Headed to France 9 Feb (to Chartres 2 days pre-Steves Paris tour, the 2 days following).
Not taking a bulky coat, but an llbean lined H2O repellent coat which was fine in 4-8 C degrees in a December Belgium. Too much for going into museums, etc? Layer? What to expect--rain, cold wind?
Not really or overly concerned as to weather as I am a traveler, but opinions/facts of others' experiences would be of interest.
For that time of year I would a nice fleece or down vest under a good wind breaker, rain jacket with a stocking cap or a wool hat.
A lot of the museums have lockers for coats and outdoor gear so you don’t roast while looking around!
And some lockers are free.
I’ve been in Paris in February and March, and what is needed are sturdy waterproof walking boots or shoes.
A scarf and gloves are good to have too.
Layers.
Paris is wonderful in winter……way less people.
You will be fine with your LLBean but be sure to wear a wool sweater underneath, or at least pack one. A small, packable umbrella is necessary. Ironically, my husband just bought a similar raincoat at Monoprix to wear on a visit to the US east coast. He always wears a sweater under it. He stayed indoors on the Artic-cold days two weeks ago, but those type of days are quite unlikely anywhere in metropolitan France.
Your LLBean sounds fine. My experience in Paris has been that lot's of indoor places blast the heat, so you're freezing cold outside then unbearably hot inside. So anything that can be taken off (layers) and placed in your day pack, or stored is the way to go. For me a scarf is essential and an easy item to pull off/on and store.
Definitely keep an eye on the weather before leaving to make sure you’re taking a suitable coat or jacket. We were in Paris just last month, December 14-20. We had lows in the low to mid 20s F and highs were in the 30s F. No major rain which was nice but it was really cold for us as we live in the desert. It’s also important to factor in what type of weather you are used to.
The temps we had were not typical in my pre-trip research. Many of the Parisians we spoke with were also surprised by the frigid temps at that time. We did expect it to be cold because I checked the weather constantly before leaving so we were prepared but predictions continued to get lower as the days went. We had down coats that were also waterproof/resistant, layers and wool socks which I’m so happy we had. Many people had recommended waterproof shells and to just layer underneath which wouldn’t have worked well for us. We needed the warmth of down coats, plus layers and the waterproof wasn’t that necessary as most days there was no rain.
So, keep an eye on the weather especially right before you leave so that you’re prepared with the right coat. Anything can happen. However, anything can also be purchased while you’re there.
Best to be prepared for the cold than worry about the indoors. We can often overestimate our tolerance for the cold at home, as we most often experience it just going from place to place. Whereas when you are traveling you are much more active and you will invariably be outside a lot more over the course of the day, especially in a place like Paris.
The weather itself? Who knows really. On my first trip in February, it was freezing cold for two days and on the last day it was sunny and 50+ degrees. I had my coat over my shoulder all day.
