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Paris in Autumn

Autumn is one of the best times to visit Paris: prices are not too high, the weather is not too cold and the city offers a wide range of interesting proposals.

María Cano

María Cano

10 min read

Paris in Autumn

Paris in Autumn | ©Anthony Delanoix

If you have the opportunity to travel to Paris in autumn, you are in luck, because it is one of the best times to visit the "City of Light". Temperatures are still not too cold, prices are cheaper than in other months of the year and there is not so much tourism. And, above all and most importantly, there are several proposals and cultural events that coincide with these months of the year as is the case of the Autumn Festival, the Montmartre Harvest Festival, the White Night or the Festival of Gardens and Urban Agriculture. Fun is guaranteed!

And if you are looking for more plans for your trip, visit the post what to see and do in Paris and discover other proposals.

1. Enjoy the Autumn Festival in Paris

Autumn Festival Show| ©Filip Van Roe
Autumn Festival Show| ©Filip Van Roe

In September, the Autumn Festival (Festival d'Automne à Paris) begins in Paris in the framework of which are organized various temporary exhibitions, theater, dance and music shows, film screenings, different expressions of the visual arts, performances..., a large number of cultural events for all tastes and audiences. It is also a great attraction, as the city is visited by many international artists.

This festival, which was founded in 1972 by Michel Guy with the aim of bringing different artistic disciplines to all audiences, is held in various parts of the city such as the Centre Pompidou and the Théâtre de l'Odéon, among others, and is held throughout the fall and part of the winter.

  • When... From September to February.
  • Location... Theaters, museums, galleries of the city.
  • Price... Price determined for each show.

Book a private tour of Paris

2. Welcome the autumn at the Garden and Urban Agriculture Festival

Garden Festival| ©ParisInfo
Garden Festival| ©ParisInfo

As soon as autumn arrives, on the weekend closest to September 23, the Garden and Urban Agriculture Festival has been held in Paris for more than 20 years. A meeting in which thousands of people gather in the green spaces and parks of the city to welcome the autumn. For this, a complete free program is designed for all tastes and ages, which also seeks to raise awareness of current environmental problems. Among the various activities, there are guided tours, gardening workshops, concerts...

  • When... First weekend of autumn.
  • Location... Parks and green spaces in the city.
  • Price... Free of charge.

Book a guided tour of Montmartre

3. Have fun without limits at the Montmartre Harvest Festival

Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival| ©ViajaaFrancia
Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival| ©ViajaaFrancia

One of the charms of Montmartre is its vineyard houses. They harvest the grapes, make their own wine and, at the beginning of October, celebrate the Harvest Festival, a traditional and fun leisure proposal in which wine is the protagonist and which receives thousands of visitors every year.

The Harvest Festival has a full program with visits to vineyards, picnics, walks, folk dances, concerts, exhibitions, book presentations, debates, tastings of local products, excursions, parades and parades, art workshops, cooking and children's workshops. In addition, in the various food and beverage stands set up for the occasion you will have the opportunity to taste and buy the most typical products of the neighborhood.

I recommend you to read the post what to do in Montmartre and take advantage of your visit to see everything this district has to offer.

  • When... Beginning of October, from 10 am to 10 pm.
  • Location... Montmartre, next to the Sacre Coeur.
  • Price... Free of charge.

Book a guided tour of Montmartre

4. Join the Notte Blanche

Nuit Blanche in Paris| ©Hervé
Nuit Blanche in Paris| ©Hervé

Since 2002, the popular Nuit Blanche (White Night) has been taking place on the first Saturday of October, during which creations, exhibitions, scenographies, concerts and special installations are organized. A night in which the city does not sleep and transportation runs non-stop to allow everyone to participate in this day in which contemporary art becomes the protagonist and is celebrated in the different streets and emblematic squares of the city of Paris.

La Noche en Blanco originated in France but, little by little, it spread to other European countries such as Spain.

  • When... First Saturday of October.
  • Location... Main sites, squares and museums in the city of Paris.
  • Price... Free of charge.

Book a night tour of Paris

5. Join a wine tasting in New Beaujolais

Bottles of Wine| ©Hermes Rivera
Bottles of Wine| ©Hermes Rivera

On the third Thursday of November takes place in Paris, as well as in other cities in France and Europe, Beaujolais Nuevo, a traditional French festival that has spread to other cities around the world and is celebrated with a delicious meal and wine tastings in the "bar à vins" and bistrots.

In this way, the commercialization of this wine is celebrated, characterized by its youth, lightness and fruity flavor that, with a pink-purple color, stands out for its short maceration time. This wine, which is served at a temperature between 13 and 15ºC, is produced in the Rhône-Alpes region of France. The best quality wines are found in the localities of Brouilly, Saint-Amour, Chénas, Côté-de-Brouilly, Julienas, Fleurie, Morgon, Régnié, Chiroubles and Moulin-à-Vent.

  • When... Third Thursday of November.
  • Location... Paris.
  • Price... Free of charge.

6. Let yourself be seduced by a show at the National Opera Paris

The Opera Garnier| ©Helen Simonsson
The Opera Garnier| ©Helen Simonsson

The Paris National Opera, which is located in the Palais Garnier, starts its season in September, so if you go in autumn, and you have the opportunity, I recommend you to check the program and buy your ticket to see one of the internationally recognized shows that dazzle the audience every year.

The Paris National Opera is one of the most important on the international circuit, so let yourself be seduced by a show or concert in this incomparable setting! And if you want to know more details, visit the post Opera Garnier.

  • When... From September.
  • Location... National Opera Paris.
  • Price... Different types of tickets.

7. Enjoy the magic of Disneyland Paris

Touring Disney| ©Lyle Hastie
Touring Disney| ©Lyle Hastie

If going to Disneyland is always a perfect plan for both children and adults, having the opportunity to go coinciding with Halloween is an even more spectacular experience because, along with Christmas, is one of the most special times for your visit. The theme park prepares for this date in style with unique events and spooky decorations.

In fact, Halloween is not celebrated just for a day or a weekend but for more than a month, since the season of terror begins in September and ends on October 31. Read the post Disneyland Paris on Halloween and know all the proposals that you can enjoy. On the other hand, do not hesitate to visit the articles what to see and do in Disneyland Paris and the best attractions for you to have more details about your trip.

Below I indicate all the options of how to go from Paris to Disneyland, and if you go one day I recommend you to leave early because you have a lot to see. In the postWhatto see in Disneyland Paris in one day you have everything you need to see. Also, to make the most of the day, check the schedules.

And if you are still not sure that Halloween is a good time for your visit, read the post the best time to go to Disneyland Paris and you will find out for sure.

  • When... September and October.
  • Location... Disneyland Paris.
  • Price... From 54€.

Book your ticket for Disneyland Paris

8. Immerse yourself in art by visiting the best museums and castles of Paris for free

Pantheon of Paris,| ©Moonik
Pantheon of Paris,| ©Moonik

From November 1 until the end of March, on the first Sunday of each month, Paris museums open their doors to the public free of charge. This open day takes place at the Pantheon of Paris, the Palace of Versailles, the Basilica of Saint-Denis, Sainte Chapelle, the Palace of Maisons-Laffitte, the Château de Vincennes, the Château de Champs-sur-Marne, the Château de Pierrefonds, the Arc de Triomphe de Paris, the Rodin Museum, the Conciergerie or the Villa Savoye.

This list joins other must-sees, whose admission is free the rest of the year, such as the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Gustave Moreau Museum, the Eugène Delacroix National Museum, the National Museum of the Middle Ages of Paris, the National Museum Jean-Jacques Henner, the Cité Nationale de l'Histoire de l'Immigration, the Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine, the Georges Pompidou National Center of Art and Culture, the Musée de l'Orangerie, the Musée Picasso de Paris, the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée Guimet or the Musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac.

Read the post the 17 best museums in Paris and decide which ones to visit on your trip to Paris.

  • When... First Sunday of the month from November 1.
  • Location... Monuments and museums of Paris.
  • Price... Free of charge.

Book your ticket for the Château de Versailles

9. Let yourself be dazzled by the autumnal colors of the parks of Paris

Tuileries Garden in Autumn| ©Jim Lukach
Tuileries Garden in Autumn| ©Jim Lukach

The Trocadero Gardens, the Luxembourg Gardens, the Tuileries Garden, the Champ de Mars, the Bois de Vincennes, the Louise Michel Park, the Belleville Park... Paris has many parks and gardens and autumn is an ideal season to visit them, as their colors are tinged with yellows and ochers and dazzle all visitors. So, if your trip coincides with the end of September, October or November, an ideal plan whether you go with your partner, friends or family is to take a bike ride or walk.

  • When... The autumn months, from September to November, when temperatures are still moderate.
  • Location... Different locations in Paris.
  • Price... Free of charge.

10. Enjoy a cruise on the Seine

Cruise near the Eiffel Tower| ©Heather (Gruber) Williams
Cruise near the Eiffel Tower| ©Heather (Gruber) Williams

Another ideal plan for the autumn season, before the temperatures drop too much, is to take a cruise along the banks of the Seine. Along the way you will be able to see the most popular monuments of Paris such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Île de la Cité and, in addition, you will pass under its most emblematic bridges. And if you opt for a night cruise, the beauty of the City of Light will seduce you. The most romantic plan if you go with your partner!

There are many cruise proposals. If you have doubts when deciding don't hesitate to read the post the six best cruises on the Seine.

  • When... The autumn months.
  • Location... The banks of the Seine.
  • Price... From 18-20€ to 99€ depending on the type of cruise.

Book your cruise on the Seine

Paris temperatures in autumn

Autumn in Paris| ©Cliffano Subagio
Autumn in Paris| ©Cliffano Subagio

Paris temperatures in autumn vary greatly from September to the end of November and the beginning of December. Thus, while temperatures in September are between 13 and 20°C, in October they decrease with an average minimum of 10°C and a maximum of 18°C. On the other hand, in November and December it is already quite cold and temperatures are below 10ºC. In addition, rain is common.

The tourist flow in Paris in autumn

Spending the Autumn| ©Carl Campbell
Spending the Autumn| ©Carl Campbell

Paris is one of the most touristic cities in the world and whatever time of the year you go, you will find a large number of tourists. Even so, there are certain months of the year when the tourist influx is lower and these usually coincide with the autumn months. That does not mean that there are no special dates such as Halloween when it is common to find a greater number of travelers.

Paris prices in autumn

Autumn Afternoon| ©Paola Breizh
Autumn Afternoon| ©Paola Breizh

Precisely because autumn is one of the times when there is a lower tourist influx, prices at this time of year are usually lower than other months of the year. Therefore, I recommend that if you have the opportunity to opt for the months of September, October and November for your trip, as you can benefit from offers and promotions on both flights and hotels.

What to pack to visit Paris in autumn

Preparing what to bring| ©Ketut Subiyanto
Preparing what to bring| ©Ketut Subiyanto

If you travel to Paris in autumn you have to be very careful with what you put in your suitcase and is that depending on the month in which you go the temperatures can be very low and it is advisable to take sweaters or sweatshirts and a coat to be able to be waterproof because it is very common that the rain surprises you in these months of the year. Likewise, I recommend that you wear comfortable and waterproof footwear. And, of course, don't forget your umbrella.

If after this article you are not sure which autumn is the best season for your trip, read the articles Paris in spring, Paris in summer, Paris in winter and the best time to travel to Paris and choose the date that best suits your interests.