Very good advice in the blog, especially re bringing your own medications. We have had two enjoyable winter trips to Europe with one of these including a week in Paris. The Christmas atmosphere is fantastic; the tourist crowds are smaller; the January sales are great! On a second trip to France last year, we again stayed in Montmartre and loved our AirBnB apartment and generous host – the latter is a great benefit for new visitors.
Rosemary Kneipp
September 3rd, 2015 at 8:31 pm
It’s true that the decorations go up at the beginning of December. I had completely forgotten about that! I’m glad you had such a good experience with AirBnB. I think it’s a great way to travel. I haven’t used it myself but both my children do it regularly. I’m more of a home exchanger.
Very good advice! Coming from a place that gets very cold winters, I’m sure I’d be perfectly fine in Paris in December.
Rosemary Kneipp
September 3rd, 2015 at 8:26 pm
I saw Canadians swimming in Greece at Christmas once. It was far too cold for me.
Crawford O’Brien
September 3rd, 2015 at 3:57 am
Hello
This is a suggestion for Elaine. We have just booked a very good hotel in the Latin Quartier called hotel Marignan. It has a good reputation and is budget
Rosemary Kneipp
September 3rd, 2015 at 8:27 pm
Thank you, Crawford, for recommending the Marignan Hotel. I hope you have a lovely holiday in Paris.
The short answer is of course yes, Paris is worth visiting in winter. We go every year in February because we go to a trade show at that time, and take a week so we can do touristy things as well. February is likely to be the coldest month. Rosemary’s advice about clothing is spot on. My experience is that you are more likely to be over heated than cold. I always wear thermals or leggings under jodhpurs, and leg warmers if I’m going to be outdoors. I suggest wearing narrow leg trousers of some sort so you don’t get a draught at the ankles. It is my feet and ankles that get cold if anything does. A hat and gloves will be essential outdoors and shoes with decent thick soles — pavements are cold and it seeps in if you are outside for any length of time. Don’t wear thermals if you are going to be indoors anywhere for any length of time — wear layers you can take off (which of course you then have to carry, which is a pain). The trade show is amazingly warm once the building fills up with people for example, and I get down to just a single layer of clothing. Shops are usually stiflingly hot, heated for shop assisant comfort, not customer coming in off the street comfort.
With medications so long as you know the generic name of the active ingredient the pharmacist will be able to give you an equivalent.
The queue at the Louvre is for security, not tickets, so there may be no avoiding it. It will vary greatly depending on what time of day you go. I would still buy tickets in advance though.
A sunny winter’s day is better than a summer’s day for visibility and photography.
I’ve never done a segway tour. I do recommend going to one of the big railway stations (eg Austerlitz) and watching the staff segway around though.
I agree with Rosemary about the walking tours. We’ve done some absolutely excellent ones with Paris-Walks, who cost €12 per person these days.
Rosemary Kneipp
September 3rd, 2015 at 8:29 pm
Thank you for your feedback Susan. I didn’t know about the staff segwaying!
The segwaying SNCF staff are hilarious. They are sooooo cool 🙂 They greet one another whilst still mounted on their segway, faire bisou and everything, and dash about with a great sense of importance.
I forgot to mention that we have had two very good Airbnb experiences in Paris, both in Bastille (in the same street in fact, just around the corner from the erstwhile Charlie Hebdo offices, which was an interesting and moving experience).
Great tips 🙂 Paris winters are bitterly cold but I think it’s a more magical time to visit than the summer. Plus a great excuse to just go from cafe to cafe drinking chocolat chaud!
Rosemary Kneipp
September 6th, 2015 at 10:12 pm
Hi Camilla, and thank you for your input. Yes, drinking hot chocolate is definitely a great occupation in winter. My favourite is Angelina’s for breakfast.
Great advice! I always tell friends and family to bring an umbrella, as it is more likely to rain than snow. I actually love winter in Paris – though I prefer it after Christmas and New Year’s passes, when the tourists leave and the city quiets down somewhat in January and February. There’s a sense of the city feeling more local in my opinion – like the real Parisians are all hunkering down in the winter, and the tourists are less present because they prefer to visit when the weather is warmer and nicer. Then it’s time to warm up in the wine bar or eat lots of raclette 🙂
Rosemary Kneipp
September 6th, 2015 at 10:13 pm
Yes, an umbrella can be very useful! I agree that it feels more truly Parisian in the winter without the large numbers of tourists. Do you have a favourite raclette venue?
Paris is ALWAYS worth it! You can get a lovely sunny day in winter or a foul rainy day in summer, weather is never guaranteed nowadays. Good tips re Airbnb and bringing a small box of “favourite” medicine, both something I do when travelling. I’d say for Paris in winter, warm boots are a must as feet can get cold standing in line and even walking around, but indoors places are often overheated, (even the metro) so layers are a must. Thanks for linking up to #AllAboutFrance, it’s always a pleasure to read your posts Rosemary.
Rosemary Kneipp
September 8th, 2015 at 10:02 pm
You’re right about the boots Phoebe. Tights plus socks can work too. I was pleased that #AllAboutFrance was due just when I was publishing my post!
Give me Paris anytime of the year! 🙂 I agree about bringing some of your own medications. I had to visit a pharmacy while we were in Paris- I googled my condition and found a French translation, and they had what I needed. There are pharmacies everywhere- so easy to find.
I’d also recommend a walking tour by a group called “Hidden Paris”. They are around 25 Euro for a 90 minute tour, and only take small groups. Fantastic value and very knowledgeable tour leaders! #AllAboutFrance
Rosemary Kneipp
September 8th, 2015 at 10:03 pm
Hi Nathalie and thanks for the tip on Hidden Paris. I hope that Marie and Elaine will be able to check it out!
Excellent post and advice! I always loved Paris in December with the Christmas markets and buzz of the holiday season! The last few winters haven’t been too cold and made walking the city in December absolutely magical!
Very good advice in the blog, especially re bringing your own medications. We have had two enjoyable winter trips to Europe with one of these including a week in Paris. The Christmas atmosphere is fantastic; the tourist crowds are smaller; the January sales are great! On a second trip to France last year, we again stayed in Montmartre and loved our AirBnB apartment and generous host – the latter is a great benefit for new visitors.
It’s true that the decorations go up at the beginning of December. I had completely forgotten about that! I’m glad you had such a good experience with AirBnB. I think it’s a great way to travel. I haven’t used it myself but both my children do it regularly. I’m more of a home exchanger.
Very good advice! Coming from a place that gets very cold winters, I’m sure I’d be perfectly fine in Paris in December.
I saw Canadians swimming in Greece at Christmas once. It was far too cold for me.
Hello
This is a suggestion for Elaine. We have just booked a very good hotel in the Latin Quartier called hotel Marignan. It has a good reputation and is budget
Thank you, Crawford, for recommending the Marignan Hotel. I hope you have a lovely holiday in Paris.
The short answer is of course yes, Paris is worth visiting in winter. We go every year in February because we go to a trade show at that time, and take a week so we can do touristy things as well. February is likely to be the coldest month. Rosemary’s advice about clothing is spot on. My experience is that you are more likely to be over heated than cold. I always wear thermals or leggings under jodhpurs, and leg warmers if I’m going to be outdoors. I suggest wearing narrow leg trousers of some sort so you don’t get a draught at the ankles. It is my feet and ankles that get cold if anything does. A hat and gloves will be essential outdoors and shoes with decent thick soles — pavements are cold and it seeps in if you are outside for any length of time. Don’t wear thermals if you are going to be indoors anywhere for any length of time — wear layers you can take off (which of course you then have to carry, which is a pain). The trade show is amazingly warm once the building fills up with people for example, and I get down to just a single layer of clothing. Shops are usually stiflingly hot, heated for shop assisant comfort, not customer coming in off the street comfort.
With medications so long as you know the generic name of the active ingredient the pharmacist will be able to give you an equivalent.
The queue at the Louvre is for security, not tickets, so there may be no avoiding it. It will vary greatly depending on what time of day you go. I would still buy tickets in advance though.
A sunny winter’s day is better than a summer’s day for visibility and photography.
I’ve never done a segway tour. I do recommend going to one of the big railway stations (eg Austerlitz) and watching the staff segway around though.
I agree with Rosemary about the walking tours. We’ve done some absolutely excellent ones with Paris-Walks, who cost €12 per person these days.
Thank you for your feedback Susan. I didn’t know about the staff segwaying!
The segwaying SNCF staff are hilarious. They are sooooo cool 🙂 They greet one another whilst still mounted on their segway, faire bisou and everything, and dash about with a great sense of importance.
I forgot to mention that we have had two very good Airbnb experiences in Paris, both in Bastille (in the same street in fact, just around the corner from the erstwhile Charlie Hebdo offices, which was an interesting and moving experience).
Great tips 🙂 Paris winters are bitterly cold but I think it’s a more magical time to visit than the summer. Plus a great excuse to just go from cafe to cafe drinking chocolat chaud!
Hi Camilla, and thank you for your input. Yes, drinking hot chocolate is definitely a great occupation in winter. My favourite is Angelina’s for breakfast.
Great advice! I always tell friends and family to bring an umbrella, as it is more likely to rain than snow. I actually love winter in Paris – though I prefer it after Christmas and New Year’s passes, when the tourists leave and the city quiets down somewhat in January and February. There’s a sense of the city feeling more local in my opinion – like the real Parisians are all hunkering down in the winter, and the tourists are less present because they prefer to visit when the weather is warmer and nicer. Then it’s time to warm up in the wine bar or eat lots of raclette 🙂
Yes, an umbrella can be very useful! I agree that it feels more truly Parisian in the winter without the large numbers of tourists. Do you have a favourite raclette venue?
Yes yes yes!!! What a wonderful (and patient!) reply you’ve provided to the questions, Rosemary.
Here’s my post ‘Nine big reasons to love Paris in winter’ https://mysydneyparislife.wordpress.com/2014/02/15/nine-big-reasons-to-love-paris-in-winter/
Cheers and see you in December 🙂
Great post Carolyn. I’m sure Marie and Elaine will find it convincing.
Paris is ALWAYS worth it! You can get a lovely sunny day in winter or a foul rainy day in summer, weather is never guaranteed nowadays. Good tips re Airbnb and bringing a small box of “favourite” medicine, both something I do when travelling. I’d say for Paris in winter, warm boots are a must as feet can get cold standing in line and even walking around, but indoors places are often overheated, (even the metro) so layers are a must. Thanks for linking up to #AllAboutFrance, it’s always a pleasure to read your posts Rosemary.
You’re right about the boots Phoebe. Tights plus socks can work too. I was pleased that #AllAboutFrance was due just when I was publishing my post!
Give me Paris anytime of the year! 🙂 I agree about bringing some of your own medications. I had to visit a pharmacy while we were in Paris- I googled my condition and found a French translation, and they had what I needed. There are pharmacies everywhere- so easy to find.
I’d also recommend a walking tour by a group called “Hidden Paris”. They are around 25 Euro for a 90 minute tour, and only take small groups. Fantastic value and very knowledgeable tour leaders! #AllAboutFrance
Hi Nathalie and thanks for the tip on Hidden Paris. I hope that Marie and Elaine will be able to check it out!
Excellent post and advice! I always loved Paris in December with the Christmas markets and buzz of the holiday season! The last few winters haven’t been too cold and made walking the city in December absolutely magical!