Best: Jul, Dec · Great: Apr, Jun, Aug-Sep · Dec for Christmas Markets
Weather shifts through genuine seasons here, from January's cool stretch to July's warmth, with rain a little heavier around December and lighter around July — real variation, but nothing as sharp as a true monsoon or Mediterranean dry season. In July, expect highs around 26°C with rain on roughly 8 days of the month.
Christmas Markets (December) — Strasbourg's famed Christkindelsmärik and Paris's holiday markets along the Champs-Élysées make this a festive month despite the cold.
The Louvre and Musee d'Orsay anchor the city's art scene, while a Seine river cruise past Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower remains the classic introduction to Paris after dark. Montmartre's steep streets and the Sacre-Coeur basilica reward a slower wander, and Notre-Dame's exterior and the surrounding Ile de la Cite are worth a stop even mid-restoration. Le Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Pres are the neighborhoods to explore on foot for cafe culture and boutique shopping. Just outside the city, the Palace of Versailles makes an easy full-day trip, and Monet's gardens at Giverny are a popular add-on for art lovers.
Try classic French bistro fare, alongside French wine and champagne — both are central to French dining culture rather than an add-on, with champagne specifically from the nearby Champagne region.
Daylight, sunrise, and sunset are calculated exactly from this region's latitude. Temperature and rainfall are modeled from its general climate type, not measured station data. Month summaries are generated from those modeled figures.
Expect cool days around 8°/2°C, with frequent rain (~12 rainy days).
Expect cool days around 9°/3°C, with frequent rain (~10 rainy days).
Expect cool days around 13°/5°C, with occasional rain (~9 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 16°/7°C, with occasional rain (~9 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 20°/10°C, with frequent rain (~12 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 23°/13°C, with frequent rain (~10 rainy days).
Expect warm days around 26°/15°C, with occasional rain (~8 rainy days).
Expect warm days around 26°/15°C, with occasional rain (~9 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 22°/13°C, with occasional rain (~8 rainy days).
Expect mild days around 17°/10°C, with frequent rain (~12 rainy days).
Expect cool days around 12°/6°C, with frequent rain (~12 rainy days).
Expect cool days around 9°/3°C, with frequent rain (~13 rainy days).