We're thinking about a week in Paris in July. Having never been there in the summer, a question: Are we nuts?! Are the crowds just too unmanageable? And most important...I have lots of notes on rentals, but have had to go back through them & discovered (not surprisingly) that most don't list air conditioning. Do Parisiens reeeally live without it? Does anyone have a lead on a flat that does have it? If not, do they usually provide at least electric fans?? Thanks for any tips.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10544 posts
Our first trip to Paris was in August and although we had a place with A/C we never had to use it. Prior to arriving there we were in Germany during a heat wave. No A/C there, but we survived. Of course there are crowds in the summer, but if you plan things out it isn't too bad. The advantage of summer in Paris is you can spend all the time you want outside, walking around, enjoying the sidewalk cafes, etc. We just came back from a trip to Paris over the holidays and it was COLD! Although we enjoyed our trip I missed the above mentioned things. Because of the cold and shorter daylight hours we managed to do in 10 days what we could have done in half the time in warmer weather and longer daylight. I say go for it!
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23547 posts
I think -- on average -- Paris is very pleasant in the summer -- unlike Rome. It tends to be cool. A couple years ago we were in Paris during the first week of July and wore a light sweater and jacket most days. But I can also remember reading about some bad heat waves in the summer. Maybe the luck of the draw
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
9145 posts
We were in Paris a few years ago in July, and yes, it was very hot. We had wisely decided to stay in an Ibis that had A/C and we were sooo happy. We got back from the Bastille Day festivities, at about 1 in the morning, simply drenched in sweat. It was still that hot at night.
If you are going to go in July, try and be there for Bastille Day. This is a great party and the French sure do know how to put on a show. We really enjoyed this.
Posted by
Bay Area
3551 posts
I have been to Paris many times in summer months. The crowds are not a prob. I believe air cond. is essential for a good nights sleep. One recent summer I was there with a heat wave of 110 F, I spent most of my time in Mc Donalds and in museums to stay comfortable. That summer I did not spring for a/c , it was a mistake.
Posted by
New Castle, Pa, USA
22 posts
We were in Paris in July 2006 and it was very hot. We went back in July 2007 and it was cool and rainy. We are returning this July so neither the weather nor the crowds can keep us away from the Bastille Day celebrations. The morning military parade is incredible but the evening party at the Eiffel Tower is unbelievable! The crowds are enormous at this event ( and I hate crowds) but we really enjoy this event.
Posted by
Ottawa, Ontario,, Canada
521 posts
I was in Paris this past August and found that the only places where the lines were unmanageable was at the Eiffel Tower and Versailles.
At the Eiffel Tower, the lineup was well over an hour long and stayed that way right up until about 10 pm. Unfortunately you just have to deal with that, so plan on arriving with plenty of time to relax and not stress out about it.
Versailles was crazy. The recommendation I would have is go with a pass that covers admission, or at least purchase your entrance admission at the RER station if you're taking the train out to there. The lineup at Versailles was about twenty-to-thirty times worse than at the train station. I heard one person say that they waited four hours to get a ticket at Versailles, but I cannot verify if that was true or not. All I know is that the lineup was insane, and I have never visited a tourist place so crowded as the inside of the palace. Obviously the grounds were very spacious, though.
Everything else was just fine - lineups sure but nothing that seemed unreasonable. I do still recommend the Eiffel Tower and Versailles, just be prepared to wait.