10 Things to Do in Paris in Summer

During the summer, Paris adds to its many attractions a range of activities that take advantage of the good weather to enjoy the streets. For visitors, this is a wonderful time of year, as many Parisians traditionally leave the city for vacation and the atmosphere tends to be more relaxed.

Summer temperatures in Paris invite you to enjoy the city’s parks and extend your day well into the night. The French capital helps make the days feel longer with a wide-ranging cultural program dominated by outdoor events.

When you planned your summer getaway to Paris, you probably didn’t expect to have the chance to go to the beach. You almost certainly planned a trip to Versailles from Paris to enjoy the summer sun, but the French capital offers much more.

For several years now, the city council has been hosting the so-called Paris Plages, an event that runs throughout July and August to take advantage of the good weather.

During this time, Paris transforms the riverbanks into authentic river beaches, complete with sand. The areas where the event takes place fill up with Parisians setting up their umbrellas and lounge chairs among the palm trees.

Paris Plages isn’t just about enjoying a day at the beach right in the city; there are also numerous activities for adults and children. You can find everything from children’s workshops to food stalls, as well as canoe rides, board games, and exhibitions.

Practical Information

• Where it takes place: Paris Plages is held in several different areas. The first is the Parc des Rives de la Seine, stretching from the Pont des Arts to the Pont de Sully on the right bank of the river. From here, you’ll have views of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Louvre. Another area worth visiting (especially if you like swimming) is the Bassin de la Villette, located on the Quai de Loire along the Canal de l’Ourcq. Finally, the Trocadéro Gardens have been added as a venue for this event.
• Hours: The beaches at Parc Rives de Seine are open daily from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., while those at the Bassin de la Villette are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to midnight on Saturdays and Sundays.

One of the most beautiful gardens in Paris, the Tuileries, comes alive with festivities in the summer, delighting children and many adults alike. If you’re in the city during this time, I recommend taking a stroll through the fair set up there.

During the two warmest months, the gardens host a fair featuring some 60 attractions, ranging from ghost trains to a hall of mirrors, including carousels designed in the early 20th-century style and activities such as air rifle shooting.

If you’re visiting Paris with children, they can also participate in games like duck fishing, bounce on trampolines, take their first steps at rock climbing, or slide down the giant slide.

I assure you that, even if you’re not traveling with children, you’ll enjoy a stroll down the main avenue. You can let yourself go and treat yourself to some ice cream, Parisian crepes, cotton candy, or a hot sandwich.

This trip down memory lane can be made complete if you decide to have a little picnic in the gardens. There’s probably no more relaxing experience in the French capital. To enhance that feeling, the organizers have decided not to play any background music at the fair.

Practical Information

• Hours: The fair opens at 11:00 a.m. and the rides stay open until 11:45 p.m. (weekdays) or 12:45 a.m. (Fridays, Saturdays, and the eve of holidays).
• Prices: Admission to the fair is free, but you will have to pay for each attraction.

The Canal de l’Ourcq area also celebrates the arrival of summer with activities for all ages. If you visit, you can enjoy workshops, take small cruises, attend concerts, and many other events, such as outdoor movies or street art.

For quite a few years now, the Bassin de la Villette has been gaining prominence during the city’s summers. Located in the 19th arrondissement, this former hub of river trade has become one of the liveliest areas in Paris when the warm weather arrives.

Among the most popular activities are the boat tours that take place on weekends in July and August. Some of these short, 10-kilometer cruises offer different themes so that everyone can choose the one that appeals to them most.

Practical Information

• When it takes place: It usually begins around July 6 and runs through the last week of August.
• Price: Admission to the fair is free, though there is a charge for activities.

Usually held in early July, Museum Night is an extraordinary opportunity to visit the best museums in Paris.

Not only is admission free all night long, but there are also various special exhibitions, workshops, and activities of all kinds. In recent years, innovative and interesting digital formats have also taken center stage.

During the event, you can sign up for various guided tours offering a different perspective from those available during the day. You can also enjoy musical performances near the museums.

The highlight of the Parisian summer (and of the entire country) is the July 14 celebration of France’s national holiday. On that day, the capital hosts an intense program of festivities and cultural events to commemorate the famous Storming of the Bastille, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Paris on that date, you should head to the Champs-Élysées to watch the lavish military parade that winds its way down the avenue. Don’t forget to look up to see what I might describe as a true aerial ballet.

Few things are as spectacular as the impressive fireworks display at the foot of the Eiffel Tower itself at night, accompanied by a special concert. Ideally, you should watch it from the lawns of the Champs de Mars, but the fireworks are visible from much of the city.

Beyond the Champs-Élysées, July 14 is also celebrated. Throughout the day, an impressive number of events take place at various locations. Also noteworthy is the Louvre Museum’s initiative to offer free access to its permanent collections.

July 14 on the Seine

As I mentioned, there are many spots in Paris from which to view the July 14th fireworks, but few offer an experience as spectacular as watching them from a boat.

On that day, special cruises on the Seine are usually organized; in addition to offering dinner in a romantic atmosphere, they allow you to admire the fireworks display from a different perspective. Honestly, if you can do it, it’s one of the activities you shouldn’t miss.

It’s well known that Paris is one of those cities where resisting the shop windows is particularly difficult, especially when it comes to luxury brands found in the most spectacular shopping arcades.

Only the prices—which are quite high—prevent visitors from returning home with bags full of purchases, but this drawback can be significantly reduced if you travel in the summer.

From early July through late August, Paris hosts the so-called “soldes,” the summer sales. During this period, you can find discounts ranging from 30% to 70% off the original price. Additionally, these discounts tend to increase over time and can reach up to 80% by the end of August.

If you want to take advantage of your trip to Paris to shop for luxury brands, I recommend visiting Galeries Lafayette or Printemps, two places that are worth visiting in their own right for their beauty, especially during Christmas in Paris. At both department stores, you’ll find fashion clothing and accessories at much more affordable prices.

Another tip for getting the most out of these sales is to visit the outlets. The most notable one is La Vallée Village, which specializes in luxury brands.

One of the highlights of the Parisian summer is the finish of the Tour de France. The world’s most important stage cycling race always concludes its route in July (the exact date varies by year) in an incomparable setting: the Champs-Élysées.

Cycling fans—or simply those who want to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of this event—can position themselves along any section of the route. Typically, the peloton travels from the Place de la Concorde to the Tuileries Gardens, passing through the aforementioned Champs-Élysées.

On that day, all of Paris dresses up to welcome the cyclists, with music playing in many of its corners.

If you want to emulate these hard-working cyclists a bit—though not on the same day—you can book one of the most fun tours of Paris, the one that takes you through the city’s streets by bike.

One of the most interesting things to do at night in Paris if you’re visiting in the summer is to go see the sound-and-light show called La Nuit aux Invalides.

The venue is the National Palace of Les Invalides, a complex built in the 17th century to house French soldiers after they laid down their arms. This palace is one of the most visited attractions in Paris, both for its undeniable architectural value and for housing Napoleon’s tomb.

Every summer, the palace courtyard hosts a spectacular sound and light show with themes that vary by season. The Church of the Dome, located within the same complex, is also frequently illuminated by candles.

Practical Information

• Dates: from the first week of July through the last week of August, Tuesday through Saturday. In July, the show begins at 10:30 p.m., while in August it starts half an hour earlier.
• Price: Prices vary, ranging from approximately €5 to €25.

The sheer number of festivals held in Paris throughout the summer makes it practically impossible to pick just one. If you check the calendar in advance, I guarantee you’ll find one you like no matter the date. Here are the most interesting ones:

• European Young Talent Festival— perfect for classical music lovers. Throughout the summer, these concerts are held in the Marais neighborhood by the most promising young musicians.
• Paris Jazz Festival: The fabulous gardens of Parc Floral are the venue that hosts the city’s most important jazz festival every summer.
• Opera en Plein: If opera is your thing, you can’t miss any of the concerts held between June and September. This festival doesn’t have a single venue, as you can find performances in various locations across the Île-de-France region.
• Open-air cinema: although there’s a wide range of options, I specifically recommend the Silhouette (Short Films) festival. Screenings take place at various locations in the 19th arrondissement, including its parks.

Although some terraces can be visited at other times of the year, including in winter in Paris, no time is better than summer nights.

In addition to the permanent terraces, the city fills up with temporary venues, such as the so-called rooftop bars. There, you can enjoy the good weather with unparalleled views of the city, almost as if you were gazing at the views of the Eiffel Tower.

On these open-air terraces, you can also have a drink and relax after the long days of sightseeing that are typical in Paris:

• Le Perchoir opens every summer on the terrace of one of the capital’s most centrally located department stores, the BHV Marais. The only problem is its popularity, which makes it difficult to find a seat.
• Gare d’Austerlitz: This train station also features a wonderful summer terrace where you can spend the evening, and it’s very easy to reach by metro.
• La Javelle, right on the banks of the Seine, next to André Citroën Park. There are usually live performances, and nearby there’s a great selection of food trucks for a bite to eat.
• Le Jardin Municipal, located in the inner courtyard of the Crédit Municipal de Paris bank, in the Marais neighborhood.

As is the case during the rest of the year, temperatures in Paris in summer can be a bit of a surprise. Thus, many days start off with a fairly chilly breeze or even rain.

However, the trend during this season is for warm weather. Highs typically range from 24°C to 30°C, although in recent years there have been several increasingly frequent heat waves that have caused temperatures to reach up to 40°C.

When night falls, the temperature cools down a bit and stays around 15°C, which invites you to go out and enjoy the terraces and the nightlife.

August in Paris is when the highest temperatures of the year are reached, which, combined with high humidity, can lead to some short-lived thunderstorms. My advice is to always check the weather forecast before planning your daily itinerary.

It’s no secret that the high season in Paris is during the summer months. This results in a large influx of visitors, as we mustn’t forget that the French capital is the second-most visited city in the world each year.

This massive influx leads to longer lines to enter major tourist attractions, making it even more important to purchase tickets that allow you to skip the wait at places like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre Museum.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Parisians tend to go on vacation in August. The city then seems to be left in the hands of tourists, which creates a rather curious feeling.

Prices for flights, hotels, and other tourist attractions rise significantly during the summer. To try to save money (without missing out on anything), you can always use a few small tricks, such as looking for restaurants a bit away from the major tourist attractions.

You can also swap restaurants for the city’s parks on some days and enjoy a nice picnic in one of them.

Booking flights and hotels well in advance usually means lower prices, so start looking as soon as you’re sure you’re going on the trip.

Getting the Paris Pass, the city’s most well-known tourist card, can also be a good way to save money. With it in hand, you’ll get significant discounts on admission to many Paris attractions, such as the Arc de Triomphe and several of the best museums in Paris.

For the past few years, the Paris Pass has no longer included a pass for the Paris Metro, so it might also be a good idea to get one of the passes that offer savings on each trip.