If you haven't booked yet, you can use this calendar to choose the month that suits you best. If your dates are already set, go straight to your month and see what's happening while you're here, and what to plan around.
Paris in January 2027: Events and What to Know
⛸️The Grand Palais ice rink (Grand Palais des Glaces). The huge ice rink under the glass roof of the Grand Palais is open until January 6, 2027. It's a very popular activity, so book your time slot well in advance. (You can rent the skates there).
👑The King Cake (galette des rois). All through January, the bakeries sell the galette des rois, a puff pastry cake filled with almond cream, and it's delicious. If you're in Paris in January, enjoy it! Many bakeries also sell it by the slice, which is practical if you travel alone.
🛍️The winter sales (soldes). The winter sales run from Wednesday, January 6 to Tuesday, February 2, 2027. The discounts get bigger week after week, but there's less and less choice. My advice is to go during the first five days, from Wednesday, January 6 to Sunday, January 10, when you have the best selection.
Good to Know:
Most museums and shops are closed on the 1st. The Eiffel Tower is open!
January is one of the quietest months of the year, except during the Men's Fashion Week (January 19 to 24) and Haute Couture Week (January 25 to 28). During the Fashion Weeks, the shows take place in museums, gardens and monuments all over Paris, so some places can be partly closed or harder to access, and hotels in the center fill up faster.
Paris in February 2027: Events and What to Know
February is a quiet month in Paris, with no big event to plan your trip around, and you'll have the city in its everyday rhythm.
❤️Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is celebrated much less in France than in the US. It's mostly a dinner out for couples, so many restaurants have a special set menu on February 14, and you'll need to book.
📌Good to Know: Paris schools are off from February 6 to 21, and the rest of France follows until early March, so expect more families in the museums.
Paris in March 2027: Events and What to Know
🏺The Chatou Antiques Fair (Foire de Chatou). From March 5 to 14, 2027, one of the biggest antiques fairs in France takes place on the Île des Impressionnistes, just outside Paris. To get there, take the RER A to Rueil-Malmaison, then the free little shuttle to the fair. With the trip and the visit, plan at least half a day, it's more of an outing than a quick stop. Also keep in mind that entry is paid, unlike the flea markets in the streets of Paris.
🏃The Paris Half Marathon. On Sunday, March 7, it's fun to watch the runners and cheer them on. Keep in mind that several streets are closed that day, so it can affect your plans, whether you walk or get around by metro, bus, taxi or Uber.
🐣Easter, on March 28. Since Easter falls early this year, the chocolatiers fill their windows with chocolate eggs, hens and bells from the beginning of March. If you love chocolate, March 2027 is a very good time to be in Paris.
Good to Know:
The Women's Fashion Week, one of the biggest two of the year, takes place from March 1 to 9. The shows take place in museums, gardens and monuments all over Paris, so some places can be partly closed or harder to access, and hotels in the center fill up faster. On the bright side, it's fun to see the buzz in the streets and the outfits.
The clocks go forward one hour on the night of March 27 to 28, so be careful if you have an early tour that morning.
Easter Monday, March 29, is a public holiday, so expect more people everywhere, in the streets, the parks and the museums.
Paris in April 2027: Events and What to Know
🏃The Paris Marathon. On Sunday, April 4, 2027, the Paris Marathon celebrates its 50th edition. The atmosphere along the course is really nice, but many roads are closed that day, so keep it in mind.
🌸The blossoms. April is the month when Paris is in bloom, with the cherry trees and magnolias, and the first wisteria on the façades at the end of the month. It's hard to give exact dates, since it depends on the weather, but it's the best reason to come in April.
🍽️Paris Restaurant Week. In 2026, Paris Restaurant Week took place in April, with special set menus in participating restaurants, and it should come back in the spring of 2027 (dates to be confirmed). Reservations open about a week before.
Good to Know: Paris schools are on spring break from April 3 to 18, and the other French regions follow until early May, so the monuments and museums are busy all month.
Paris in May 2027: Events and What to Know
🏃Lily of the valley (muguet) on May 1. On May 1, people offer each other a sprig of lily of the valley for good luck, and you'll see sellers on almost every street corner.
🥖The Bread Festival (Fête du Pain). In mid-May, a pop-up bakery sets up on the square in front of Notre-Dame for about ten days. You can watch the bakers at work, and the tastings are free. The 2027 dates aren't out yet.
🎾Roland-Garros. The French Open runs from May 17 to June 6, 2027. If you don't have tickets, you can still watch the matches live for free: in 2026, they were shown on a giant screen on the rooftop of Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, and in a fan zone on the Place de la Concorde for the last days of the tournament. If the weather is nice and you love tennis, it's a lovely way to follow it.
🖼️The European Night of Museums (Nuit des Musées). On Saturday, May 22, many museums stay open late in the evening, and most of them are free that night. If you're in Paris that day, check the program in advance, and expect long lines.
🏷️The Rue de Bretagne flea market (brocante). Once a year, at the end of May, usually from Friday to Sunday, around 500 sellers set up on the Rue de Bretagne and the streets around it, in the Marais. Entry is free, and it's a lovely walk even if you don't buy anything.
Good to Know:
On May 1, Labor Day, unions hold their traditional marches in Paris. They're usually away from the tourist areas, so there's no need to worry. Public transport runs, but much less often, and most museums and shops are closed that day, including the Louvre and the Orsay Museum.
The May 8 ceremony. On the morning of May 8, a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe marks the end of World War II in Europe, and the area around the Arc is closed to traffic.
May 2027 has 4 public holidays: May 1, May 6 (Ascension), May 8 and May 17 (Pentecost Monday). Many Parisians leave for these long weekends, but more French visitors come to Paris at the same time, so expect crowds at the monuments. The Ascension weekend, from May 6 to 9, is the busiest one, and hotel prices go up.
Paris in June 2027: Events and What to Know
🌙White Night (Nuit Blanche). On Saturday, June 5, 2027, Paris stays awake all night for White Night. From the evening until dawn, artists take over museums, churches, gardens and streets with contemporary art installations, light shows, performances and concerts, and it's all free.
🎶The Music Festival (Fête de la Musique). On Monday, June 21, the whole city celebrates music, with free concerts from the early evening until late at night. There's an official website with all the concerts, but you don't really need it: wherever you walk in Paris that evening, you'll hear music, in the streets, the parks and in front of the bars. My recommendation is the banks of the Seine, where there's usually a lot going on. It's a lovely walk, with lots of little concerts one after the other. The Marais is also very lively, but really, it's everywhere in Paris.
🛍️The summer sales (soldes). The summer sales start early this year, on Wednesday, June 23, and run until Tuesday, July 20. The discounts get bigger week after week, but there's less and less choice, so my advice is to go during the first five days.
🏳️🌈Paris Pride (Marche des Fiertés). At the end of June, usually on a Saturday, Paris Pride brings together hundreds of thousands of people for a big march through the city, to celebrate LGBTQ+ people and defend their rights. It's a colorful parade with music and dancing, and many people come with friends or family, simply to watch along the route or to join the march. The 2027 date and route will be announced a few weeks before.
Good to Know: The Men's Fashion Week takes place from June 22 to 27, in the same week as the Music Festival, the start of the sales and Pride, so it's one of the busiest weeks of the year.
Paris in July 2027: Events and What to Know
🏖️Paris Beaches (Paris Plages). From early July to late August, the banks of the Seine and the Bassin de la Villette turn into a free beach, with sand and deckchairs. There are also a few supervised spots where you can swim in the Seine, for free. Swimming in the river in the middle of Paris is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
🎆Bastille Day (le 14 juillet). July 14 is France's national day, it starts with a big military parade on the Champs-Élysées in the morning. At night, the fireworks are set off from the Eiffel Tower. On the nights of July 13 and 14, many fire stations open their courtyards and host dance parties (bals des pompiers).
🚴The Tour de France finish. On Sunday, July 25, the riders climb the Rue Lepic in Montmartre 3 times before the final sprint on the Champs-Élysées. For me, the climb through Montmartre is the most exceptional part. I was there for the Olympic road race in 2024, and the atmosphere in the narrow streets of Montmartre was even more festive than on the Champs-Élysées, a really unique sight.
Good to Know:
In 2026, the Bastille Day fireworks were exceptionally moved to July 13, so check the 2027 date. On the morning of the 14th, the Champs-Élysées are closed for the parade, and in the evening, the crowd around the Eiffel Tower is huge.
Haute Couture Week takes place from July 5 to 8. It's smaller than the women's Fashion Weeks in March and September, with fewer shows, but a few museums or gardens can still be partly closed.
French summer holidays start on July 3, and Paris really starts to empty after July 14: many Parisians leave for the summer, the city gets calmer and some small shops and restaurants begin to close, while the big monuments stay busy with visitors.
Paris in August 2027: Events and What to Know
August is a lovely month to walk around a quieter Paris.
🏖️Paris Beaches (Paris Plages). Until the end of August, Paris Beaches turns the riverbanks along the Seine and the Bassin de la Villette into a summer resort, with sand, deckchairs and activities, all free. On hot days, you can even take a dip in the Seine at one of the supervised swimming spots. It's a sweet way to cool off between two visits, and something you won't do anywhere else!
🕊️The WWII Liberation of Paris (Libération de Paris). Every year, around August 23 to 25, the city marks the anniversary of its liberation on August 25, 1944, with ceremonies.
Good to Know: many independent restaurants, bakeries and small shops close for 2 or 3 weeks, with a sign on the door saying fermeture annuelle or congés annuels (annual closure). If you have a restaurant on your list, check its website or Instagram, since Google Maps isn't always up to date.
Paris in September 2027: Events and What to Know
🎭The Paris Festival (Fête de Paris). Usually over a weekend in mid-September, the Paris Festival celebrates the history of the city. The highlight is a parade of more than 1,000 people in costume, who walk from the Panthéon to the Jardin du Luxembourg through 1,500 years of Parisian history, and you can watch it for free. The activities in the Jardin du Luxembourg are free too, but you need to book them in advance. I'll add the booking link here as soon as it's available.
🏺The Chatou Antiques Fair (Foire de Chatou). The big antiques fair on the Île des Impressionnistes, just outside Paris, comes back at the end of September for its autumn edition. I'll share the 2027 dates as soon as they're published. Count at least half a day for the trip and the visit, and keep in mind that entry is paid.
Good to Know:
Early September is the rentrée (back to school): Parisians come back from vacation, restaurants reopen and the city is busy again.
From September 27 to October 5, it's the Women's Fashion Week, one of the two biggest of the year with the one in March. The city feels different for a few days, with photographers waiting outside the venues and very stylish outfits on the sidewalks, and it's fun to watch, even if you're not into fashion. The shows are held in museums, gardens and other landmarks, so a place on your list may close early or be only partly open on the day of a show, and traffic can be slow around the venues. Hotels in the center also fill up quickly, so book early if your dates fall that week.
On September 18 and 19, it's also the European Heritage Days (Journées du Patrimoine), when hundreds of buildings that are usually closed open their doors, like ministries or private mansions. I haven't put it in the events, because these places are often less interesting for a first trip to Paris than the big monuments, and you need to follow the opening times and bookings very closely, often announced at the last minute. But it's good to know, so you won't be surprised by the long lines in the streets that weekend.
Paris in October 2027: Events and What to Know
🍇The Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival (Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre). Montmartre has its own vineyard, and every October, the neighborhood celebrates the grape harvest for five days. The streets fill up with food and wine stands, there are concerts and a big parade on Saturday, and the whole weekend is very, very lively. It's free, and it usually takes place around the second weekend of October.
🍫The Chocolate Fair (Salon du Chocolat). At the end of October, the Chocolate Fair brings together chocolatiers and pastry chefs at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. It's a smaller event, really for big chocolate lovers: entry is paid, and there are fewer free tastings than you might expect. But all the great pastry chefs are in the same place, with lots of demonstrations, and that's quite unique. If chocolate is your thing, it's worth it.
Good to Know:
The Women's Fashion Week, which started on September 27, goes on until October 5. The first days of October still have that special energy, with crowds of photographers in front of the show venues and very dressed-up people in the streets, but some museums, gardens or landmarks can have reduced access on the day of a show, and it's harder to find a hotel room in the center.
French schools are on break from late October to early November, so expect more families in the museums and at the attractions.
Halloween is celebrated much less in Paris than in the US: you'll see a few decorated shop windows and some costume parties in bars, but no trick-or-treating or decorated houses, so if you travel with kids, don't promise them a big Halloween night.
The clocks go back one hour on the night of October 30 to 31, so if you have a flight or a train on October 31, check your departure time carefully.
Paris in November 2027: Events and What to Know
🍽️Paris Restaurant Week. For about two weeks, usually in early November, many Paris restaurants, from neighborhood bistros to tables run by well-known chefs, have a special set menu at a lower price than usual. It's a good chance to try a restaurant you've had your eye on. In 2026, it took place from November 1 to 15, and the 2027 dates will be confirmed later. Reservations open online about a week before.
🎄The start of the Christmas season. From mid-November, Paris gets ready for Christmas! The Christmas lights go up on the Champs-Élysées and on the Avenue Montaigne, and many other streets have their own decorations. The department stores unveil their animated windows, and the first Christmas markets open. It's a bit early to have the 2027 dates, but I'll share them as soon as they're announced.
🍷The new Beaujolais wine (Beaujolais Nouveau). On Thursday, November 18, the new Beaujolais wine is released, and many bistros put up a sign saying Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé. It's a light, fruity young wine, and tasting it at a bistro counter that evening is a simple way to share a very French tradition.
Good to Know:
November has 2 public holidays in France: November 1, All Saints' Day, which is a Monday in 2027, and November 11, Armistice Day (WWI), which is a Thursday. Many French people make a long weekend of them, often taking Friday 12 off too, so expect more people in public transport and at the monuments on those days.
On the morning of November 11, a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe marks the end of World War I, so the traffic around the Arc and at the top of the Champs-Élysées is restricted.
Paris in December 2027: Events and What to Know
🎄Christmas in Paris. In December, the whole city is dressed for Christmas. The Champs-Élysées and the Avenue Montaigne are lit up, and many smaller streets hang their own garlands. On the Boulevard Haussmann, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps have their animated windows, which children (and adults) love, and inside Galeries Lafayette, a giant Christmas tree stands under the glass dome. Add the Christmas markets in several neighborhoods, and it's one of the most cheerful times to walk around Paris.
🍰The Yule log cake (bûche de Noël). In December, every pâtisserie makes its own version of the bûche de Noël, the traditional French Christmas cake, and the big pastry chefs design a new one each year. For a family dinner on December 24 or 25, you need to order a whole one in advance, but many pâtisseries also sell individual mini bûches all through December, so you can easily taste one during your trip.
⛸️The Grand Palais ice rink (Grand Palais des Glaces). From mid-December to early January, the nave of the Grand Palais turns into one of the biggest indoor ice rinks in the world, under its huge glass roof. There are sessions in the morning, in the afternoon and late in the evening, when the atmosphere is more festive, with music and lights. You can rent skates there, so no need to pack yours.
🥂New Year's Eve. On December 31, Parisians gather on the Champs-Élysées for the countdown and the show on the Arc de Triomphe at midnight. Just be aware that there are huge crowds, with security checks to get in and some metro stations nearby that can be closed, so it's an experience for people who don't mind being packed in. If that's not your thing, a dinner in a restaurant, booked well in advance, is a nice alternative.
Good to Know:
On December 24 and 31, many shops close earlier and restaurants have special set menus, so book ahead.
On December 25, most places are closed, including museums, monuments and shops, but the Eiffel Tower is usually open.
The Best Paris Events in 2027, by Interest
Not sure which month to choose? Here are the events to plan around, depending on what you love.
Paris Events for Foodies
January: the King Cake (galette des rois).
March: the Easter chocolates.
April and November: Paris Restaurant Week.
May: the Bread Festival (Fête du Pain) in front of Notre-Dame.
October: the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival and the Chocolate Fair.
November: the new Beaujolais wine (Beaujolais Nouveau).
December: the Yule log cakes (bûches de Noël) of the big pâtisseries.
Paris Events for Fashion Lovers
For fashion lovers, the best times to come to Paris in 2027 are the sales and the Fashion Weeks. The shows are by invitation only, but you'll feel the atmosphere in the streets, around the venues and in the shops.
Winter sales: January 6 to February 2.
Summer sales: June 23 to July 20.
Men's Fashion Week: January 19 to 24 and June 22 to 27.
Haute Couture Week: January 25 to 28 and July 5 to 8.
Women's Fashion Week: March 1 to 9 and September 27 to October 5.
Paris Events for Vintage and Antiques Lovers
If you love vintage and antiques, plan your trip around these two big events.
March and late September: the Chatou Antiques Fair, on the Île des Impressionnistes.
Late May: the Rue de Bretagne flea market, in the Marais.
If your dates don't match, the Saint-Ouen flea market (Puces de Saint-Ouen) is open all year round, and the Vanves flea market (Puces de Vanves) every weekend.
Paris Events for Music Lovers and Night Owls
If you love music and late nights, these are the evenings when Paris goes out:
June 5: White Night (Nuit Blanche), with art installations all night long.
June 21: the Music Festival (Fête de la Musique), all over the city.
July 13 and 14: the firefighters' dance parties (bals des pompiers).
December 31: New Year's Eve on the Champs-Élysées.
Paris Events for Families
If you travel with kids, here are the events I recommend most:
July and August: Paris Beaches (Paris Plages), with sand, deckchairs and activities along the Seine.
From mid-November to December: the Christmas lights and the animated windows of the department stores.
From mid-December to early January: the Grand Palais ice rink.
P.S. If you're still choosing your dates and it all feels like a lot, my article on why planning a first trip to Paris feels overwhelming might help. And whatever month you choose, my selection of the 5 best-rated free museums in Paris works all year round ;)
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