February in Paris: what to see, what to avoid, what destination to add on?

Monet's home and gardens are closed for the winter until 1 April 2020, so that decision at least is made for you!

Thanks, Andrew.

Actually, Fes and Marrakech sound like a pretty good plan to me. Once you are willing to fly somewhere, Morocco's not all that big a deal. It would be very different from Paris.

Back in 2004, saw Versailles in early-February and found it an opportune time to visit. We were able to leisurely wander from room to room, without crowds -- there were fewer than 10 people at each natural stopping point -- and get up close to the details that make that palace and their rooms so unique. The one downside was the fountains outside were turned off, but the grounds were still immaculately maintained with views that went on for acres. Highly recommend taking a day here during off-peak season. You'll get so much more out of the visit than navigating the herds during Spring/Summer months.

Any of those three options should have pretty cheap nonstop flights. Try www.skyscanner.com if your usual favorite doesn't turn up the European budget airlines.

Morocco is great, but doesn't guarantee good weather in February. I was once in Fes in March and certainly wore a jacket most of the time. The locals I knew tended to keep the windows open and to insulate themselves with clothes rather than to heat the house. Check the availability of heat (or draftiness) in any hotel or riad you book.

In February, also consider destinations that put on a good Carnevale/Mardi Gras/Fasnacht. See, for instance:
Ivrea: https://www.storicocarnevaleivrea.it/?lang=en (my personal fav, but haven't attended the others below)
Luzern: https://www.carnifest.com/lucerne-carnival-lozarner-fasnacht-2020/
Nice: http://en.nicecarnaval.com/official-programme
Cadiz: https://www.carnifest.com/cadiz-carnival-fiestas-de-carnaval-de-cadiz-2020/
Tenerife: https://www.carnivaland.net/tenerife-carnival/ (nonstop flights 2x/week from Paris in Feb, more with connections)

The Palace of Versailles would be a great choice, plus the Trianons and Hameau if you want. The gardens not so much, just enough time outside to get a sense of their vastness, but no fountains.

In winter I'd head south, to Provence or Andalusia -- a train to Lyon or south of there, or a flight to Sevilla. Renting a car would make sense for some of your days in either area.

My wife and I went to Paris in early March about 5 years ago. I brought a lined raincoat and that was enough (and it barely rained). The good news is that you will probably be able to walk into any museum you want. I think our longest line was at the Louvre and that was only about five minutes. We could stand in front of the Mona Lisa as long as we wanted. Orsay and Orangerie we simply walked into. We did not try to do Versailles, but I see no reason to believe that it would be different.

My slightly older son went to the Catacombs recently and found them fascinating. He also enjoyed Musee Jacquemart-Andre. It is a home that was bequeathed to France in the early 1900's and is furnished as it was at the time. It is described in the tour as the home of an upper middle-class couple. (If entertaining for 1000 guests would be upper middle-class.) With respect to speakeasies, you should check out the blog by La Cuisine (a cooking school) which has a map of all of the Paris speakeasies. He might also enjoy Harry's NY Bar (Cole Porter supposedly wrote An American in Paris in the basement) or Bar Hemingway in the Ritz Hotel. The blog also has a map of jazz clubs in Paris, some of which are miniscule.

On that same trip in March, we did a long circle tour of France. We left Paris and went to Champagne, then Burgundy, then Bordeaux (are you sensing a theme) and finally Normandy. We ate and drank our way through France. That would be a lot for one week. I would either go to Champagne (east) or Normandy (west). The Champagne area (in addition to having lots of Champagne Houses) was the site of several major battles during World War 1 and where the Armistice was signed. The Reims Cathedral was were hundreds of years of French Kings were crowned. Normandy is special for all of the D-Day related museums and to walk the battleground and the American cemetery. It will be cold and damp in Normandy however.

Depending on your son's history interests, Italy might be another option.

Thanks, all, for the wonderful suggestions.

A wonderful podcast is Join Us In France. If you have an iphone just hit the podcast button and do a search. Annie is a great host and talks about all kinds of things about France.
We are going in April and the podcast is building up the anticipation!

Paris is terrific in the winter! You’ll be pleasantly surprised how active the city is. Cafes and restaurants are cozy oases with heated outdoor seating to boot. The Latin Quarter is a particular delight of food displays, with fondue dinners a favorite. You’ll still want to wander on foot, but be prepared to stop for a warm-up break. Staying in Montmartre will mean lots of time on the Metro to get to the big sights, that’s probably to your advantage. Montmartre itself will be less touristy than usual and less crowded. Still, watch your valuables on this Metro, they’re busy stops and are frequented by tourists like yourselves.

This is an excellent time to visit Versailles. We went late one afternoon and pretty much walked right in. I thought Napoleon’s tomb and the Army Museum were excellent, and relatively overlooked. History buffs should really enjoy it. Opera Garnier is also on my shortlist of less traveled Paris sights. Saint Chappelle is a must. There won’t be a better time to see museums in Paris, so if you’re interested in any then go for it. A couple hours in the Louvre is easy and rewarding if you follow RS advice.

For a side trip? I’d totally recommend Brussels and Bruges! Very easy fast trains from Paris to Brussels, which means no airport hassles. These are also great winter destinations, and different enough from Paris. Bruges, especially at night when the tourists leave, is absolute magic. On a side note, I’ve been to Prague in February and it was COLD. It was some years ago, but we found it a bit spread out and more “shut-down?” Less conducive to wandering in the cold, and lacking in big, warm museums to spend time in. We still laugh about how insanely cold it was inside St. Vitus Cathedral.

You might think about going to a new museum that recently opened in Paris, dedicated to the history of the Resistance during WW2. But it may be all in French, so if you do not speak (or read) the language, that could be a problem. Peter

For music, try Vieux Belleville - a restaurant with nightly music (check schedule for what is happening). I enjoyed a night of music in the Edith Piaf style. Really felt like Old Paris. Close to the top of the Parc Belleville - great view of the city at Sunset.

Visiting Paris in February offered one big difference for me compared to our summer visit-the beauty of the landmarks floodlit against a really dark sky! Our summer visits had such late sunsets! I found the February experience to be really striking at night. Rick mentions a nighttime tour in his Paris book that sounds like fun, if you want to hire a driver and tour around. He lays out the whole route.

I’d recommend comparing hot chocolate experiences-Angelina’s for sure. I’ve heard that the take away counter is a good approach if it’s really busy. We visited Musée Jacquemart-André then, too, and I wish we’d had time to have a snack or meal in that gorgeous dining room. Taking a tour of the Opera Garnier was a highlight for us.

I wore a long wool dress coat and scarf every day, and one day had a sweater, long sleeve shirt and cami and was still a little cold (pants and thick socks and boots, too). Hopping into cafes and museums to warm up is a great suggestion for this time of year.

Enjoy!
Laurie

We were in Paris last November. It was cold (40’s) during the days, with some rain. Temps look similar in February. We went to Versailles, including the Hamlet. There were about 4 other groups at the Hamlet, so definitely no crowds! That was lovely. Most of the statues in the garden were covered with tarps, but I definitely think Versailles is worth the trip.

We started our trip in Spain (mainly Granada). The weather was about 10 degrees warmer in Granada, which is up in the mountains. Very comfortable for lots of walking. Spain would be a good option, since it gets very hot in the summer. Do Ireland in the summer instead! There are lots of cheap flights from a Paris to various Spanish cities. Spain is definitely less expensive than Paris.