France, Europe

Paris in August

Tourists in, Parisians out. Many neighborhood restaurants and small shops close for annual vacation; big sights all stay open. Paris Plages turns the Seine into a beach.

TradeoffsWarm, highs near 78F (26C), occasional heat waves

Eiffel Tower, Paris — ParisPhoto: Maksim Sokolov (maxergon.com), CC BY-SA 4.0

The straight answer

August is a month of real tradeoffs in Paris. Tourists in, Parisians out. Many neighborhood restaurants and small shops close for annual vacation; big sights all stay open. Paris Plages turns the Seine into a beach.

Weather: Warm, highs near 78F (26C), occasional heat waves
Crowds: 4 of 5
Prices: 3 of 5

What August is like in Paris

August is warm, with highs near 78F (26C) and the odd heat wave. Tourists are here in force, but Parisians leave on vacation, and many small family-run restaurants and shops close for two to four weeks. The big museums, sights, and department stores all stay open. Paris Plages keeps the Seine quays in beach mode, and the city feels oddly relaxed in its residential corners.

It works for families tied to school holidays and anyone happy with the big sights. It is weaker for food lovers who want specific neighborhood bistros. If eating well matters most, September is far better. Check any restaurant before you plan around it.

Make the most of August

What is especially good about Paris this month.

Paris Plages

Sand, deck chairs, and activities line stretches of the Seine quays through August.

Quieter neighborhoods

With locals away, residential areas like the 11th and 14th feel calm and easy to explore.

Big sights with easy logistics

The Louvre, Orsay, and Versailles all stay open, and early timed entries still beat most of the crowd.

What to pack for August

Light, breathable clothes
Sunscreen and a hat
A refillable water bottle
A light layer for air-conditioned museums

Our timing tip

Search for restaurant closure notices (fermeture annuelle) online before you go, and plan meals around places confirmed open.

Book Paris for August.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Paris
Opens a hotel search for Paris in August, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for August
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Paris
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Paris
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Paris for August. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in August

Paris Plages

Mid July through August

The Seine quays become sand-and-deckchair beaches. The best of August Paris.

Things to do in Paris

Full guide

The Louvre

Book the first timed slot and go straight to what you came for; Wednesday and Friday evenings run late and calmer.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Musee d'Orsay

The Impressionist floor is the best single museum floor in Europe. Thursday evenings stay open late.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Eiffel Tower

Summit tickets sell out weeks ahead in season. The classic photo is from Trocadero at sunrise.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Notre-Dame and the islands

Reopened after the fire restoration; entry is free but the timed-entry app queue moves fast in the morning.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Montmartre at first light

Sacre-Coeur steps before 9am belong to locals and bakers. By noon in season it is a scrum.

Tickets and tours →

Luxembourg Gardens

The city's living room: toy sailboats, chess games, and the chairs you are actually allowed to move.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Book the Louvre's first entry slot of the day, enter at the Carrousel or Porte des Lions entrances, and see your must-list in reverse order from the crowds.
Do headline sights before 9:30am or in the last two hours before closing; spend the middle of the day in gardens, food streets, and lesser museums that never queue.
Museums with timed reservations reward booking two to four weeks out in spring and fall; same-week almost always works in November through February.
The first Sunday of the month is free at many museums: wonderful for the budget, terrible for the lines. Know which trade you are making.

Know before you go

August: many family-run restaurants and small shops close two to four weeks for annual vacation. Major museums, department stores, and sights all remain open. Check any specific restaurant before you build a day around it.
Most museums close one day a week: the Louvre on Tuesdays, Orsay and Versailles on Mondays. Plan the pairings accordingly.
May is a minefield of public holidays (May 1, May 8, Ascension, Pentecost). May 1 in particular closes nearly everything, including the Louvre.
December 25 and January 1 close most sights; the days around them are open but run holiday hours.