april in paris/france

My first visit to Paris was in April, many years ago. I absolutely loved it (of course, it was my first trip to Europe, so what's not to love?).

Paris weather is very much like Seattle weather during any given time of year. Expect mild temperatures, probably some rain, maybe some sun. Nothing too severe in any direction.

Best advice for clothes is to pack layers. Don't bring bulky sweaters, boots, etc. Some decent walking shoes (you'll want to do a LOT of walking) and then layers for the upper part of the body and you'll do fine.

And if you get to Paris and find you don't have something you need, guess what - they have department stores (Printemps being a major one).

Have a great trip!

laura,

The title of your Thread made me think of the movie and song, April in Paris. That should be a great time to be in Paris!

While there are never any guarantees with the weather, it should be reasonably warm during the day but could be cool at night. The suggestion in the previous reply to "layer" is appropriate. Some light rain gear would also be a good idea.

Are you only going to be in Paris, or elsewhere in France? You may want to have a look at the Paris or France Guidebooks as they'll provide lots of information on sightseeing, lodgings, etc. If this is your first trip to Europe, you might also want to pre-read Europe Through The Back Door. You should be able to find that at your local Library or local Bookstores. The 2011 versions of the books will be released this fall.

Paris is a wonderful city. I'm sure you'll have a great time!

Happy travels!

We have been in Paris in April - its wonderful. Continuing into May we traveled about France. I suggest that you plan to use the exact clothes you would use at home in Sacramento. If you need to add a few items it will give you a chance to explore some French stores.

We were in Paris this past April and did not experience extreme weather (but again, this is no guarantee for 2011). Do bring layers. We typically wore a long sleeve undershirt, a sweater/overshirt, and then a light jacket, and it worked well. Do not need to purchase new clothing as I'm assuming you have such clothing in your closet. Do bring an umbrella, sunglasses, maybe a hat (I like wearing them), and a couple of light scarves for warmth and color.

As the previous advice suggests, start reading as much as you can. Go to the library and check out Paris/France travel books and start your list of information gathering for the trip.
Have a good time!

We were in Paris in mid April a few years ago. While the weather was decent, one thing we found was that the gardens around the city were still in the early stages and looking a little barren. While weather patterns can change every year and affect the timing of when things start to "pop," I wanted to mention this because the Paris we saw was a little less colorful (garden-wise) than pictures I've seen from summertime.

I agree, April is likely to not be too green, and the times I was there is was slightly damp, though still nice. I personally love Fall in Paris more.

all of the comments are what i have read on this websites and others. thanks for confirming my thoughts, etc...