Paris in fall is magical – golden leaves are falling, the air is crisp and the summer crowds are gone. Apart from spring, it’s one of my favorite times to walk around the city, take a Sunday stroll in the parks and admire in the sights.
In this guide I’ll tell you (as someone who lives in Paris) what to do and what you can expect when you visit during fall.
Paris in the Fall – What You Should Expect
Fall in Paris begins in September during la rentrée. This is the period when the traditional (and very important) holiday period is over and Parisians goes back to work and school.
The city is overall much calmer as the summer tourists have left. Generally the temperatures fall to a much more comfortable level although I’ve experienced many an Indian summer in September!
October brings brisker and much more changeable weather. The cooler temperatures make it much more pleasant to walk around the city and explore.
If the weather turns (which is likely) then a visit to one of the city’s many incredible museums is a great option. Note that although you’ll be competing with less tourists I’d still recommend booking tickets in advance!
November and early December are one of the quietest periods to visit Paris but it is a lot cooler. That said, there’s still plenty to see and do in the city but discovering the city by foot isn’t usually that comfortable!
Weather in Paris in Fall
Weather in Paris in the fall is very changeable. It’s typically rather mild from September through to the end of October with November bringing in colder temperatures.
You can expect 12-18c (53-64f) in September and October and 6-11c (43-52f) in November and early December.
From personal experience (8 falls spent in Paris!) there’s always a mixture of wet and grey and crispy, sunny days. I’d advise that you bring a travel umbrella and shoes that can handle the rain.
Where to Go & What to Do in Paris in Fall
Despite the changeable weather, fall in Paris is fantastic and there’s plenty of things do in the city.
Explore the Louvre
A big advantage of visiting Paris in fall is that you’ll be competing with a lot less tourists. This means hitting the main sights is a lot easier and visiting the Louvre museum is a must.
Plan ahead, check the weather forecast and book tickets in advance for the rainy days. Booking ahead of time means you can skip the queues (which trust me, still exist in fall). You can buy advance tickets here.
The Louvre is massive and seeing everything would take multiple days but you can see the highlights within half a day.
Take a Stroll in Paris’ Beautiful Parks
Fall brings a beautiful golden brown hue to the city’s trees and there’s no better place to see fall foliage than in one of the stunning parks.
My favorite parks to visit during fall are the Jardin du Luxembourg near the Saint Germain des Prés area of the city and the Jardin des Tuileries.
Read more: find out more about the city’s parks in my guide to the best parks in Paris.
Try Fondue!
As the temperatures fall there’s nothing better than eating some hearty food from the Savoyard region of France. It’s warming, delicious and oh so French.
There’s plenty of great fondue restaurants in Paris but one of the best and most famous spots to get fondue is Le Refuge des Fondus. Hidden in a side street close to the Sacre-Cœur in Montmartre, you’ll find this legendary fondue house.
The quirky restaurant is hugely popular with tourists and it’s great fun (even for a local!). Their set menu includes an apéro platter with a Kir Royale and a choice of cheese fondue or fondue bourguignonne. The latter involves you frying steak cubes in oil on the table and comes with 3 different sauces.
Quirky, lively and very convivial, it’s a really fun place to eat in Montmartre during the colder months. It’s also the famous restaurant that serves wine (that’s included in the menu) in a baby bottles!
Check out the Montmartre Wine Festival
If you’re visiting Paris mid October then a great to spend a day is at the Montmartre Wine Festival. It’s one of my favorite food and drink events of the year and it’s so much fun.
The festival was started in 1935 to celebrate the harvest from Montmartre’s tiny vineyard (yes it exists!).
Running for 4 days, the festival includes a parade, multiple events and most importantly the parcours du goût. This is the area next to the Sacre-Cœur where over 100 wine producers come to sell their wine. Open until late, it’s great fun to taste different wines and take in the atmosphere.
Visit the Musée d’Orsay
If you’re unlucky with the weather then another fantastic museum to visit is the Musée d’Orsay. Located in a former train station, the interior of the museum is absolutely stunning and in itself worth a visit.
Home to pieces from Rodin, Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh it’s really worth a visit to see many very famous and iconic works. It’s much smaller than the Louvre and you can easily pop in for an hour or two.
If you go up to the impressionists section you’ll also get an incredible view over the Seine to Montmartre – be aware that there’s usually a queue for photos however!
Celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau like a Parisian
Another quirky date in the calendar (which I quickly picked up when I moved to Paris) is the release of Beaujolais Nouveau wine.
Every year in November, on the 3rd Thursday of the month, there’s a party in bars across the country to celebrate the release of Beaujolais Nouveau wine. Famed for its very light characteristics, Beaujolais Nouveau is bottled and sold immediately after the vinification.
It’s typically very light and is perfect if you love red but don’t want the after effects the day after! Most wine bars will have events or at least sell Beaujolais Nouveau wine – check out my list of the best natural wine in Paris.
Go on a River Cruise
Regardless of the weather a river cruise on the Seine is a great way to see large parts of the city. It’s fun, relatively cheap and gives superb views that you can’t get from land.
Check out the best river cruises on the Seine and pre-book tickets here.
What to Wear in Paris in Fall
As the weather is rather mild but very changeable I’d recommend plenty of layers. Museums, stores and public transport can be hot and humid so layers are the way to go in fall.
I’d advise checking the forecast before you visit to get an idea on what the weather will be like but I’d strongly advise bringing a travel umbrella and shoes that can stand up to rain.
