with the Impressionists before tour groups arrive, then work downwards.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Le Marais
3.Musée Carnavalet
Don't miss the courtyard garden and the room of old painted shop signs near the entrance.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Gallery · Tuileries
4.Musée de l'Orangerie
Arrive at opening and sit quietly in the first water-lily room before it fills.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Couples
- Rainy day
Historic site · Montparnasse
5.Catacombs of Paris
Bring a layer; the tunnels stay cool all year, and the exit is some distance from the entrance.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Opéra
6.Palais Garnier
Afterwards, walk to the free rooftop terrace of Galeries Lafayette for a view of the Garnier's roof and the Eiffel Tower.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Garden · Latin Quarter
7.Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution
The Grande Galerie is one of the best rainy-day stops for children in Paris.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1st arrondissement | Louvre Museum | 3–4 hours |
| 7th arrondissement | Musée d'Orsay | 2–3 hours |
| Le Marais | Musée Carnavalet | 1–2 hours |
| Tuileries | Musée de l'Orangerie | 1–1.5 hours |
| Montparnasse | Catacombs of Paris | 1 hour |
| Opéra | Palais Garnier | 1 hour |
| Latin Quarter | Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 1 free, 1 low cost, 5 mid-priced. Book ahead for Louvre Museum, Musée d'Orsay and Catacombs of Paris. The longest visit is Louvre Museum; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Louvre Museum: Timed-entry tickets are effectively required; reserve online before you go.
- Musée d'Orsay: Book a timed slot online, especially for weekends and Thursday late openings.
- Catacombs of Paris: Entry is by timed ticket and slots sell out; book online in advance.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (1st arrondissement): Louvre Museum, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (7th arrondissement and Le Marais): Musée d'Orsay → Musée Carnavalet, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Tuileries, Montparnasse and Opéra): Musée de l'Orangerie → Catacombs of Paris → Palais Garnier, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Latin Quarter): Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution, at least 2 hours.
The wettest months
- December: highs of 8°C (46°F), about 11 rainy days, moderate crowds. Festive lights, department-store window displays and Christmas markets; busy around the holidays.
- January: highs of 7°C (45°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cold and often grey, but museums are quiet and the winter sales (les soldes) usually start in early-to-mid January.
- March: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds. Days lengthen and the first blossom appears in the parks, though showers are frequent.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Le Marais — Medieval lanes, galleries, falafel and boutiques in the 3rd and 4th arrondissements
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés — Literary cafés, art galleries and elegant Left Bank streets in the 6th
- Latin Quarter — Student energy, the Sorbonne and cheap eats in the 5th
- Opéra and Grands Boulevards — Department stores, Palais Garnier and the main transport hub in the 9th
More of Paris
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Paris?
Louvre Museum. The world's most-visited museum holds the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace in a former royal palace.
+Which of these are free in Paris?
Musée Carnavalet.