July and August are synonymous with relaxation and leisure activities. Are you wondering if it is a good idea to visit Paris in summer? Or of it’s the best time to travel there? Here are 8 excellent reasons to visit Paris during July and August!
1) Summertime!
Visiting Paris in summer is certainly nicer than in winter!
The weather is usually hot, so you don’t need to bring lots of clothes with you.
A small bag should be enough, with a bottle of water to wander around, have a picnic, enjoy the sun, have a drink on the terrace or eat an ice-cream under the warmth of summer.
It’s also the time when Parisians are on vacation! So you’ll find less locals in the streets of the capital because they will be away on vacation; but be careful – because of that, small shops might be closed.
2) Sales and shopping
In the capital of fashion you will be able to enjoy the summer sales season!
Just walk around in the most chic boutiques of Paris, that you can find in Faubourg Saint-Honoré, at Place Vendôme, rue de la Paix, but also in Galeries Lafayette, on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, at Les Halles and in so many other spots!
You have got everything you need to shop in Paris.
3) Music festivals
Music festivals, open-air concerts, you will find everything you are looking for in Paris if you are a music addict. Here is a list of festivals that are happening in July and August:
- Peacock society Festival (website in French), for the electro music lovers! Usually at the beginning of July it is organized on the Château de Vincennes’ Square. Artists such as Robert Hood, Helena Hauff and Interstellar Funk will be there (website in French).
- Fnac Live Festival (website in French) gathers more than 100,000 people every year with more than 30 artists during 3 crazy nights on the City Hall Square in the 4th district. Petit Biscuit, Mélissa Laveaux, Feder, Ibeyi and so many others will give you an amazing show! (website in French)
- Lollapalooza Festival (website in French) is organized in July and gathers lots of artists such as Twenty One Pilots, Orelsan, Jain and many more! (website in French)
- Rock en Seine Festival is organized in August, at George Clémenceau Square, 92210 Saint-Cloud at the doors of Paris. Alpha Wann, Balthazar, and Sharon Van Etten are some of the artists that will make you dance during the festival.
4) Cultural events
- Bastille’s day on the 14th of July! During this national holiday in France lots of events are organized, such as the military march on the Champs-Élysées Avenue, concerts on the Champs-De-Mars at the bottom of the Eiffel tower, and of course you will have the chance to enjoy beautiful fireworks followed by various dances organized in many fire stations.
- Japan Expo: usually at the beginning of July at the Exhibition Center (Parc des Expositions) in Paris-Nord Villepinte. In 2019 it is actually celebrating its 20th anniversary! So it’s a great opportunity for all lovers of Japanese culture!
- Fountains Shows in Versailles: there is no better time to visit Versailles than summertime and enjoy its fountains shows during the day or even at night, ending with wonderful fireworks.
5) For the magic of the stars !
The Nights of the Stars (website in French) start in August, and it’s a good way to get to know a bit more about astronomy!
Observatories are open to the public, such as the Montparnasse Tower and also the one at Montrouge Beffroi’s Terrace.
Lots of free activities are set up during these magical nights!
6) To relax
- Paris Plage: With no sea in Paris, is that why you have doubts about coming to Paris in summer? Paris’ City Hall has planned everything for people who can’t go to the seaside: on the riverbanks you will find an area dedicated to the home-made beaches of Paris, created only in summer! You will not only have access to the beaches but also to free sports activities that are offered throughout the summer!So you will be able to enjoy the sun while relaxing and having a picnic, or maybe spend some time on a sunbed reading one of your favorite novels !
- Treasure hunts: for the little ones and the big ones, various treasure hunts and escape games are organized!Lots of treasure hunts are run all summer long. For example you have the GPS Escape Game which has a Sherlock Holmes theme, but you also have the Hold Up theme or the Dr Crypto one.These games, made for the virtual enthusiasts, last 2 hours and cost about €30 per person. Quiveutpister (website in French) also organizes numerous treasure hunts with multiple themes all year long. You can participate in one of them at a price of €12 for people under 25 and €14 for everyone else. You will find all the dates and different games on their website.
7) For athletes
- Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping: this event takes place on the Champs-de-Mars in Paris and, for the amateurs as well as the professional horse-riders, it’s the perfect occasion to see the best riders of the world competing against each other during the international 5* show jumping competition.Organized by Virginie Coupérie-Eiffel, it usually takes place in July. The event is totally free during the entire 3 days. Aside from the jumping competition, some animations dedicated to families also take place so that everybody can fully enjoy that moment where the horse is in the spotlight.
- Tour de France: for more than a century this competition is run in France and challenges male cyclists. The goal of this competition is to cross the country, and some neighboring countries. It has 21 stages over more than 3,000 km. And the finishing line of the Tour de France is in Paris, on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées! So if you are there you will be able to cheer the cyclists and to see them crossing the finishing line in July.
8) For movie fans
- Silhouette festival (website in French): this festival is free of charge and it’s all about short movies. It takes place at the end of summer and brings exposure to the artists.
The purpose of this event is to make the audience reflect on various topics and to surprise them as well. You will find a hundred short movies and more than 20,000 people in the audience.
It is located in the 19th district of Paris. - Open-air movie festivals: there are several open-air movie festivals organized throughout summer.
You will find one of them in La Villette (19th district) both in July and August. It usually has a theme and you have a different movie every night.
But that’s not the only place! On the rooftop of La Machine du Moulin Rouge you can also watch movies, as well as in the 18th district with the Festival 1001 images (website in French).
In Montrouge there is also a movie projected every Thursday by the City Hall, and in the 11th district you will find the festival called La Chaise et l’Écran (website in French) on three dates spread through July and August.
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
