Visiting Paris in the summer is ideal for getting to know the city better! It is less crowded and the atmosphere is more relaxed. There is less noise, less cars, more space in restaurants, parks… “Every street, every stone seemed to be ours alone. We were alone on earth, in Paris in August” as Aznavour says. And even in Paris, you can find places to stroll and refresh yourself. See you in the rest of the article to discover different places to enjoy the pleasures of summer in the capital ☺
Outdoor summer activities
By the water
To find a little freshness in Paris and satisfy your desire to swim, go to Paris Plage. This beach is installed in the heart of Paris from July 10 to August 22. It is located on the banks of the Seine, in front of the City Hall and on the edge of the Bassin de la Villette. This space is arranged in beach, with sand, palm trees, parasols and deckchairs. There are also stands for refreshments, with drinks, ice creams and snacks to eat on the go. Water activities such as canoeing are also available. Everything you need to relax and feel like you are in the south of France!
Always close to the water, and even on the water, discover Paris on board of a bateau-mouche. A one hour trip on a river boat, which goes along many monuments such as the Orsay Museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral…
By the greenery
In terms of parks in Paris, there is an embarrassment of riches to choose from, big ones, small ones, flowered ones, wooded ones…!
The famous Tuileries Gardens are ideal for a green getaway. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this 23-hectare park offers large green spaces and historical corners with many historical statues. During the summer (July 3 to August 29, 2021) the annual funfair takes place with 60 attractions for young and old.
In a completely different atmosphere, the Bois de Vincennes is also very suitable for the summer season, with its large shady forests. In the heart of the wood is the Daumesnil lake. You can have a nice walk around the lake and meet swans and ducks.
At the end of the park, there is also the tropical agronomy garden. This place had been created in 1899 and had a multitude of exotic plants; banana trees, coffee trees, vanilla trees… And today we can still see some bamboos and kakis implanted in the middle of a small brook and the pavilions of the colonial exhibition
Inside, but cool
The must-see museums
Museums in summer, what a good idea! A bit of coolness, with air conditioning and a calmer visit with less crowds. In Paris, there are dozens of museums, for all tastes, styles, arts and eras.
First and foremost, the Louvre, the most visited museum with 9 million visitors per year. There are more than 35,000 works on display in the museum, which are renewed regularly. It is also possible to go to the night sessions to avoid the crowd in front of the Mona Lisa room.
Then there is also the Grand Palais, which is one of the best museums in Paris. These are mainly temporary exhibitions. There are innovative works of art; contemporary photography, video art, comics…This place also hosts various events (horse shows, art fairs…).
The Pompidou Center is also another reference in terms of museums in Paris. It is very well known for its modern architecture, with its large metal tube. It is a very busy place, so you should think about booking your tickets online before or favor the lunch or evening hours.
The must-see monuments
Another very famous monument in Paris where to find some fresh air, the Catacombs. It is the largest ossuary in the world with a course of 1500 meters long at 20 meters deep. *Ossuary means a pile of bones, an excavation where human bones are stored. There are between six and eight million remains of bones of the inhabitants of the capital.
The main entrance is located at the Place Denfert-Rochereau and leads to the tourist catacombs. This visit is a kind of journey through time where you can go through the history of the inhabitants of the city of Paris with emotion.
It is an unusual and impressive visit, there are few similar places in the world, so let yourself be tempted! However, the wait is known to be quite long, that’s why it is interesting to visit this place on the evening slots, during the week.
Also in summer, in the evening, the Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement of Paris offers screenings of the open-air film festival. The entrance is free and offers to discover French and international cinema classics.