Please give any advice on travel to Paris and surrounding cities by train in August. It used to be suggested that you not go to France in August because the locals are on vacation, but I have read recently it would not make much difference in the places I would like to see. Thanks for any help!
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
15172 posts
It can be hot so I would get lodging that has air conditioning. I've been in Paris in August during a heat wave. I am not very heat tolerant and found that I had to go out pretty early to see gardens and then plan to be back at my hotel by mid-afternoon with gelato and air conditioning, hahaha!
Posted by
USA
62 posts
I was in France in August of 2023. We spent 2 night in Paris, 4 nights in Rennes, and then 2 more nights in Paris. Staying in the city, you will notice that many restaurants are closed during this time. All the typical tourist sites will be open. We took a day trip by train to Chantilly and visited the château. For lunch, we were able to find a restaurant in the town, but it did take a little hunting. It would have been better if we had packed a picnic. Rennes is an easy TGV train ride from Paris. Their Saturday market is the second largest in France, and it was in full swing during August. From Rennes, we took train day trips to Saint-Malo and Vitré. Saint-Malo was filled with vacationers. We stayed towards the city walls and beach, which gave us more breathing room. Vitré was a bit too quiet, and we came back to Rennes after lunch.
Also, I was in France in August of 2018. We went from Paris to Avignon to Nice. I wouldn't go to the south this time of year because it is just too hot. Speaking of which, make sure all your French hotels have A/C. You will need it.
During the 2018 trip, we took the train to Fontainebleau and saw that château. I preferred this palace and grounds to Chantilly. What are the places you are wanting to see?
Posted by
Canada 1st, not 51st.
4827 posts
We ran into a guy from France last week working for the winter in Banff, Alberta near my hometown. He's from Versailles. He told us that August is a great time to visit Paris and Versailles because as you said the locals aren't there.
Posted by
1122 posts
I think the one time we were there in August, Berthillon on I'le St Louis was closed for the month, but I'd hardly base my travel plans on ice cream. It was hot when we were there in August, so there's that.
Posted by
Chicago
8812 posts
One of the mysteries of life. The most famous ice cream shop in Paris is closed for the hottest month so the family can vacation.
You won't notice much difference in the city. Smaller towns with fewer good restaurants or places on the fringes of the city will close. when we were there in August of 2003 there were small places closed near where we stayed in the 19th but it wasn't a problem. However it was 105 degrees F for about a week and although our apartment had excellent cross draft, we broiled -- it was truly miserable. I would never travel in Paris in the summer again. We did it then because we were doing a 3 month trip where my husband took a leave from his job and I was a professor and could take the summer at minor financial cost (I usually taught some summer classes which paid for our usual travels).
Hotel prices dip a bit in August -- September is the most expensive month and I would absolutely not book a hotel without AC and then realize that French AC is much less cold than Americans are often used to. I would never book an apartment that claimed AC without knowing for sure it was available all night (some buildings don't allow it at night because of noise) and that it was a modern AC and not a portable 'penquino' type unit in the bedroom only. Those are usually moldly and don't work well.