Paris in May – is it worth visiting? Weather, how to dress, prices 2023 in hotels and on excursions. What to do in Paris at the end of spring, what places to see and where to go – found out good Time for Trip.
Do not hesitate, just take it for granted – the last month of spring is a wonderful time to organize a trip abroad. Including the one to Europe!
Indeed, at this time, almost everywhere, nature is flourishing with might and main, and human souls finally thaw after the winter cold. In some locations, summer is already persistently knocking on doors – In May, Paris is definitely one of those places.
The most romantic city in the world – so the annoying advertisement claims – is especially good during the rapid flowering of nature. When the parks are already turning green, but the weather has not yet managed to stabilize and enter a rut that excludes sharp changes.
When even on the Champs-Elysees you can feel the obvious freshness – just try to do it in July! And a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens or the Tuileries charge you with so much energy that you will be able to add 2-3 more points to your list of must-see attractions in Paris. And this is the minimum!
The number of tourists
even in early May in Paris, of course, can not be called small – many have learned to study meteorological statistics and draw appropriate conclusions. But in any case, there are much fewer of them than at the high season.
But the prices, alas, are close to peak values – for the author of the material, this was a revelation at the time. So it’s better for those who want to save money to choose a bit better time for a trip to Paris.
Well, or persuade yourself to spend a little more money than planned. Maybe with the help of considerations like “this happens only once in a lifetime.”
Weather in Paris in May
You can’t call it too warm at first! However, and cold – too. This is the usual “working” weather, perfect for city tours and visiting museums.
At the beginning of May 2022, the air temperature in Paris during the day fluctuated between +16-20 °C. And at night it dropped to +8-12 °C. Which, of course, forced additional insulation. But didn’t exclude the possibility of enjoying an evening cruise on the Seine.
By the middle of the month, nature seemed to pull itself together and decided that it would be preparing for the summer. As a result for a couple of weeks, the atmosphere warmed up to +20-24 °C by noon.
Townspeople and tourists happily threw off their jackets and enthusiastically filled the lawns in parks and observation decks. Excursion groups began to appear everywhere – in such weather, interest in historical areas like Montmartre somehow greatly increased…
Things were clearly improving, and each new day only reinforced the opinion that a little more and the Parisian streets would begin to melt from the African heat. As a result, wealthy citizens began to pack their suitcases, preparing for departure to the Cote d’Azur. And tourists who are able to take an untimely vacation, on the contrary, reached out to the French capital, emboldened by almost summer temperatures.
But at the end of May, the weather in Paris deteriorated. The air temperature again dropped to +16-20 °C, and the sweaters and pullovers hidden in the closets returned to their usual places – on the shoulders of citizens.
If you study the long-term archives of weather forecasters closely, it turns out that such weather is typical for Paris in May. Dates may vary, but the temperature curve is prone to fairly sharp fluctuations.
- Weather forecast for the next few days – meteofrance.com/…/paris/75000.
Precipitation
According to statistics, May is the wettest month in Paris. A little even ahead of December and January! But the total amount of precipitation in this month falling on the heads of Parisians and tourists is relatively small: usually from 40 to 60 mm.
Of course, your 3 to 4-day trip to Paris in mid-May could take place under a cloudless sky in principle. But it is still more correct to pack a suitcase and make plans, based on the fact that the number of cloudy and directly rainy days in late spring prevails over clear ones here.
It rains with varying degrees of intensity for an average of 7-9 days. And in most cases, precipitation does not interfere with active sightseeing activities. Again, in case of heavy rain, you can provide an alternative – there are many large museums in Paris.
How to Dress
Spring or autumn clothes should definitely be present in the holiday wardrobe. Although there is no reason to take warm garments in large quantities – even in the evenings in Paris in May, you can comfortably walk along the embankments, dressed only in a sweater, jacket or pullover.
It is worth taking waterproof clothes and shoes with you to France – so you can adjust your own plans to a minimum in case of bad weather. A raincoat may come in handy and an umbrella will almost certainly be in demand as well.
We advise fashionistas to stock up on this accessory of bright colors. Which will surely set you apart from the crowd and allow to get a little more positive impressions from the visit.
However, you can always buy in France an original thing of this kind. Instead of purchasing quite boring magnets and other souvenirs!
Prices 2023
As already emphasized above, it’s not necessary to count on significant discounts by arriving in Paris actually at the start of the tourist season. However, if you book an apartment or a hotel room early, at least you willn’t overpay.
Hotels with a Booking rating of 9 and above and located relatively close to the center will rent a room for two in May for 150 € per day and above. Regularly traveling tourists can count on discounts on the Genius system, but still their expenses look impressive.
Based on personal experience, I can recommend a completely non-modern and therefore cozy La Maison Rouge in the 13th arrondissement.
It seems to be far from the main Parisian attractions. But it is located on a quiet street, and you can get to the Porte d’Italie metro station quickly even at a relaxed pace.
Yes, I completely forgot, a really great breakfast is included in the same 150 € per night.
In the 3rd arrondissement, that is, in fact, in the center there is an excellent Hôtel de Roubaix. Alas, even with a cutting prices off, you will pay for a room from 165 €. And the three of us traveling will have to pay 250 € at all.
Popular excursions, if possible, should also be booked in advance. Since complex tickets for events such as The Louvre Museum and Seine River Cruise (2 in 1) tend to run out. Which is unlikely to surprise anyone, because its organizers sometimes offer a substantial discount from the standard price of 34 €!
Transport cost
The issue of independent movement in Paris and its immediate environs by public transport, if desired, is solved simply. A weekly Navigo pass for all 5 zones costs 30 €. A daily subscription for a day without a limit on the number of trips will cost 20.1 €.
Actually, Passe Navigo itself costs 5 €. And it willn’t be possible to return this money.
The Navigo card for next week goes on sale on Fridays. All fares for a weekly and monthly turist travel pass can be found here – ratp.fr/en/titres-et-tarifs/navigo-monthly-and-weekly-travel-passes .
What to Do
Despite the generally high probability of raining, it is recommended to walk a lot in Paris troughout the whole May. After all, at the end of spring, the city is not just transformed, it turns into a special world: fresh, free, joyful. Encouraging creative breakthroughs – proven in practice!
Therefore, allow yourself to depart from the canons and don’t necessarily try to visit all the top attractions of Paris. On the contrary, wander a lot along the banks of the Seine, discover the unknown island of Saint-Louis. Let the houses in the Marais district imbue you with their aura, and the Latin Quarter – charge you with special energy.
If possible, take a selfie with the Eiffel Tower without going up, for example, from the Trocadero observation deck. As the pandemonium near the legendary openwork design can completely destroy a peaceful mood.
Try to pay a visit to the stairs and the Sacre Coeur Basilica in Montmartre early in the morning, admire Paris from a height. In the middle of the day and, especially, in the evening, it is not worth plunging into the labyrinths of the legendary quarter.
As the artists who made it famous are no longer live there. But the public, which is keenly interested in other people’s wallets, smartphones and other expensive equipment, is always in abundance here.
Of course, a visit to the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret is a must if you haven’t had a chance to do it before. But many travelers don’t advise staying at the hotels in Montmartre and nearby.
Since just a simple walking in Montmartre is sometimes accompanied by a significant increase of the level of adrenaline in the blood. As the number of citizens of ambiguous appearance, with a bored look loitering around, is very large here.
Where to Go
Quite rare a visit to Paris on May days goes without visiting the suburbs of the great city. Or even longer trips – few people will deny themselves the pleasure of seeing Mont-Saint-Michel on the threshold of a sultry summer and visiting the shore of the “English Channel”.
For our part, we’ll recommend including in the orbit of your attention some not-too-famous castles of France. For example, to visit the fabulous Pierrefonds, perched on the edge of the luxurious Compiegne forest.
Or personally see the Castle of Amboise on the banks of the Loire, once beeing one of the favorite residences of Francis I. Surely it has seen the great genius of mankind, Leonardo da Vinci, within its walls.
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