Paris in Winter – 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Paris in Winter

If you ask me, you should definitely visit Paris in winter.

Why?

Well, here are at least 10 reasons to convince you.

 

 

Winter is probably not the season you have in mind when you think about a trip to Paris. You might think about the warm summer days, when you can chill on the river banks, or spring with the beautiful cherry blossoms everywhere in the capital city.

But trust me on this: visiting Paris in winter is absolutely worth it, and it’s one of the best winter holidays in Europe.

There are so many things you can only do during winter, and the perks of Paris winter holiday will probably convince you to buy your plane tickets and spend 4 days in Paris.

Ok ok, I now you’ve been waiting for them. The 10 reasons why you should visit Paris in winter. I won’t hold them back any longer.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Paris in Winter
• Travel Tips for Paris in Winter

10 Reasons Why You Should Visit Paris in Winter

1- No crowds!

Probably the biggest reason for me to visit Paris in winter: there is nobody around.

Visiting Paris can be a hassle, as it’s the most visited city in the world. In most areas you’d usually visit when travelling to Paris, huge crowds are present.
However, if you go to Paris in winter, you’ll be able to enjoy the nice places by yourself, and see why Paris is one of the best places to live in France.

There is almost 3 times less tourists in winter than in summer. Quick math.

2- Save a TON of money!

The other cool thing about choosing a period where nobody else wants to travel to Paris is financial: you’ll save a ton of money!

In average, flight tickets are 3 times less expensive in December than in summer. Same goes for accommodations, it’s as simple as supply and demand.
By saving money on transportation (flights, train tickets, …) and accommodations, you’ll visit Paris for cheap! Not the typical word you associate with Paris, « cheap ».

Of course you’ll need to pack accordingly for the weather winter in Europe, but even if you need to purchase winter gear it will still be a lot cheaper than in peak months 🙂

3- See monuments differently under the snow in Paris

This one may or may not happen depending on your luck. But you have to admit that seeing the Eiffel Tower under snow is incredible!

By visiting Paris in winter, you have the possibility to see famous monuments in a different way, covered in snow. Not your everyday Paris views!
And even if you don’t get to see snow, you will still experience Paris in a different way, under moody skies.

4- Stroll through the Christmas Markets

In 2017, there were more than 30 Christmas Markets in Paris, all around the capital city and in the suburbs.

Image by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra under CC BY 2.0

Discover Paris in a new way by merging in with the locals, and spend your afternoon strolling through the wooden huts of the Christmas markets, while drinking mulled wine and eating warm food.

5- Illuminations: wonderful light decorations all over Paris in winter

Have you already heard about the illuminations? The illuminations are beautiful lights all over Paris, decorating the streets and buildings during winter.

Image by David Monniaux under CC BY-SA 2.0 FR

Light decorations of all kind fill the streets of Paris in December, and they make the city all the more magical. More than 270 monuments get lit up at night, plus countless streets and buildings. As the night quickly sets in at this same time of year, it will allow you to see Paris by night, the best way you can.

Enjoying this Paris guide? You may also like these:

Best Eiffel Tower views

Place Vendôme from the rooftops

6- You can ice skate in front of the beautiful Paris City Hall

Fact! If you visit Paris in winter, you will be among the lucky ones to ice skate in front of the beautiful renaissance style Paris City Hall. A magical experience indeed.

Image by ErasmusOfParis under CC BY-SA 2.0

The access to the skating rink is free, and won’t cost you anything if you have your own ice skates. You can rent ice skates for 6€, which is pretty cheap for an activity in Paris!

Paris city hall ice rink opening hours:
Monday & Thursday: noon to 10pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 10am to 10pm

7- The perfect occasion to experience Disneyland Paris during Christmas

Many people use their time in Paris to visit Disneyland Paris, the most visited theme park in Europe. Still not magical enough for you? Well, visit Disneyland Paris in winter to experience Disney’s Enchanted Christmas

Image by Sergey Galyonkin under CC BY-SA 2.0

If you have kids, or even for grown ups (I know I’d go!), Disneyland Paris during Christmas is a wonderful place, filled with lights, light shows, snow and Christmas decorations.

Check this blog dedicated to Disney World to see more of what to expect during Christmas in Disneyland Paris

8- See the Eiffel Tower fireworks for New Year’s Eve

Fireworks at the Eiffel Tower are a rare sights, as they happen only twice a year: for Bastille day on July 4th, and on New Year’s Eve.

Being in Paris in winter, and especially during New Year’s Eve, has one main advantage: you’ll get to see the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower by itself is a pretty incredible sight. I can assure you that it gets even more beautiful with fireworks.

If you’re planning to watch the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower for New Year’s Eve, you might want to plan a bit ahead. Find out the 10 best views of the Eiffel Tower here, and pick the best one to see the show from 🙂

9- Sip Hot Chocolate at a heated terrace

No winter guides could be complete without the mention of hot chocolate. I mean, what good is bad weather if you can’t cuddle under the blanket and drink hot chocolate?

Image by Laurent Derossi

Take your winter cozy days to the next level by sipping hot chocolate at a heated terrace in Paris. Paris is famous for its pretty cafés and bars, and I’m sure you’ve seen countless movie scenes where the main character sits at a terrace to have a drink. Pretty typical of Paris.
Most of the terrace are heated: you’ll have the warm cozy feeling of home, while watching the streets of Paris and sipping hot chocolate.

If you’re ever planning a hot chocolate chill day in a cozy Paris café, then message me because I am in!

10- Discover the magic of Paris covered passages

The last on this list of 10 reasons why you should visit Paris in winter is to discover the magic of Paris covered passages. While there originally was more than 150 passages scattered around Paris, most of them have now disappeared. Still, there are now about 25 passages in Paris, and they’re all charming.

Image by Laurent Derossi

During bad weather, we usually tend to prefer indoors. Well, the covered passages of Paris are the perfect « indoors » activity for winters in Paris. Spend your afternoon exploring the passages, and having fun in these often very bright and full of life places.

Here are the 25 covered passages still open in Paris in 2018:

1. Arcades du Lido
2. Passage des Princes
3. Passage Verdeau
4. Galerie de la Madeleine
5. Passage Jouffroy
6. Passage du Havre
7. Passage Puteaux
8. Passage du Prado
9. Passage Choiseul
10. Passage du Bourg l’Abbé
11. Passage Brady
12. Passage Vendôme
13. Passage du Ponceau
14. Passage Ben Aiad
15. Galerie Colbert
16. Galerie Véro Dodat
17. Passage du Grand Cerf
18. Galerie Vivienne
19. Passage des panoramas
20. Passage du Caire
21. Cour du Commerce Saint André
22. Cité Berryer
23. Passage Sainte-Anne
24. Passage Molière
25. Passage des Deux Pavillons

+ 1 bonus reason to visit Paris in winter

Oh wait, did I actually mentioned we got to the end of the list? Well, I’ve got one more reason for you, as long as you’re the adventure type of person.

Ski in Paris

That’s right, you can ski in Paris. Or at least some people have skied in Paris.

Video of people skiing in Montmartre:

When it snows in the capital city, there are a number of nice spots where you can ski, surf or even sledge down a hill.

Among the places where you can ski in Paris, the nicest ones are:

• Buttes Chaumont
• Parc Montsouris
• Butte aux Cailles
• Montmartre
• Parc de Belleville
• Butte Bergeyre
• Montagne Sainte Genevieve

Disclaimer: Skiing in these places is actually illegal, and I do not encourage illegal behaviors.

I hope this answers your question « Should I visit Paris in winter? » You absolutely should! Paris in winter has so many perks, and to me it’s the perfect time of year to visit the capital.

These 10 reasons have convinced you to come visit Paris in winter? Then check out these travel tips below to help you prepare.

Travel Tips for Paris in Winter

To make sure that you make the most out of your Paris Winter trip, here are a few things you should pay attention to:

How is the winter weather in Paris?

Winters are pretty chilly in Paris, with an average of 5°C (41°F), and rain every 3 days on average.

What should I pack?

To be fully equipped against winter in Paris, you should pack warm clothes, nice cozy socks, gloves, and don’t forget your scarf. Pack an umbrella if you can, or a raincoat otherwise.

Anything I need to know?

Well, Christmas holidays are from December 22th to January 7th. On these dates, expect more people out in the streets. Also, double check if where you want to go is open on these dates.

Now you have everything you need to know for your next travels to Paris in Winter: the best things to do, and tips to keep in mind. Safe travels 🙂

🔍 Read more: 

• One Day in Paris
• Best Areas in Paris for First Timers
• TOP 10 Safest Areas in Paris
• Dangerous Areas in Paris to Avoid
• Best Beaches Near Paris 
• Interesting Facts about Paris

Do you see any other good reason to visit Paris in winter? Or do you think it’s a terrible idea? In any case, let me know in the comments below!