Plan your trip to Paris with our guide to what's on in Paris! From festivals and seasonal events to annual celebrations and more, discover Paris with the Paris Pass!
SPRING
Easter in Paris
As the promise of spring fills the air, and the parks begin to bloom, take a stroll along the Seine or head to the many green public parks around the city to soak up the early sunshine. Indulge in the wonderful chocolate confections that decorate the shop windows, cheer on the runners in the Paris Marathon, and then head to Foire du Trone in Pelouse de Reuilly in Bois de Vincennes to enjoy old-school fairground rides and family-friendly fun.
La Nuit Européene des Musées
In May, museums across Europe throw open their doors for a night at the museum. In Paris, museums will stay open late into the evening – offering a unique and memorable way to enjoy their treasures. Participating attractions include: the Louvre, the Decorative Arts Museum and the Palais de la Découverte.
SUMMER
The French Open
From the end of May into June, a couple of weeks before Wimbledon, you can watch the best tennis players in the world at Stade Roland Garros in Paris. If you’re willing to swap the strawberries for macarons and the Pimms for champagne, you can enjoy great tennis in the Paris sunshine.
We Love Green
This popular Parisian music festival is powered entirely by solar panels and recycled-oil generators. Attracting a great line-up every year, you can enjoy fabulous music, organic food and connect with people at the sustainability and environmental think tank for 2 days at the beginning of June in the Bois de Vincennes.
Paris Plages
Each summer, from the beginning of July until the end of August, the banks of the Seine and canal de Villette are transformed into public beaches. Pack a picnic, pull up a deckchair and relax in the Parisian sunshine. Or head to Bassin de la Villette where you can even bathe in the waters before enjoying an ice-cream at one of the neighbourhood vendors.
Bastille Day
If you’re lucky enough to be in Paris on 14th July, head to the Champs Elysées in the afternoon to see the military procession. Later, Champs de Mars is the place to be. Here, you can enjoy the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower… unless you’re lucky enough to be staying in a hotel with views to the tower, of course, when you can sit back and enjoy the show from the comfort of your own balcony.
AUTUMN
La Nuit Blanche
At the start of October, Paris hosts an art festival with a difference: avant-garde and emerging artists show their works by night. At various venues across the city, a mix of art, theatre, dance and music events ensure that “for one night only, let art take over the city, and let the city be in its thrall”.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disneyland Paris
The Disney parks are fabulous fun at Halloween, so if you’re in Paris through October with children don’t miss a trip a to Euro Disney. Dress up in costume and join in the Halloween-themed fun, including trick or treating, costumed characters and the spooky procession and fireworks.
WINTER
Christmas in Paris
Christmas in Paris is truly magical: with the city lit and dressed for Christmas, ice-skating rinks at Hotel de Ville and Trocadéro and Christmas markets along the Champs Elysées, Place Saint Sulpice and Place Saint Germain des Prés. Browse the pretty stores selling handicrafts and treats, mingle with the crowds and sip vin chaud at the markets. Then head to Trocadéro to skate across the ice with the lights of the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the background. If you’re in Paris on Christmas Eve, don’t skip a visit to Notre Dame for midnight mass.
New Year in Paris
In recent years, Paris hasn’t put on an official new year fireworks show, so the best place to head on New Year’s Eve is the Champs Elysées. Here, you can wish fellow revellers a “Bonne Année” from about 9pm – giving you time to eat at your favourite restaurant before you head out. Or mingle with the crowds here before heading on somewhere else. Just make sure you wrap up warm!
Shop the Winter Sales in Paris
If you love bagging yourself a bargain, the winter sales at the grand department stores, and the city’s malls and boutiques – or at one of the outlet malls outside the centre – are the place to head during January and early February. Don't miss a visit to the famous Galeries Lafayette - shopping heaven!
We hope you have enjoyed this guide to what’s on in Paris, brought to you by the team at the Paris Pass. Bon voyage!