I've been to Paris several times but this year we plan on going the first week of April. Should be expect crowds? and should we still buy timed tickets to the Eiffel Tower, Versailles and the Louvre for an April visit? One of my concerns was weather as I'd hate to have a tower ticket or Versailles in the rain. Thanks so much for any input.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10627 posts
We'll salexan, it does seem as if every European high school graduating class has a trip to Paris in the spring. It's crowded any time after Easter.
Posted by
stevens point, wi, usa
1194 posts
Hello from Wisconsin,
Bets says it best. And those kids on the tours are disinterested as a whole.
Miss the crowds by skipping the Eiffel Tower, Versailles, and the Louvre. I know, sounds crazy. You have been to Paris, there is so much more. If you are guiding some friends or relatives...well, advance booking will help. April is a great time to be in Paris, seems to me there is a song that goes, April in Paris...
Instead of the Louvre go to the D'Orsay, the Marmottan, Rodin, or the l'Orangerie.
Instead of Versailles go to Luxembourg Gardens and see among other things, the Rose line.
The Eiffel Tower take a quick train trip to Chartres, and see a lovely medieval city surrounding its cathedral.
We skip lines. I don't travel to wait in line. I would rather have a good croissant and a cup of coffee and watch the people walk by.
wayne iNWI
Posted by
OP
36 posts
I should have added that this time we are bringing our daughter, daughter in law and two granddaughters who have never been to Europe and have to go when spring break allows. I'll follow your advice and buy timed tickets to the three spots mentioned and just take a chance on the weather. I am planning on taking a side trip to Chartres as you all have suggested. I guess I was just hoping that the crowds wouldn't be as bad but was afraid that wouldn't be the case. Thanks, as always, for taking the time to reply.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
It has been a few years, but I remember being with my daughter on a spring break in Paris -- cold and cloudy. Good weather for hot chocolate. (April is in the song because the lyricist needed a two-syllable month ... not because April is so beautiful)
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15788 posts
Easter is April 12, I'd expect crowds that week because of school breaks in many countries, esp. US.
Posted by
Chicago
8556 posts
We'll be there the first of April with a grandchild for the same reason -- Spring break. April in Paris is beautiful because as the song goes 'chestnuts in blossom' -- the pink and white chestnuts in bloom all over Paris as the month progresses are simply stunning. But of course odds of cold rainy weather are high that time of year and I am not sure when the trees bloom -- maybe later than that first week depending on the weather. The wisteria also blooms in April and peters out by mid May.
We will be getting Eiffel Tower tickets and hoping for the best on that. If the kid wants to see Versailles we'll do that too but timed tickets are not available this time of year so if we do it, it will be very early while my husband sleeps in and the grandchild and I go. Always planned to walk the Notre Dame Tower with her as we did with her mother 30 years ago but will have to go up to the roof of the Institute Monde Arabe which has a good view of the top of Notre Dame.
The Musee d'Orsay has a separate door for those with tickets and we have never found it crowded or with long lines for that door in the Spring. If you want to do a Chateau without lines then Malmaison or Vaux le Vicomte or Chantilly or Fontainebleau are all good choices and an easy train trip to each.