January in Paris

The ET is about a thousand or eleven hundred feet tall, but the top observation deck is roughly a hundred feet lower. The Montparnasse Tower is only around seven hundred feet high, but it sits up on the hill - - still I doubt that it's much more, or maybe not even eight hundred feet above the level of the base of the ET. The view is about the same from both. Notre Dame only gets you up a couple of hundred feet and it's situated on the lowest spot in the city - - the view just ain't that good. This is January. Right now Roissy is showing scattered clouds at three grand and has a ceiling at 21k. Who knows what it will be like next week or next year. I've seen the tops of both towers clobbered in the summer and winter, and clear as a bell in both seasons. Go at night, the chances of clear skies will be clearer. Take ear muffs. I think the Christmas lights all over town are done by about the end of the first week in January. I know nothing about sales.

It 's cold but a good time for the sights without lines. When I was there it snowed up on the 2nd level of the ET, the third level was closed. Take your long underwear and you will be fine.

I've been to Paris in January a couple of times and will be going again end of this month. I have gone up the Eiffel Tower( to the second level) in January too. It's wonderful because it is not very crowded, but it will probably be very cold. So dress warm. (buy some hot chocolate or tea from the cafe up there) There may be an ice skating rink on the first level. I love shopping in Paris and have shopped the sales and they are great. I did not experience a crazy shopping frenzy, though I guess this could happen. After avoiding going to the Montparnasse Tower for several years of Paris trips, I went recently and was quite impressed by the view from the obvservation deck though not the building! I've not been to the top of Notre Dame, but friends have and they got some great pictures from up there. A different view of the city.

January can be cold, dreary, windy and have gray skies with very little daylight (street lights were still on at 8:30 this morning where I live and it will be dark by 5:15pm). But, it's Paris! Eiffel Tower will be cold and windy, and is hit or miss on the visibility. I've never been up in Montparnasse Tower, but I've been several times up Notre Dame and love it way more than the Eiffel Tower (which I've also been up several times). Up in the Eiffel Tower, you can view things from a distant and try to make out what they are. You're not as high up in Notre Dame's tower, and you can easily tell what everything is. Plus, you're in the center of the city and up close and personal with the Gargoyles. I must caution that I would not advise this climb for anyone who is extremely large, as there are two areas where it could be a bit tight. (not like a claustrophobia tight, it's just narrow) Holiday lights will be going down soon. Avoid the first day of the January sales and all will be fine. (Although the first Saturday will also be hectic). The laws were recently changed on the sales, and merchants have had more free weeks to choose their own sales, so the big winter sale period isn't as big of a deal as it once was, back when the two sales periods were the only sales periods during the year.

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the generosity of your answers.
Linda

I adore Paris in January. I assume you mean next year, because this year, well.... January has begun! If you live in La Connor, you know from dreary gray skies - and I believe you are less likely to get total low gray misty dank drippiness in Paris than you are here in the lovely State of Washington. If you visit in early January at least some of the holiday lights will probably still be up. You can check on ParisMatch.com and get the dates for all the markets and festivals, and see what will still be up and running. If you've never been up the Eiffel Tower and you get a clear, sunny day, I would say "go for it." It is, of course, also awesome viewed from afar. When the lights go on at night, it is glorious! I haven't braved the January sales, but I have braved the pre-Christmas shopping. I hate shopping, but funnily enough I didn't mind it in Paris. :-) The hustle and bustle was actually kind of fun! Parisians - like any big city dwellers - can be kinda crazy when they shop. I'm originally from New York City, so I was prepared for the craziness, though.

Good time to go. Least amount of tourists waiting in lines. The crowds begin again in late March with the European spring breaks.

Yes, I certainly am used to grey and dreary - and dark. I have been weather checking for the last couple weeks and Paris had been warmer - tho' not by much. At least Paris has many dry warm escapes from the drear. Maybe Midnight in Paris helped me to see the rain in Paris as a plus. We hope to be there by the 11th - having had to cancel last week. Hopefully the lights will still be up - somewhere. Thanks,
Linda