Everyone wants to have seen Paris at least once right? Well I can definitely say that after having been recently, I definitely wanna head back one day. A nice city with lots to do and see, great food and drink, and plenty of great photography spots if that’s what you’re into. But when is the best time of year to go and why?
When I Went To Paris
I went to Paris in September towards the end of the month and I don’t think there’s any better time to have gone! I had great weather most of the time, it was pretty empty, but there was still enough going on for it to be a lively experience.
At this time of year you’ve got cooler weather but it’s still more than warm enough to enjoy walks around the city without getting cold. Highs are around 22/23°C and lows are around 13°C with only a few days of rain here and there! Plus, as I said, you’ll be avoiding massive queues, huge crowds, and frustrating foot traffic.
Why September Is The Best Month To Visit Paris
- Weather that’s not too hot, or too cold
- Low chance of rainfall
- After the holidays so there’ll be less people and kids about
- With autumn on its way at this time of year, the leaves are starting to drop and change colour
- It’s cheaper – tickets for getting there and back are cheaper, as well as activities in the city
- Disneyland will be much more bearable without the summer queues – in fact when I went, I barely even queued for most of the rides!
What Should You See And Do In Paris?
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel tower is pretty much a no-discussion-needed spot when you visit Paris. It’s almost definitely on your list already right? I’d recommend going up in the afternoon as you’ll get the best weather and views of the city. Then, once it gets dark you can grab a picnic blanket, some wine and snacks ,and enjoy the tower’s lights from the Champ de Mars!
The Louvre
Now I never actually made it into the museum when I went – there wasn’t quite enough time! But I did spend some time above it by the famous pyramid and walking around the old surrounding buildings. I couldn’t leave it off the list though as a) even if you just do what I did, it’s still worth it to see this fascinating building and b) if you do have a little more time, the full art gallery is meant to be good…although I have heard the Mona Lisa experience is fairly underwhelming!
The Catacombs
Paris’s catacombs are certainly a unique sight and definitely and interesting one worth adding to your list. Twenty metres beneath the city are the bones of millions of Parisians with creative artwork displays and incredible history of what happened in Paris and why the millions of skeletons are all there! I can’t say what it’s like in terms of busy-ness most of the time, but when I went in the morning it was extremely quiet!
Disneyland Paris
This is one for you if you’re a fan of anything Disney, or theme parks in general. I’m definitely more into the latter, and it was a great day exploring both parks. Again, in September during the week it was virtually empty and I barely queued! If you manage to go out of season when it’ll be relatively quiet, get the 2 parks pass and do them both in one day.
The Seine
The famous river that runs all through the city is great for strolls and will lead you to loads of cool spots along the way. If you’ve got the weather for it (which in September you should do), take some walks along the Seine and enjoy the bridges, parks, and sights on the way! Look out for the Louvre, the Notre Dame, Pont Neuf, Jardin des Tuileries, and the Eiffel Tower.
Arc de triomphe
Another must-see if you’re in Paris! It’s almost always busy from what I gathered, but you can still easily get a great view of this stunning architecture. It’s a bit out of the way of other spots so I’d recommend getting the metro there and back. When I was there it was covered as a commemorative art piece, check it out:
Notre Dame
Another sight that’s worth a quick visit, especially at the moment with it under repair. Whilst it doesn’t look as spectacular, in my opinion it’s even more fascinating to visit the Notre Dame now since it nearly burnt down in 2019 as it really shows you the huge extent of the blaze. There’s also some interesting back story to read about the building if you walk along its side!
The Luxembourg Gardens
An unexpected and spontaneous trip to the Luxembourg Gardens actually turned out to be my number one spot! This huge garden area in the middle of the city is amazing on a warm sunny day. It’s a beautiful area, with grass for sitting on, chairs to enjoy the sun in and an amazing view. I can definitely recommend spending a late afternoon here with a few bottles of beer and wine!
The Promenade Plantée
The Promenade plantée is a walkway that goes above the city, filled with cool plants. It’s a great way to spend your time walking through Paris, especially if you’d like to be surrounded by a bit more nature. Lots of spots along the way give you a great lookout over the Parisian streets!
La Petite Ceinture
The petite ceinture is one of the more unique spots in Paris – it’s an abandoned railway track that’s been turned into a beautiful walkway surrounded by loads of plant life. If you enjoy walks in a more peaceful setting then this is the place for you! The track runs for a fairly long way so if you’d like you can spend a decent amount of time strolling through the various sections.
Have you got plans to visit Paris any time soon? If you’ve got any questions or want some more recommendations, feel free to send me a DM on Instagram!
