My husband and I are planning a 2 week trip to Paris. We were thinking October for cheaper airfare, better weather and fewer crowds UNTIL we read that Paris is less crowded in July and August. It is our first time in Paris, please help. Thanks.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
lori,, I love going in summer, I love the long evenings of daylight( it gets dark out early in October) and I like sitting outside etc in warmer weather.
I agree anytime is a good time though.
Have you looked at hotel prices. I do find hotels are cheapest from mid July to beginning of Sept,, and while airfare may be more, the difference in hotel can equalize this( if staying more then 7 nights anyways,, )
Why not find a few hotels you are interested in and see how rates change by dates,, they don't all change, but most do. Booking a less expensive room for September or early October now would not be that easy btw,, its a super busy month and lots of good small places are booked , or have jacked their rates.
Anyways, as I said , anytime is good, but look at all your options, and don't dismiss summer, I personally love it.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10606 posts
My first trip to Paris was in August. It was plenty crowded at the tourist sites. I still would go back then. The weather is nice enough to sit outdoors, etc. The daylight hours are long, which is nice for sightseeing. The right bank of the Seine is turned into a "beach" and it is pretty cool to see. The batobus is a great way to get around and has stops on both sides of the river near the tourist areas.
If you are going to be there for 2 weeks I strongly suggest renting an apartment. We did that for our 2nd trip, which was for 10 days in late December/early January. We really enjoyed having our own place to go at the end of the day. There was room to spread out (most hotel rooms are very small), it was nice to have a kitchen to help defray the cost of eating, and we had a washer and dryer so we were easily able to pack lightly.
Have a great time in my favorite city!
Posted by
Reseda, CA, USA
196 posts
July is great if you want to see the Tour de France, but July and August can be brutally hot. I have found that in August the nice family run restaurants are all closed because the proprietors are all on vacation. There are less people there but if you go down to Nice or the Basque region you will find these people.... and then some! May, June and September are really nice. I have never been in October but I would imagine it would be nice.
Posted by
Ojai, CA
591 posts
Air fares are usually less after Labor Day. Looks like you live fairly close to the Cinci (CVG) airport - Delta (or partner Air France) goes non-stop from there.
During the Paris Auto Show 10/2 - 10/17/10 and Fall Fashion Shows 9/29 - 10/7/10 rooms will be somewhat harder to find and prices higher.