Parisians sitting at exterior cafe tables

5 reasons to visit Paris in July

The mass exodus of Parisians keen to head south to the shores of the French Riviera begins in July, which seems a little like Monet putting down his paintbrushes in favor of some gardening. Why? Because July is one of the best times of year to visit Paris.

Paris in July experiences wonderful summer temperatures of around 23°C, and also hosts some of France’s top annual events. Intrigued? You should be! Here’s 5 very good reasons to visit Paris in July.

1. Bastille Day celebrations

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Better known in Paris as Le Fête Nationale (National Celebration) and Le Quatorze Juillet (July 14) Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison. Taking place on July 14 1789, it kicked off the French Revolution.

Little remains of the prison itself, except for a star-shaped outline on the sidewalks of Place de la Bastille. However, as France’s national day, it’s far from forgotten. The main event is a military parade – the largest in Europe. This makes its way along the Champs-Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde.

Attended by the French President and notable guests – most famously US President Donald Trump – it ends with a magnificent fly past by the Patrouille de France aerobatics team. For more on them, head to the Museum of Air and Space. The attention then turns to the Eiffel Tower.

Constructed to mark the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, the base of the Eiffel Tower is the location of a major concert. As darkness falls, the biggest fireworks display of the Paris year erupts around the tower. Whilst that’s enough for many, the celebrations continue all night long at the central fire stations of each of the 20 arrondissements (districts), which fling open their doors to the public.

2. Museums by night

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Part of the European Night of Museums extravaganza, Paris’s Nuit des Musées (Museums Night) sees many of the city’s much-loved collections offering free after hours opening. Guests can explore their treasures and take part in special events including workshops. Just some of those which take part are the Picasso Museum and the Museum of Arab History.

But if you miss this one-night-only event there are several other options for exploring Paris’s landmark attractions after dark. Nights at Les Invalides combines an immersive sound and light show with the chance to explore Napoleon Bonaparte’s burial place on the banks of the Seine by candlelight.

Alternatively, you could turn to the Palace of Versailles gardens on Saturday evenings throughout July. Specially lit for the occasion, music drifts around the groves and fountains before the sky erupts into a sea of fireworks.

3. Make the most of the good weather

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With glorious July sun and warm evenings pretty much on tap, there’s plenty of reason to linger in Paris’s public outdoor spaces. Take a Bateaux Parisiens Seine river cruise and you might be surprised to see beachgoers lining the river’s banks. Those unable to up sticks to the French Riviera for the summer season are at least able to sink their feet into the imported sand of the Paris Plages beaches.

Of the many reasons there are for exploring the parks and gardens of Paris in July, one of the best has to be the Fête de Tuileries. Located just behind the Louvre, it takes the form of a traditional funfair, complete with wooden carousels, a ghost train and hall of mirrors.

Meanwhile, Parc de la Villette hosts an open-air cinema for much of the summer. One best suited for night owls, screenings can only take place once it’s got dark enough, meaning the mix of classic and modern movies don’t get their curtain call until 10:00 – 10:30PM.

4. Join the festival crowds

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On the eastern side of the city, the Parc Floral within the Bois de Vincennes becomes the site of the two month long Paris Jazz Festival. The eclectic line-up includes many of the greatest names in jazz, which in the past has seen both Gregory Porter and Sandra Nkaké take to the stage.

Crossing musical genres, Festival Fnac Live has a commanding position in the courtyard of the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) building. The free event lasts three nights and welcomes somewhere in the region of 100,000 revelers keen to see acts that have included Sting, Shaggy and Ed Sheeran.

The lesser-known Canal de l’Ourcq around the Bassin de la Villette also comes into its own in July. As well as being a lovely place to soak up the sun with a canal-side stroll, it hosts a number of July events ranging from concerts to urban art trails suitable for all the family.

5. Bikes and shopping bags

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If one major July spectacle on the Champs-Élysées in July wasn’t enough in the form of the Bastille Day celebrations, then there’s the grand finale of the Tour de France to look forward to. The bike pack arrives in the capital after a route covering approximately 2200 miles.

Ending with several laps of the Arc de Triomphe – and the impressive feat of cycling over cobbles whilst sipping from a Champagne flute – it’s a great way to get close to any cycling heroes.

If it’s shopping bags rather than bikes that interest you, Paris in July is still the place to be. The time of the traditional summer sales, stores throughout the capital can offer significant discounts on ordinary retail prices, with the best deals generally appearing towards the end of the sales period.

Should luggage space prevent you from making too many purchases, the stores of streets like Boulevard Haussmann are still well worth visiting. They include department stores Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, whose impressive art nouveau interiors have been drawing crowds for over 100 years.

Saving on attraction admission in Paris in July

With so much going on, you might think you’re going to need a significant win on the loto (the French lottery) to pay for it all. But even if lady luck isn’t standing by your side, it’s still possible to do all you want without worrying about the cost. Although Paris is considered an expensive city to both visit and live in, there are ways visitors to the French capital can ensure their money lasts.

Explore Paris with Go City and you’ll get the benefit of reduced admission on many of the city’s top tourist attractions. What’s more, you can do this without needing to make any firm decisions about what you’d like to visit or when until you’re all set to immerse yourself in Paris in July.

Ian Packham
Go City Travel Expert

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Two-Day Paris Itinerary

Traveling to Paris but only have two days to soak up all the sights and sounds? It’s not only possible to see a representative slice of Paris in just a weekend, but it’s also a delightful way to squeeze in a quick vacation! We’ve put together a two-day itinerary for those weekend getaways to Paris. These ideas will give you a starting point for your explorations, and help you to make the most of your brief time in the city. Our sample itinerary for two days in Paris includes the following: The Louvre Musée de l'Orangerie Champs Élysées Shopping Hop-on Hop-off Paris Bus Tour Eiffel Tower Paris River Cruise Day 1: The Louvre A museum so renowned that it practically needs no introduction, the Louvre is one of the finest collections of art in the entire world. It’s the perfect place to visit on your first day in Paris, with so many iconic works of art, sculpture, and more to be found within its unique walls. The Louvre is also a remarkable structure in and of itself—the I.M. Pei-designed pyramids are gorgeous, perfectly Instagrammable architectural marvels. Plan to devote an entire morning to the Louvre, and leave a little time to just hang out in the courtyards outside the museum to people-watch. Musée de l'Orangerie Take a stroll through the inimitable Jardin des Tuileries (a seventeenth-century pleasure garden filled with elaborate botanical structures and statues) to get to your next attraction, the Musée de l'Orangerie. This unique museum combines its twentieth-century European art collection with one singularly remarkable gallery—a collection of eight water lily murals by Monet. It’s a singular experience to stand within the Monet gallery and turn in every direction to see those signature water lilies in every direction. This modestly-sized museum should take about an hour or so to explore fully. Champs Élysées Shopping End your day with a bit of retail therapy. You’re just steps from the Champs-Élysées neighborhood, which is notable for the Arc de Triomphe as well as its extensive luxury retail offerings. These days, you’ll also find some fast fashion, athletic apparel, and cosmetics alongside the iconic boutiques and signature European fashion houses. Other highlights of the neighborhood include the Grand Palais and the Champs-Élysées Garden, should you prefer to sightsee more instead of acquiring your next big fashion item. Plan to devote the remainder of your afternoon to exploring this exciting neighborhood. Day 2: Hop-on Hop-off Paris Bus Tour Start your second day in Paris with a comprehensive bus tour that will escort you around the city’s best landmarks. This hop-on hop-off option from Big Bus Paris is an excellent choice, with eleven premier stops including the Notre Dame, the Paris Opera House, the Grand Palais, and more. Use the bus to get around the city, or just ride the whole loop to enjoy the sightseeing. This fully-narrated tour is offered in more than eight languages, so no need to brush up on your French before visiting! If you choose to stay on the bus for the entire loop, set aside about two and a half hours. Eiffel Tower The Eiffel Tower is one of the most recognizable structures in the entire world, so it’s a must-visit on your weekend in Paris itinerary. Use the hop-on hop-off bus tour to get here, and then stroll around the grounds. One of our favorite Instagram photos is a shot looking up at the Eiffel Tower from below! We especially like the way the Eiffel Tower looks at night when it’s illuminated and brilliant against the modern Paris skyline. So, it’s also an option to save this attraction until later in the day. Please keep in mind that you will need separate tickets if you’d like to go inside. Paris River Cruise After you’ve enjoyed a walk around the Eiffel Tower, or perhaps a picnic beneath it (one of our favorite ways to truly experience the city like a local), take a quick walk to the waterfront and hop aboard the Paris River Cruise. The Seine is a magnificent body of water, providing stellar views of the crowded city along its banks. Some of the sights you’ll enjoy from your vessel include Musée D'Orsay, Tuileries Gardens, Grand Palais, and, of course, the Eiffel Tower. Your cruise will last approximately one hour, leaving you plenty of time to find that perfect restaurant for dinner and wine. Save on Admission to Paris Attractions Payless to visit the attractions on this weekend in Paris itinerary with a Go Paris pass. Pay just 95 Euro for admission to these and other great attractions. This is an excellent value for those who want to scope out the best museums! Share Your Adventure with Us Tag @GoCity in your vacation photos and we'll feature you on our page. Follow the Go City Instagram and Facebook pages for competitions, special offers, and events and inspiration for your chosen destination, too!
Katie Sagal
Montamartre and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica
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5 Days in Paris

Packed with world-class museums, verdant parks, superb shopping and household-name attractions including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre and Notre-Dame Cathedral, it’s no surprise that Paris is one of the world’s most-visited cities. 5 days in Paris gives you just enough time to scratch the surface of this wonderful city, ticking off its top attractions and experiencing a flavor of its arty neighborhoods and exquisite café culture. The sheer number of things to see and do around the city can make it difficult to know where to start though, so check out our suggested 5-day Paris itinerary below for inspiration. Day 1: Bucket List Bonanza Everyone knows you haven’t really arrived in Paris until you’ve snapped a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower, our first port of call on this, your whirlwind romance with the City of Love. There are a number of ways to experience the Tower: you can climb the 674 stairs or take the glass elevator to the viewing platform on the second floor, 115 meters up. Or you can whiz all the way to the very top where, 276 meters above terra firma, a champagne bar awaits to help steady your nerves. Alternatively, dodge the queues and take in fantastic views of The Iron Lady from a number of nearby vantage points, such as the Champs de Mars park directly underneath, or through the majestic Fountain of Warsaw’s sky-high water jets in the Jardins du Trocadéro just across the Seine. Make your way to the nearby Arc de Triomphe where you can pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and laugh in the face of the meager 284 steps required to reach the viewing platform up top. Board a bateau at dusk for a more relaxed way to sightsee, on a gentle Seine cruise. No time of day in Paris is more magical than when the skies begin to darken and the City of Light comes thrillingly to life, with the illumination of glorious riverside landmarks including the Louvre, Grand Palais and Notre-Dame Cathedral. Day 2: Latin Quarter and Musée d’Orsay Unless you’re absolutely art mad, a five-day trip to Paris will likely only take in one of The Big Two (that’s the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay to you and me). Perched on the Left Bank in the former Gare d’Orsay railway station, the Musée d’Orsay is smaller, more easily navigable and generally less crowded than its famous sibling with the glass pyramid that lies just across the river. The museum boasts the world’s largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, with artists including Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Toulous-Lautrec, Degas, Gauguin et al very well represented here. Go for the fine art and stay for the fifth-floor café's huge station-clock window and its exhilarating views over the Seine to the Louvre and Sacré-Cœur Basilica. From Musée d’Orsay it’s a short stroll east along the riverfront to where the Paris bouquinistes ply their trade from stalls packed with second-hand books of all kinds, from antiquarian atlases to graphic novels. Here, in the boho Latin Quarter, stroll the narrow cobbled lanes and alleys, and pause at one of the cute sidewalk cafés for coffee and pastries before paying homage to Rousseau, Voltaire, Louis Braille, Marie Curie and the dozens of other Gallic greats interred beneath the Panthéon’s impressive dome. Day 3: Picnic in the park Paris is made for picnicking. From the sweeping, manicured lawns of the Champs de Mars by the Eiffel Tower to the secluded hills and wooded valleys of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont on the edge of town, there’s a lunch spot to suit all tastes. Step one: pick up your picnic. You’ll want crusty bread, a selection of cheeses and fruits and, why not, a cheeky bottle of French wine as a bare minimum. Sure, you could get all of this in a standard supermarché. But where's the fun in that? Instead, guarantee a knock-it-out-the-park pique-nique you’ll never forget by heading to one of the city's market streets and stuffing your hamper with delicious, fresh gourmet goodies. Straddling the 1st and 2nd arrondissements on the Right Bank, Rue Montorgueil will make all your foodie dreams come true, and is also home to the oldest pâtisserie in town, where signature sticky rum babas are guaranteed to make your tastebuds sing. Across the river in the Latin Quarter, Rue Mouffetard is a picturesque place to pick up a picnic from the many bustling stalls and stores that line its cobbles. Suitably stocked up, all you need to do now is pick a park for your leisurely lunch. For feet-up-by-the lake tranquility, formal gardens and sculptures by Rodin, Mailliol and more, head for Jardin des Tuileries by the Louvre. Or, for a spot of old-fashioned Parisian people-watching, the gardens of 17th-century Place des Vosges in the Marais are hard to beat. Meanwhile, out on the opposite edges of town, Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes, the city’s largest public parks, offer relative seclusion and room to roam amid chateaux, boating lakes, botanical gardens, grottoes and more. Day 4: Montmartre One of Paris’s ‘must-sees’, the Montmartre butte is the highest point in the city, with the flamboyant Sacré-Cœur Basilica perched on top, and some of the best views in town. Wander the cobbled streets and you’ll soon discover why this atmospheric part of Paris has inspired so many artists down the centuries. You can view the work of many of them – Manet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Miró – at the excellent Musée de Montmartre, a 17th-century mansion with tranquil gardens that were immortalized in art by Renoir, a former resident. Grab a coffee and pastry at the Café des Deux Moulins, made famous from its starring role in the movie Amélie. Have your portrait painted by local artists in the picture-perfect Place du Tertre, just behind the basilica. Grab a snap of the Moulin Rouge’s iconic red windmill. And head to the wildly romantic-sounding le mur des je t’aime for a souvenir selfie of your time in the City of Love. Featuring the phrase ‘I love you’ in 250 languages, this ‘wall of love’ is a permanent art installation made from hundreds of enameled lava tiles. Day 5: A Spot of Souvenir-Shopping Make your last day in Paris as special as the first, with some leisurely souvenir-shopping in and around the Marais district, with its cobbled lanes, independent boutiques, cute pâtisseries and historic 19th-century arcades nearby. Step back in time to Belle-Époque Paris in the wonderfully whimsical Passages Couverts, a series of 18th and 19th-century shopping arcades with narrow walkways, glass-and-iron roofs and old-fashioned storefronts. You’ll find two of the best in the 2nd arrondissement, neighboring the Marais. Neo-classical Galerie Vivienne has intricate mosaic floors and an elegant glass dome that sits atop a rotunda decorated with nymphs and goddesses. Nearby Passage Choiseul is the longest covered passage in Paris and a registered historical monument. Expect chic fashion boutiques, wine cellars, jewelers, antiquarian bookstores and an old-school Paris vibe inside both. The gift shop just around the corner from the Marais' marvelous Musée National Picasso-Paris merits a visit in its own right, with tasteful Picasso-inspired homeware, art prints, pottery, bags and much more on offer. And it would be remiss to go home without a pretty box of macarons, that colorful meringue-based confection so beloved of Parisians. You’ll find these in any Marais pâtisserie worth its salt. But this is Paris, darling, so treat yourself by splashing out on some of the poshest in town from French pastry master Pierre Hermé. Save on top attractions during your 5 days in Paris Save on admission to Paris attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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