Rick Steves tour Paris dinners. What is appropriate attire?

I just looked back thru my Best of Paris tour pictures, August 2019. I didn’t see any “dressy” clothes. I would say a few of the women had on a slightly nicer pair of capris and tee than what they had on during the day. Most others had on the same day clothes with maybe a scarf or necklace added. The only time we walked more than a few blocks for a group dinner was the last night and even then it wasn’t that far.

Thanks, that’s helpful.

I have been on nine RS tours (including Paris). Rick Steves tours are casual. Most people wear the same clothes to dinner as they wore during the day of touring - maybe changing their shirt or adding a scarf or different earrings. Most people on these tours travel light and don’t bring anything special.

Thank you.

And, you don’t need dress shoes either. On couple on our trip had two pair of capris and 4-5 blouses for our 21 day trip that included Paris.

I travel to Paris often and my wardrobe in cooler weather fall and spring is black jeans and whatever tops work for the weather. In hot weather I have a lighter weight pair of black pants and use a travel shirt as a jacket. Any of that works for dinner. If it is a fancy place or we are going to the opera, I wear a scarf or jewelry and a dressier jacket or dressy sweaterish thing over the basic black.

We were at a concert at the Philharmonie the other night and pretty much everyone in our row was wearing jeans, sweaters and coats drapped over the seat. Paris is not longer a town where everyone dresses elegantly. A little dressing up i.e. a nice scarf or pretty blouse is adequate.

Janet - I am curious as I know you are a frequent Paris traveler. My last trip, 2022, I noticed far fewer scarves on French women than I have seen in the past. (I’ve made it to Paris about every three years for the past 20 or so years.).

The scarves I did see were being worn by “women of a certain age”(for which I qualify). Scarves used to be ubiquitous - I wondered if I was seeing a change in local preference or perhaps I was just seeing mostly non-locals.

Definitely, everyone has become quite casual as you note. I remember hubby and I bringing “dress up” clothes and shoes for dining and evenings out - not necessary now for where I’ve been. The basic black with dressier top works well.

I’ll be returning in the fall. To bring the scarves or not, that is the question! (Kidding - I do wear scarves even in the US for a change of “look”. Easy to pack.)

... Rick Steves tours are casual. Most people wear the same clothes to dinner as they wore during the day of touring - maybe changing their shirt or adding a scarf or different earrings. Most people on these tours travel light and don’t bring anything special.

We've been on many RS tours, and our experience mirrors that of renee who stated the above.

I've done 12 RS tours including Best of Paris. I'm always shocked when someone hauls out a clean, not previously worn shirt for the farewell dinner, lol! Honestly, I go in my touring clothes. There have been some instances where I'd gotten pretty hot while touring and had a chance to sluice off in the shower before a group meal. In those cases I put on my clean "tomorrow" clothes.

I agree with the don't take special shoes. I have done that a time or two and regretted having a pair of shoes that I couldn't walk more than a few blocks in taking up space in my bag.

BTW, some guides will have a scarf tying session!

that’s helpful

It's much too difficult to bring a set of "dressy" clothing if you are traveling light as recommended by RS. I never have enough space to even include a sports jacket. I'm even reluctant now to bring my leather Ecco walking shoes that look rather dressy because of their weight. I simply try to have a plain black pair of travel pants without all of the pockets and a nice pullover that I can use several days. Carry on has spoiled me to the point where I hate toting the old luggage of yore that I still own.