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This article lists the 11 best things to do during Spring in Paris and also contains a guide to the Cherry Blossoms in Paris, France.
Although it’s a good idea to visit Paris any time of the year, spring in Paris feels different. The winter chills have just lifted off, plants begin regaining their greenery, flowers are sprouting everywhere and there’s a unique freshness in the air. Apart from spring being a great season to visit Paris, there are actually some unique things to do in Paris during spring time. If you are heading to Paris this spring and are looking for helpful guides then check out all my Paris blog posts.
To see the best of Paris from a boat, book a Seine evening cruise with dinner.
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If you’re heading to Paris or are doing a tour of western Europe then I’m sure you’re looking for travel guides. Take a look at my Europe travel guides which open in a new tab.
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Is Spring a Good Time to Visit Paris?
Now let’s address some of the doubts that you may have about visiting Paris in springtime. So, is spring a good time to visit Paris? To be honest, while the cherry blossoms, freshness in the air and beautiful flowers all around Paris may sound appealing to you, it actually sounds appealing to a lot of people around the globe. Additionally, the spring break and Easter holidays make spring a very busy time to visit Paris. And so if visiting Paris in spring is a bucket list item of yours then you must plan ahead in order to beat the crowds and this travel blog will help you do just that.
Is it Cold in Paris in Spring?
Let’s discuss the weather in Paris in springtime. Firstly, keep in mind that the weather during spring is extremely unpredictable in Paris. That being said, spring season in Paris is officially from 21 March to 21 June.
Although March is warmer than the previous winter months, experiences longer days and gets more sunshine, the average temperature in March in Paris is just 9 degree celsius which means that it is still a little too cold for comfort.
On the other hand, although April is a little unpredictable in terms of the weather, it is the best and most popular spring month to visit Paris. This is because the spring break and Easter holidays fall during this time. Furthermore, the cherry blossoms and flowers are in full bloom in April. When I visited Paris in April 2022, it was snowing just one day before my visit but it suddenly became sunny when I arrived and we experienced temperatures of up to 28 degrees Celsius. So not only did we get to see the cherry blossoms but we could actually wear comfortable warm clothing and walk around Paris with ease.
May and June are a lot warmer and as the temperatures start rising, Paris becomes more and more crowded with summertime visitors. However, you may not get to see the cherry blossoms during this time.
Here are the exact temperatures in Paris during spring season:
- Temperature in Paris in Spring – March: 13°C (54°F) avg high and 5°C (41°F) avg low.
- Temperature in Paris in Spring – April: 17°C (61°F) avg high and 8°C (45°F) avg low.
- Temperature in Paris in Spring – May: 20°C (68°F) avg high and 11°C (52°F) avg low.
All said and done, in my opinion, April is the best time to visit Paris in order to experience everything that Paris has to offer during the spring season.
Highlights of Spring in Paris
The highlight of spending spring in Paris is obviously getting to see the cherry blossoms. There are some locations where you will get to see the cherry blossoms in Paris in full bloom. Continue reading further down this blog post to know what these locations are. In addition to that, the Easter celebrations in April highlight and getting to eat all the delicious Parisian chocolate is a major plus. Furthermore, because winter has ended and the temperatures are warmer there are a lot of outdoor cafes with beautiful floral arrangements. These cafes are great for grabbing a coffee or clicking some pictures for the gram. There are quite a few outdoor events and parties also held during spring so watch out for those as well. You will find a complete list of the best things to do during spring in Paris below.
To save both time and money, buy a hop-on hop-off bus tour of Paris.
Cherry Blossoms in Paris
Most people who visit Paris during springtime are looking forward to seeing the cherry blossoms paint the city in hues of pink. Generally speaking, you will find cherry blossoms (sakura) from early to mid april in Paris. The white cherry blossoms can be found just before this time period during the end of march to early april.Not just that, there are other blossoms that you will also find during springtime in Paris.These include magnolia blossoms from mid feb to early march, wisteria during mid to end april, chestnut tree blossoms from end april to mid may and finally, rose blossoms from mid may to mid june. Keep in mind that these time durations may vary a bit depending on the weather fluctuations.
Things to Keep in Mind While Visiting Paris in Springtime
Springtime in Paris, particularly the month of April, is a very busy time due to the holiday season. This means that you can expect hotels to be fully booked, lots of tourists flocking to see the cherry blossoms in Paris, and the outdoor terrace seating in cafes to be full. Which means that you need to plan your spring trip to Paris well in advance and you need to be mindful of a few things. Here’s a checklist of the things to keep in mind before visiting Paris in spring 2023:
1. Book a Hotel in Advance
Hotels in Paris, particularly in April, can get booked out quickly because it’s the holiday season and because this is the best time to see cherry blossoms in Paris. Therefore, it is imperative that you book your accommodation in Paris much in advance. Take a look at some of the best picks of places to stay in Paris:
$ Hotel De La Cité Rougemont, The People – Paris Belleville, Le Village Montmartre
$$ Hotel Muguet, Hôtel Louvre Saint-Honoré, Hôtel Môm’Art, Hôtel Villa Nicolo
$$$ Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel, Citadines Apart’hotel Saint-Germain, Maison Souquet, Hôtel Le Derby Alma
Find more places to stay in Paris on Booking.com
2. Buy your Museum Pass or Paris Pass
A Paris Museum Pass allows you entry into over 50 monuments and museums in Paris. You have a choice of buying a 2 day (48 h), 4 day (96 h) or 6 day (144 h) ticket. With this ticket, the more museums or monuments you visit, the more money you save.
With the all-inclusive Paris pass, not only do you get access to the best Paris attractions, but also to experiences like a Seine cruise, a hop-on-hop-off 1 day tour and a perfume workshop. What’s more, if you buy the 4 day or 6 day Paris pass, then you even get a Paris museum pass included in the price!
These passes are designed to give you maximized benefit and the more you use it, the more money and time you’re saving by not having to buy individual tickets to all attractions.
3. Tickets to Popular Attractions Sell-out Fast
I vividly remember how crowded it was when I visited Paris in spring 2022 during the Easter holidays. If you’re visiting Paris in April then keep in mind that tickets to the popular attractions sell out really fast and the queues are unbelievably long! This is why I recommend booking skip-the-line tickets well in advance. You’ll find links to book these top-rated tickets below:
- Eiffel Tower direct access and skip-the-line tickets
- The Louvre museum guided tour and skip-the-line tickets
- Arc de Triomphe rooftop skip-the-line tickets
- Skip-the-line ticket to Sainte Chapelle
- Versailles Palace: Skip-the-line tour of the palace and gardens
11 Best Things to do in Paris in Spring
1. See the Cherry Blossoms
The cherry blossoms are the highlight and the primary reason for visiting Paris in spring. There are quite a few locations where you can find the cherry blossoms in Paris. Some of the most popular of these locations include the gardens in front of the Trocadero, Tuileries garden, Palais Royal, Champ de Mars and the Jardin des plantes. In fact, from mid-april you will even start to see purple wisteria blossoms all around Paris!
2. Visit the Gardens
Not only are there some incredibly well-manicured gardens in Paris, but they get even more delightful in spring. The Tuileries garden, in particular, has dainty flowers in every imaginable color scattered everywhere. It’s incredible how they have organized so many flowers in such an organized manner without overdoing it. You can even spot a few cherry blossom trees within the same garden. The Luxembourg garden is also one of the best gardens in Paris that is worth checking out.I particularly loved the Sceaux garden which is an offbeat but incredibly gorgeous garden on the outskirts of Paris. One of the best things about this garden is that there is a whole section filled with only cherry blossoms. It is truly a sight to behold!
3. Cruise Along the Seine
A Seine river cruise is one of the best things to do in Paris any time of the year. I love that there are so many different types of cruises available. While there are simple sunset cruises, there are also more enjoyable experiences available like a 3 course dinner cruise or a gourmet dinner cruise with live music and DJ. Besides the evening tours, there are also lunch cruises on the Seine to see the best of Paris in the daytime.
4. Enjoy a Chocolate and Wine Tour
Spring is almost synonymous with Easter and chocolate and what better place to sample loads of chocolate, guilt-free, than Paris? Some of the best chocolate shops include, but are not limited to, La Maison du Chocolat, Pierre Marcolini, Hugo & Victor and À La Mère de Famille. Surely no trip to Paris would be complete if you didn’t try one of the famous hot chocolates in Paris. The cool crisp climate of Paris in Spring is perfect for sipping hot chocolate at one of the famous establishments like Angelina or La Fontaine de Belleville.
Chocolate lovers must try this 45-minute Chocolate Making Workshop in Paris.
5. Sip Coffee in an Outdoor Cafe
There’s do doubt about the charm of the chic outdoor cafes in Paris with their rattan chairs, French food items, and the views of the city from cafes. To top this off, many cafes transform their exterior with flowers in pink and other bright colors during springtime in Paris. Consequently, Paris is dotted with not only gardens laden with flowers but also cafes donned in pink flowers. Some of the cafes with beautiful spring-themed exteriors are Cafe Cassette, La Favorite, Le Vrai, Le Paradis and La Flamme.
6. See the Museums at Night during Springtime in Paris
The night of museums a.k.a the long night of museums is a European cultural event during which museums are open throughout the night. This event takes place during spring on a Saturday in May. Many museums scattered across Paris participate in this event and most of them remain open and free during this night. This is such a great opportunity to witness a unique annual event in Paris during springtime and also to visit a number of museums at a minimal or no cost. Take a look at the official website of the event in order to know the dates this year and plan your visit accordingly.
For unlimited access to museums in Paris, buy a Paris Museum Pass for 2,4, or 6 Days.
7. Join the Easter Celebrations
Easter celebrations in Paris are quite an event with special services in the gorgeous churches, Easter concerts, particularly in the one in Sainte Chapelle, and egg hunt activities in various locations in Paris. One thing to remember during Easter is that most shops and restaurants will be closed on Easter Sunday and Easter monday. However, most of the popular attractions in Paris remain open which means that this is a great time to visit the top attractions and museums in Paris.
8. Plan a Picnic
Nothing screams Parisian like a picnic of French delicacies with a view of the Eiffel tower or Notre dame and some pink cherry blossoms. During spring, Paris is decorated with pink cherry blossoms that will make having a picnic an even more scenic and enjoyable event. Grab a fresh baguette and croissant from a local bakery, some eclairs and other decadent desserts, French cheeses and fresh fruits from the local market and spread it all out in the Champ de Mars or the gardens of the Trocadero to have a leisurely picnic.
9. Climb the Eiffel Tower
While visiting the Eiffel tower is not a special springtime activity in Paris, you won’t really need a reason or excuse to climb the Iron Lady. We had booked our tickets to the Eiffel tower on Easter weekend 2022 in advance and to our surprise, while there was a small crowd, it took us hardly 5 minutes to wait to get on the elevator to the Eiffel tower. Even the queue for going to the second level and back down had only 2-3 minutes of waiting time. If you book your second floor or summit access tickets to the Eiffel tower for these popular days in advance, then it will save you a ton of time and is totally worth spending a couple of extra bucks on.
Find hotels near the Eiffel Tower on Booking.com
10. Visit the Versailles Palace
If you’re spending springtime in Paris, then it’s a good idea to visit the Versailles palace. The gardens of the palace look significantly ravishing due to the plethora of flowers in bright shades of yellow, pink and red. You should purchase your tickets to the Versailles palace in advance because like I mentioned a hundred times before, Paris can get crowded on popular weekends and holidays.
11. Take a Day Trip to Monet’s Garden in Giverny
Speaking of visiting beautiful gardens in Spring in Paris, Monet’s garden looks like a scene from a fairytale or a painting, quite literally. The garden looks absolutely spectacular in Spring and is a worthwhile short day trip from Paris. The famous painter Claud Monet took inspiration from this garden for many of his famous paintings and visiting his garden and house is sure to jostle the artist within you.
Also Read: The Ultimate Paris Weekend Itinerary
What to Wear during Springtime in Paris
Ask anyone who has lived in or visited Paris during spring and they’ll tell you how unpredictable the weather in spring is. Therefore, it’s essential to be prepared for either cold or warm or rainy weather. Some of the things that you must pack include a transitional weather jacket, an umbrella or raincoat and sunglasses.
April is a particularly moody month and you can expect snow, rain and sunshine in this month. It’s best to check weather apps a few days before your arrival in order to know exactly what to expect and what kind of clothing to pack. Generally speaking though, carrying layers is always a good idea in spring.
What Else Can You Do in Spring in Paris?
There is so much to see and do in Paris that you’ll never run out of options. As touristy you may think it might be, you cannot skip a Seine river cruise. Other touristy activities in Paris like a hop-on-hop-off discovery bus tour and a visit to the Louvre museum are a must.
Coming to more local experiences, you can try a cheese and wine food tour of Montmartre or a perfume making workshop in Paris. A macaron baking class is a great activity to try with friends or with your family. For an even more offbeat and different but memorable experience, consider booking a vintage car tour of Paris with a local driver who will show you the best spots all around the city.
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