Freezing in March
Most Parisians leave the city in August to take their annual vacation. A few years ago, our July trip in Paris went into the first week of August and I didn't notice anything different. But a few recent emails back and forth to a respected dealer at the Clignancourt flea market revealed that she and other dealer friends will be out of town from the "second week of August til the 29th", and that the flea market will of course be open, but will be "quieter" in August.
Me and my cousin Bea, probably texting one of our moms
At Porte de Vanves last week of July
This thread below is cut-and-pasted from Fodors online Forum, which I always click through before a trip. The original poster is not me, but I'm asking the same question right now, just in case there are any new answers. Anyone else with helpful input?
Paris in August? Please Help Me Decide...
I am supposed to leave in a little over a week for a last minute weeklong solo trip to Paris. But....I am having serious second thoughts about going due to always hearing that one should not go to Paris in August as "everything" is closed and the city is dead, etc.
Can someone with knowledge on this subject please advise as to what the real situation is. Are most restaurants closed? Patisseries, Boulangeries, Stores, Boutiques, etc. Please note that one of the reasons I love Paris is the food, and I have been able to book some restaurants that remain open, though I wonder if the chefs will be in town - I suspect not.
I have heard such conflicting things I do not know whether to go or to postpone my trip. I have been to Paris several times, and I love it. I am going to be in Paris next April, and I am just wondering if I should try to go somewhere else, or maybe limit my time in Paris and maybe add another city to my trip, or try to do a completely different trip.
(I also prefer cooler weather to hot weather, but as long as it is not brutally hot and humid, I'll be fine; if I am going to travel in August, I will have to deal with this in many possible destinations)
As you can tell, I am confused...and the time is getting very short to make any changes or cancelations...Thank you for your help.
Can someone with knowledge on this subject please advise as to what the real situation is. Are most restaurants closed? Patisseries, Boulangeries, Stores, Boutiques, etc. Please note that one of the reasons I love Paris is the food, and I have been able to book some restaurants that remain open, though I wonder if the chefs will be in town - I suspect not.
I have heard such conflicting things I do not know whether to go or to postpone my trip. I have been to Paris several times, and I love it. I am going to be in Paris next April, and I am just wondering if I should try to go somewhere else, or maybe limit my time in Paris and maybe add another city to my trip, or try to do a completely different trip.
(I also prefer cooler weather to hot weather, but as long as it is not brutally hot and humid, I'll be fine; if I am going to travel in August, I will have to deal with this in many possible destinations)
As you can tell, I am confused...and the time is getting very short to make any changes or cancelations...Thank you for your help.
I went to Paris in August on my first trip there and it certainly didn't seem empty to me. I've since read, like you have, that many restaurants are closed, but I don't remember having a hard time finding ones that are open. It's a huge city, for crying out loud, and people need to eat.
But given that you've been there several times, and are planning to go in April, I'm wondering why you chose Paris for this trip in August. Was there a reason for the trip? Why Paris instead of somewhere you haven't been, somewhere that might be nicer in August?
Since you don't like the heat, have been to Paris before, and are going again in April. Were I in your shoes, yes I'd go somewhere else for this particular one week's upcoming trip.
Maybe Amsterdam? Would be cooler since it's further north?
I loved Paris in August, but it was my first time there and I didn't know any better. I enjoyed it a lot more in April and October, in subsequent trips. I don't mind heat in general (I'm from MS and know heat), but it's different when you're sightseeing all day, out in the sun and standing in line, and a/c is not as common as home.
To the question about things being closed, that I don't think is anything to worry about. The temps, if you don't like heat, I think is a valid concern.
But fishskis, it only matters where YOU want to go. It sounds like you should save Paris for April, if you're worried about the heat and the closings. Are your tickets changeable, without getting hammeredon penalties? And you can go wherever? Look at the map and go north.
Hard to predict the weather. London could be cooler.
And of course as said above, there are plenty of things open in August even though some are closed for summer holidays. It's a big city and never shuts down.
As for other options, I am somewhat limited in that I am using miles for my flights, and I got lucky with a non-stop RT to Paris from LA, but other destination options are very limited. I generally do not travel in August, and I try to avoid hordes of tourists if possible (even though I am one too).
I just wonder if the city is dramatically different from other times of the year. Not to sound too corny, but I wonder if the "soul" of Paris will somehow be missing? If all the Parisiens (I hear it is literally about 50%) are gone, and the city is filled with tourists, is Paris not really Paris? If I go out to dinner, and every diner is speaking english, will I even feel like I am in Paris? This, of course, is an exaggeration; but my concern is real. If 10 % of stores and restaurants and patisseries are closed, no problem; if 50% are closed, then the entire city will obviously have a completely different feeling.
Since this is my window to go (until my planned trip next April/May), my feeling in booking it was that any trip to Paris is far better than no trip to Paris. Though now, I am questioning that premise a little given the reality that if I don't go on this trip, I will have the miles and the unspent dollars for the next trip, to wherever that might be.
Still your are concern is not mine. I rather enjoy somewhat emptier (depending on where you go) Paris in summer. Dramatically different ? No, not nearly but that's my opinion.
I blogged about what I did iin those two weeks, if you're interested:
http://autolycus-london.blogspot.com/2008/08/ca-cest-paris.html
Anyway, the principal thing that you will notice about August in Paris is that the vast majority of tourists are Italian and Spanish. Naturally, all of the other nationalities are there also, but in smaller numbers.
I don't know why someone would think everything in a major European capital would close in one month of the year, even things that are open all year long, like museums. People live in Paris, everything can't be closed. But things may be slower, but they are that way in other cities, also, as I said. They are that way where I live in Wash Dc.
Most tourists don't hang out with local residents, anyway, so the fact that a lot of Parisians may be gone on vacation doesn't really matter. Most museums and sites like that are full of tourists, anyway (well, museums have some locals who visits, but so what, you can't even always tell whether someone is French or Italian or whatever if you aren't talking with them).
As for the heat - as long as your hotel as good AC you should be OK - but do realize that many restaurants and stoes will not. Weather may be warm or may be hellish (I've been when it was 90+ and humid for a week at a time) - if so do things in the early am and evenings.
If 50% of the normal population of Paris leaves in August &/or 50% of the stores are closed, I'll eat my hat!
I do agree about the weather this year, same as Geneva and Paris are often similar, so is (believe it or not) Seattle to Geneva. It's been cool this summer both places.
The summer I was in Venice/Paris was a freakish heatwave, I do realize that.
I have heard so many differing opinions on this subject, though now I am starting to see one consistency: that in the past, the advice not to go to Paris in August may not be as relevant today as it was 20 years ago. The voice of my mother saying never go to Paris in August might be outdated.
Thank you for the replies, they are very helpful.
(someone mentioned Edinburgh...August is Tatoo and Festival month,, horribly overcrowded and accomodations are hard to come by.)
What about Scandanavia? Weather would be pleasant.
However ,if the OP so loves Paris ,then it would be good to see it in August, for variety, and see for herself if there is a difference than when she has been there before.
Just a thought...but perhaps you like CITIES better. Zurich itself is very cosmopolitan.
(and I'm the one who just above said it might be interesting for you to SEE Paris in August~~~ to judge the difference from your other trips. ~~~IF there IS any!