Paris during Easter- will sites be closed?

Hi Alyssa -
I'm confused?

My husband and I are traveling to Paris this April 16-23. Incidentally
it's also Easter weekend.....

We're planning on going to Versailles on Saturday April 13, Picasso
Museum, Marche de la Bastille, Arc de Triomphe, Champs de Elysses, and
Petit Palais on Sunday April 14, and Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame,
Opera Garnier, Galleries Lafette and Sacre-Coeur on Monday April
15......

If you're not traveling to Paris until the 16th, you can't visit the above attractions on the 13th, 14th and 15th? Also, the 13th, 14th and 15th aren't Easter Weekend. Do you have your dates scrambled?

Hey Kathy,

Yes had the dates confused. I'll be there over Easter weekend so adjusted the dates to read April 20-22. Thanks for informing me!

I was going to suggest you check their websites then saw that you'd already done this. I was in Normandy on Easter weekend in 2013 - train from Paris on Saturday was packed and the restaurant we went to in Bayeux for Sunday lunch was very busy but the Tapestry was open.

Certain places will be even more crowded due to French school holidays. Monday is also a holiday for banks, the post office, businesses and similar but that won't affect you.

Museums are usually closed on Jan 1, May 1 and Dec 25; assume a place is closed on those dates unless you have information to the contrary. There is no other holiday where they close routinely although you can double check their website which always listed the days closed. France is a secular country; they enjoy various religious holidays as vacations from work but businesses that serve the public like restaurants and shops rarely are closed on those days (unless they would be closed otherwise on that day of the week) and museums pretty much never.

Just a quick note on Easter Weekend plans... Friday and Saturday before Easter Sunday all the statues are usually covered in churches in France. Therefore, if you want to see them, go on Thursday or earlier in the week. Otherwise you can see the statues in the church on Sunday or the following Monday as you planned. However, note that there are A LOT of people in churches for the Easter Sunday festivities. It may be difficult to see the place with the crowds. Also, there are limits to when you can tour church area if there are masses going on. You should be fine with your current plans to see the churches on Monday, however, if your plan change (you do have a jam packed schedule), this is important information to know when touring the churches during Holy Week.