Paris in March: everything you need to know
Oh, March! What a beautiful time to enjoy the city of light. With fewer tourists, lots of festivals, carnival evenings and celebration for practically the entire month, it's perfect for a fun-filled vacation.
Paris Aerial View | ©Lucas Gallone
March could well be one of the best months to visit Paris. Although the cold of winter is still felt, it is also true that spring, withall its goodness, is just around the corner and Parisians know it. This month is full of festivities and celebrations ranging from the highest Parisian fashion to colorful and picturesque street parades.
Discover all there is to do in Paris for these dates, put together a travel itinerary that allows you to include all the celebrations you can but also get to know the beautiful Parisian museums, its fabulous food and its charming landscapes.
1. Experience Paris Fashion Week
Semaine de la mode de Paris or Paris Fashion Week is the name given to the famous day of presentations that takes place in the French capital and closes the tour of "fashion weeks" in other capitals such as London, New York and Venice.
Paris is proclaimed worldwide as the capital of fashion and style, so this event is extremely important for Parisians in general but especially for its designers and models who move a millionaire industry around the world. The main Parisian fashion houses such as Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Hérmes and Louis Vuitton join the event.
Although the truth is that it is a very closed event where only personalities linked to fashion and show business usually have access.
Shopping in Paris
Shopping in Paris is one of the top plans of the city as it has boutiques of big brands precisely because it is considered the fashion capital. For this reason there are many shopping tours organized for all tastes and budgets. If, for example, you are interested in exclusive brands but at good prices, sign up for a shopping excursion to the La Vallée outlet, with round-trip transportation. Ready for glamour?
Yves Saint Laurent Museum
On the other hand, if you can't get tickets to see the Paris Fashion Week shows but you want to soak up Parisian fashion, I recommend an alternative plan: visit the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. In this exhibition you can see the atelier and fashion collections in which the great French haute couture designer worked.
2. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Disneyland Paris or at the Moulin Rouge
With a growing Irish population and tourists traveling from all over the world for the festivities, Paris is one of the most popular European destinations to enjoy the famous St. Patrick's Day celebration. Every year on March 17, the French capital hosts several events that combine music, beer, dancing and parades.
Where it takes place
This celebration takes place all over Paris. However, here is a list of the most interesting activities and events, in the hope that they will inspire you.
- St. Patrick's Day Parade: if you are a Disney fan or if you are visiting Paris with children, you can choose to visit the St. Patrick's Day Parade at Disneyland Paris.
- Moulin Rouge: if you want to see the mythical mill for once in green, don't miss this show celebrating St. Patrick's Day.
- Tour of the best Irish Pubs in Paris: If what you are looking for is to taste top quality Irish beer, some pubs in Paris such as La Guinness Tavern, O'Sullivan's Pub Montmartre or Patrick's Le Ballon Vert offer the best.
3. Enjoy French cinema and its festivals
Cinema was born in France with the creation, by the Lumiére brothers, of the first film and the first reproduction device; it is no surprise to anyone that the art of cinema and festivals are an important part of the French cultural scene.
During the month of March Paris holds several annual film festivals, so if you visit the city for these dates you will have a chance to admire the work of award-winning directors and of course emerging talents.
Where it takes place
To enjoy Parisian cinema in March you have several alternatives, here are my favorites:
- Cinéma du Réel The International Documentary Film Festival takes place in mid-March and screenings are held at the Pompidou Center.
- Printemps du Cinéma or the Spring of Cinema takes place every year during the last days of the month. Participating Parisian cinemas screen a wide collection of films for three days at a greatly reduced box office price.
4. Enjoy Mardi Gras or go to the cabaret
Carnival festivities in France are a series of celebrations that include all kinds of parades and activities and conclude on Mardi Gras. They usually take place between the months of February and March so if you are in Paris for the carnival celebrations you can't miss it!
Two particular celebrations stand out from the rest. Choosing one or the other will depend on your travel itinerary and hunger for adventure.
Cabaret in the purest Parisian style
If you do not arrive in time for Mardi Gras because your trip does not coincide with this celebration (you know that every year changes) I leave other proposals for those looking for a fun time between magic shows, acrobatics and cabaret, with direct link to get tickets online and in advance:
5. Climb to the top at La Grande Roue
If you visit Paris with children you must make time to visit La Grande Roue de Paris. Built in 1900 for the millennium celebrations, for a long period of time it held the title of the largest Ferris wheel in the world. Today it is considered the largest mobile Ferris wheel since it is assembled and disassembled every year during the winter festivities.
The Grande Roue is 70 meters high and from the highest point it is possible to see the whole of Paris. Do you want to enjoy an experience on another level? Climb the Ferris wheel during sunset.
Where it takes place
From the end of November in Paris until the beginning of April the traditional Parisian Ferris wheel is installed at the Place de la Concorde. You can get tickets there at the ticket booth s for about 10€.
Other suggestions for the little ones
If you run out of ideas of things to do with your kids in Paris if you have a rainy day in March, don't worry, there are many other plans to do with the family in the French capital beyond discovering the attractions of Disneyland Paris. Here are a few:
- Louvre with children: there are tours for the little ones to enjoy learning about all the art that houses this great museum.
- Visit other museums such as: the Grevin Museum in Paris or get your tickets for the Chocolate Museum, you will enjoy like crazy.
- Visiting Versailles with children: organized excursions and guided tours will make it much easier for you to visit this other must-see place in Paris.
- Sign up for one of the pastry shop tours or get to know the best creperies in Paris.
6. Join the Carnaval de Femmes
The Carnaval de Femmes is a colorful costume parade held every year during the month of March. This peculiar celebration is also known as Fête des blanchisseuses or Fête de la Lavanderas, in honor of the story that gave birth to the celebration. According to Parisians, this tradition began in the XVIII century, when the washerwomen who worked along the Seine River select the Queen of the Day; and then dance under the stars until dawn.
Where it takes place
The Fête des blanchisseuses route starts at the Gambetta metro station in the 20th arrondissement and ends at Place de la République.
How to get tickets
There is no need to purchase tickets for this event. It is a free, non-profit parade open to the public. For more details on upcoming dates visit the event's official website.
7. Attend the Paris half-marathon
Since 1993 in the French capital is held every March the Semi-marathon de Paris; the event that marks the starting point for the annual sports agenda of the city. This event is also known as the warm-up phase for the Grand Marathon de Paris which takes place every year in April.
Where it takes place
Although the route can be modified in certain aspects; the most important avenues of Paris and the most attractive tourist spots or monuments are always taken into account. The result is a race route with beautiful views so that the runners, who come from all corners of the world, are captivated by the attractiveness of the city.
How to get tickets
If you want to register as a runner in the Paris Semi-marathon you can do so on the official website. Please note that the Paris Marathon is one of the few events in this category that requires all competitors to have a full medical examination less than one year old. The registration fee for the event starts at 50 €; but to watch the race as a spectator you don't need to pay anything.
8. Enjoy a Parisian Jazz Festival
The French love Jazz, so a trip to the Parisian suburbs to enjoy the Festival Banlieues Bleues is on the agenda for years and years. It was founded by Jacques Pornon and artistic director Xavier Lemetre in 1984; with over 30 years of operation the festival is held over 5 weeks between the months of March and April.
This Jazz festival takes place in various venues in Seine-St-Denis and includes a varied program of shows that we recommend to take a close look at the official website. As a general rule you can enjoy performances of very talented artists from genres such as jazz, blues, R & B, soul, funk, flamenco and rhythms from various corners of the world.
Where it takes place
The festival takes place every year in Saint-Denis, a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris located 9.4 km from the city. To get to Saint-Denis I recommend taking the H train from Gare du Nord to Saint-Denis station.
How to get tickets
Information about the event's itinerary and ticket prices can be found on the official website. The historical average ticket price does not usually exceed 16 € for general admission tickets; seniors over 60, students and children under 21 pay a lower price.
9. Enjoy a horse show
If you're a horse fan or have any curiosity about these fascinating creatures, consider attending the Saut Hermès Horse Show. The sporting event is an annual competition with an artistic and cultural tinge that celebrates all facets of the equestrian world: it is sponsored by Parisian fashion brand and company Maison Hérmes,
. This event has received the highest classification from the International Equestrian Federation; it gathers an average of 4,000 spectators each year. In addition to watching the competitions, visitors will be able to participate in stands, specialized bookstores and a photo booth.
Where it is held
Since its creation in 2011, this event takes place at the Grand Palais, Avenue du Général Eisenhower.
How to get tickets
Tickets for the event can be purchased directly on the Saut Hermes website. The price to pay is from 60 €.
10. European Crafts Days
Organized by the National Institute of Handicrafts, this event seeks greater recognition of the handicraft sector. These days invite the general public to meet the artisans, approach their workshops and discover the knowledge of their craft.
The event was created in 2012 and has since gained a strong international dimension. 5,000 events are organized throughout the French territory including: workshop openings, exhibitions in heritage sites, meetings of professionals, educational routes, thematic circuits, playful activities and much more.
The event takes place every year in late March and early April. For more information on the program of activities both in Paris and in other cities, please consult the official website.
Paris temperatures in March
With temperatures ranging from 5 to 13 degrees Celsius, the weather in Paris during the month of March is usually defined as cool and pleasant. While it is true that it is still necessary to wear warm clothes, snowfalls are practically non-existent and only in exceptionally cold years can they occur as an occasional event.
Unlike January in Paris and February in Paris, which remain cold almost all the time, March is a changeable and polarizing month; don't be surprised if you find yourself caught in a cold winter rain one afternoon only to, the next day, see a bright sun come out and hear the birds singing as if it were spring.