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Winter weather in Paris?

What kind of weather should I expect in Paris during February?

Posted by
28170 posts

Got to timeanddate.com for historical day-by-day weather. You can go back about 10 years, checking Feb 2018, Feb 2017, etc. I've linked to Feb 2018. My policy is to look at a minimum of five years' worth of data. That gives you a much better idea of the range of possibilities than reports from people who were in the city for a week or so, perhaps only on one occasion. Weather varies so much from week to week, month to month and year to year that there is just no certainty about what you'll get.

Posted by
5697 posts

Colder than Los Angeles. Check the weather forecasts right before you leave, and adjust your wardrobe accordingly.

Posted by
33904 posts

Sometimes it is colder and wetter than London. Sometimes it is dryer and colder than London. Some of the time it is about the same as London. Once in a while it will be dryer and a lot warmer than London. I have known it to be much colder than London.

That's both based on personal experience and watching the weather broadcasts most days. Paris is what the English call "the near continent".

Two months away what it will do, nobody knows. Not many will really know even a week ahead.

Posted by
10640 posts

A week. Ha! Having lived there I can vouch that the evening forecast for the next day can often be wrong. It's North Atlantic with the Gulf Stream--anything goes. But count on wool coat, gloves, scarf, boots, wool socks, umbrella, layered clothes and something to cover your ears. You can take off if too hot.

Posted by
308 posts

My husband and I spent a week in Paris in February 2017. I brought a few layers, a raincoat, hat, gloves, and scarf. For shoes, I wore leather boots and wool socks. That was perfect for me, of course, Paris in February is almost always going to feel warmer than South Dakota!

Posted by
14783 posts

Oh my! Just laughed out loud at Rita's post! I agree, it all comes down to your frame of reference. It would help if Carol told us where she's from as well. If she's a Florida gal she might feel a lot colder in Paris than if she is from South Dakota or Idaho!

I agree with Bets - coat, gloves, warm hat, wool socks, shoes with soles that are thick enough to keep your feet insulated from the pavement, scarf.

IF you are from a warmer location, you might want a base layer at least on the bottom - I tolerate cold pretty well so I'd roast if I had a base layer on under my top. The problem with base layers is you can't take them off when you are out and around like you can with top layers.

Do you have a winter coat? If not, I'd probably go with one of the puffy coats - very warm but squish down really well.

Posted by
3504 posts

I was there for two weeks in Feb. 2016, and two in March 2017.
Both times I was glad of my very thin silk long underwear, a fleece toque, and thick gloves, and a big warm blanket scarf.
I also had waterproofed ankle boots, and a longer than hip-length waterproof jacket with a hood.
I was never cold, though a couple of days there was a bit of wet snow on the Feb. trip.
I also was very glad of my hot water bottle for indoors in my apartment.
Though it did have a good heating system, the windows were original and single-glazed; and the big one opening out onto the tiny balcony blew open by itself a couple of times with the high winds.
It was also windy, and they closed the Jardins du Luxembourg one day due to high winds.
The one time I was very cold was sitting in Notre Dame at a choral concert one evening.
I wished I had brought a flask with a hot drink , and those handwarmer thingys with me that night; it was absolutely perishing in there.
Great concert though!
Wrap up warm and waterproofed, and you'll be fine!
Paris in winter is SO much better, as way less tourists and lineups!

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you all so much. I'm from Oregon where the weather's very similar to London, so your various replies give me a fairly clear picture. I'll plan for cold and wet (with the possibility of snow) and be cheerfully surprised if it's clear and sunny. One additional question - I'm considering wearing my trusty waterproof Merrill hikers - too casual for sightseeing in Paris?

Posted by
14783 posts

Oh good...you'll be well prepared! I'd go with the Merrills assuming you can go 5-7 miles comfortably in them.

I have horrible feet and wear Altra athletic shoes everywhere in Europe. I'm not doing fine dining but there's no problem anywhere else.

Posted by
1444 posts

Wore my Merrells for Italy, France, Germany, Austria & Czech Republic. Will be doing so again for Switzerland and Paris next May.
Enjoy your trip.

Posted by
9436 posts

We spent the month of February, 2017 in Paris and it was low 50s to low 60s during the day, blue skies, sunny, no rain.
Didn’t even need a jacket many days.
But what it was in 2017 tells you nothing about 2019, as others have said.

Posted by
4088 posts

It is darker than L.A. too; the days are shorter.

Posted by
308 posts

For me, the nice part about visiting Paris in February is that it gets dark so early and Paris is so pretty at night! You have more time to see the Eiffel tower lit up.