Paris and Northern France in November

When we had our B&B we could only travel in the off-season. We discovered Paris in January! It is awesome - the weather is generally temperate and usually does not fall below freezing - although it can and it does. It even snows sometimes but does not usually accumulate nor last long. But the upside - no crowds, no lines, no waiting! The Parisians are in a generally better mood as their city is not over-run with tourists. You can walk right up to the Mona! You can still sit "outside" at the cafes as many have clear tents around the sidewalk area with lovely patio heaters.

The biggest difference will be the gardens - they will be dormant - not a big deal for me,

For maximum comfort I would suggest wearing a 3/4 length coat, hat, scarf, gloves and warm comfortable boots - you will then be ready to walk the city in comfort and not feel as though you need to rush in from the cold. We even did a segway tour one January - I contacted them in advance with the dates we would be there to see if they could do one. They been contacted by another per for that same period and since we were 4 they were able to do it - 5 hours through the city with a lunch break.

Pack & dress for the cooler temps and you will have a ball.

Thanks!!! Good to know. I just hope that it doesn't rain the whole time. I can deal with cold, but the rain can put a damper on some actvities I guess.

So, do you guys have any recommendations about the Nothern France? I'm not gonna travel with my own transportation. So I'm probably be taking a lot of buses and trains.

We keep meaning to get to Reims to see the Cathedral and the other UNESCO sites there. You can also visit a champagne house ot two - some are open year round. Maybe next trip!

We lived in central France for almost three years. The weather at that time is iffy, but it's iffy all year round. Definitely make sure you have rain gear and dress in layers. Depending on early or late November, you may have snow or quite warm, pleasant weather.

We traveled to Paris in early November three years ago and wore light jackets the whole time. Layers, layers, layers

There is a major school holiday in France, the Toussaint or All Saints break, during the first of November. It would be a good idea to plan around that, as there will be many travelers in Paris especially.

Book major sites, such as the Eiffel Tower, ahead. Much less time in line.

Most of all, have a wonderful trip!

Northern France, being northern, has short days and long nights late in the year. Expect the sun to gone and darkness to be fully set by 5 p.m. By then you will probably be ready to sit on a glassed-in terrace enjoying the smears of fading light just like the Impressionist paintings.

I traveled to Paris and northern France two years in a row a couple of years ago and while we had rain a day or two in Paris, both trips were fantastic. It was warmer than I expected, but we did have layers of clothing just in case. One trip it was really warm in Normandy, the other chilly and windy. I loved Normandy at that time of year... very few tourists so plenty of time to contemplate. Plenty of indoor things to do in Paris in case its cold, but we never found the weather to be a problem. We expected cold and were pleasantly surprised with very nice days. Yes, it does get dark early, but I love that as Paris is the city of lights you get to see them even earlier.

If you're thinking of day trips to St-Malo or Mont-St-Michel, and back to Paris the same day, I'd suggest rethinking. Too far for day trips, imho, but OK for an overnight or two nights (they're close together). Especially when the days are short and weather could be bad.

For me, the safest bet would be to stay in Paris and do day trips to nearby places like Chartres, Rouen, Versailles, Fontainebleau, Vaux-le-Vicomte, St-Denis, or other places that might interest you. There are many choices, and you can time them for dry weather. It would be a shame to have a long run of wet weather in Paris, or anywhere, but that's unlikely, and if it happens you'd want to be in a big city.

Bring layers of outerwear, a wool hat, warm socks. I always take a hooded Gore-Tex parka and a fleece jacket on spring and fall trips to northern Europe, I'd probably take another layer in November or be ready to buy something there if needed. Someone said there's no bad weather, only wrong clothing. Paris in November isn't a crazy idea, it's a great idea, and you'll have a blast!

The weather is variable of course but for Brittainy in November I would expect cold and wet and pack accordingly.

Thank you so much!!! You guys are making me feel so much better about my previous worries,

I'm probably be travelling in late october and early november, so I'm hoping that helps prevent getting too much rain. And like you all said, I'll go prepared to face bad weather in case is neccesary and to bring lots of layers!! :)

St. Malo and St Michelle won't be day trips. I'm thinking of going to that zone for some couple of days, to buy a rail pass and try to stay in budget hostels in the way.

Thanks for all the recommendations and please keep them coming if you can!! I love them.