We are wondering if and how the itinerary changes for the Paris City Tours based on Parisiens' August vacation patterns. What effect do these have on the everyday niceties of cafes, shops, restaurants, and markets? Do you expect that the Yellow Vest protests will have any lasting effects for visitors in August?
Posted by
197 posts
I have been in Paris during August (although it was a number of years ago). There are a number of shops and restaurants that close down for August (or part of it). So you may have to go to more trouble to find a restaurant open, but the upside is that since a lot of Parisians have left in August, it may be less crowded. If by markets you are referring to outdoor street markets, my recollection is that they still kept going. As for the "yellow vest" protests, my sense (based on little information) is that this will have died down considerably by August, and since their main focus was on places such as the Champs-Elysees, as long as you stay out of such areas you will be just fine. Peter
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14745 posts
I suspect your Rick Steves Best of Paris tour will not change at all. None of the sights I visited on my Best of Paris tour a few years ago would have been closed in August. The guide generally chooses the restaurants and I suspect most of the ones that are big enough for a group of 24 or so will not close for August anyway.
I've been in Paris the 3rd week of August and only noticed a very few smaller restaurants in the local area closed.
I'd not even worry about this.
Your guide will be very skilled and IF there are still any protests going on will be able to have the group avoid them. I'd suspect the protesters will be on vacation in August as well.
I would be prepared for heat. Your hotel will doubtless have AC. I would make one of my first purchases a hand fan - they are available everywhere and you can get gorgeous ones from various museum gift shops! This is not something I would ~ever~ use at home but I use them all the time in Europe!
https://www.boutiquesdemusees.fr/en/cadeaux/musee-orsay/66-fans/1/
I hope you'll be able to arrive a night or two before the tour starts. For me it works better to have some lead time so I can adjust to jet lag/travel tiredness!
Posted by
Idaho, USA
7810 posts
I took this tour in August 2013. (I had been to Paris & some other locations in France the previous year with my husband in June.)
I arrived a day early and stayed at a cheaper hotel near the Luxembourg Garden. The cafe I had planned for breakfast across the street was closed for the month of August. So I just walked to Les Deux Magots for an even better experience!
During the tour, they give you a Metro Pass, and I used mine to go all over Paris, even to see La Defense. I don’t remember any other place that I wanted to see being impacted by the August holiday, and there are so many wonderful restaurants to choose so no worries.
Enjoy your time in beautiful Paris!
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
There will most likely be zero changes - and you as a tourist will likely not be affected at all by closures - for every little restaurant that closes ( and now a days they often don’t close for whole month as they used to but sometimes just a few weeks ) hundreds remain open . You need not worry about this one iota !
I visit Paris is August often - hotel rates dip a bit !
Do get Ac !
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Peter, Pam, Jean, Pat-
Your responses were very reassuring and confirmed some thoughts I had. Also, you gave some good suggestions. Letting Guides so their job of guiding is an excellent reason to join a tour group for a first visit to a new place. Thanks!
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Peter, Pam, Jean, Pat-
Your responses were very reassuring and confirmed some thoughts I had. Also, you gave some good suggestions. Letting Guides so their job of guiding is an excellent reason to join a tour group for a first visit to a new place. Thanks!
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14745 posts
“Letting Guides do their job of guiding is an excellent reason to join a tour group for a first visit to a new place.”
Exactly why!! You will learn so much about travel in Paris on this tour and will feel so comfortable on your future trips. I still hear Rolinka, my Best of Paris guide, whispering in my ear when I visit Paris.
That also reminds me...you’ll use a whisper audio system so the guide can walk and talk and also to help them be heard over traffic noise. They provide an earphone but I bring my own as the cheap ones are not very comfortable. Put them on your packing list!