Season guide · Paris · France
Paris in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Kirua, Public domain
Quick answer
Cold and short days, but quiet museums, low prices outside the holidays, festive lights in December and the January sales. Expect highs up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 30 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 3°C (37°F) to 8°C (46°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 30
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C (45°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 10 | 8.7 h | 2/5 |
| February | 8°C (46°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 9 | 10.1 h | 2/5 |
| December | 8°C (46°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 11 | 8.3 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 8°C (46°F) against a yearly 16°C (61°F), and 30 of the year's roughly 107 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Winter sales — citywide shop discounts (usually from early January)
- January: Lunar New Year parades in the 13th arrondissement (late January or February)
- February: Salon International de l'Agriculture — farm and food fair (usually late February)
- December: Christmas markets at the Tuileries and other squares (usually late November to early January)
- December: New Year's Eve on the Champs-Élysées
Good choices for winter
Architecture · Opéra
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
Jardin des Plantes and Grande Galerie de l'Évolution
France's main botanical garden includes glasshouses, a small zoo (the Ménagerie) and the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution, where a parade of stuffed animals marches through a soaring 19th-century hall.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Nature
- Rainy day
- Outdoors
Museum · 1st arrondissement
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
Musée d'Orsay
Housed in a Beaux-Arts railway station, the Orsay has the world's best collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art: Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh and Cézanne.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Le Marais
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
Day trips in winter
- Reims and Champagne (About 45 minutes by TGV) — Reims has a great Gothic cathedral where French kings were crowned and the chalk cellars of famous Champagne houses, many offering tours and tastings by reservation.
- Fontainebleau (About 1 hour by train and bus) — A royal château used by French monarchs for eight centuries, with Renaissance galleries and Napoleon's apartments, surrounded by a forest popular for walking and bouldering.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Paris?
It is a trade-off: Cold and short days, but quiet museums, low prices outside the holidays, festive lights in December and the January sales. The best months overall are April–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Paris in winter?
Highs of up to 8°C (46°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 30 rainy days over the season.