A woman admires the rooftop view of the Eiffel Tower

Things to do in Paris in June

By Ian Packham

As summer reaches the French capital, Paris seems to emit a sigh of satisfaction. World famous landmarks like Montmartre’s Sacré-Coeur Basilica gleam in the early summer sun. Restaurant terraces are fiercely fought over, and the city’s parks and gardens take on a light carpeting of picnicking friends and couples.

But if that isn’t enough incentive to head to Paris in June, there’s also plenty to keep you entertained. As well as the museums and galleries you can visit at any time of year, there are a wealth of one-of-a-kind events. The French Open tennis tournament and pride celebrations are just two.

All of which begs the question, where do you even begin in Paris in June?

What to do on your first day in Paris in June

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Why not start as you mean to go on? You’re on vacation after all! Get your first view of Paris’s glorious array of landmark attractions by gliding past them from the water. In just 60 minutes, River Seine cruises cover hundreds of years of history.

Sailing through an area so important it’s one of only 1000 UNESCO World Heritage Sites globally, you’ll travel from the gothic gargoyles of Notre Dame Cathedral to the reasons behind the construction of the Eiffel Tower in 1889.

For a bird’s eye view that includes Gustave Eiffel’s ‘Iron Lady’, there’s only one place to head, and that’s the Tour Montparnasse (Montparnasse Tower). The city’s only skyscraper, its 56th story is given over to a panoramic deck with 360° views, reached in less than 40 seconds with Europe’s fastest elevator.

Outdoor terraces aren’t difficult to find at lower levels, although the very best see their tables fill up quickly each lunchtime and at the end of the working day. Frankly, it’s no wonder given the warm early evening air and cityscapes people literally travel thousands of miles to witness for themselves.

Go al fresco

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Whilst craft beers are making increasing inroads with trend-conscious Parisians, for the most part it’s wine that remains the tipple of choice. It’s not uncommon to see residents enjoying a glass of red or white wine over a lazy lunch.

But for that extra special element of holiday cheer it’s tough to beat the offerings of restaurant Au Cadet de Gascogne. Take their menu’s Champagne Gaumond option and you can enjoy a glass of bubbly and a smattering of French pastries in Place du Tertre in the heart of Montmartre.

It's the streets of Paris’s ‘golden triangle’ – an unofficial district formed by the Champs-Elysées, Avenue George V and Avenue Montaigne – that takes the crown for many seeking out Paris’s legendary style. The end of June sees even its luxury brands slashing prices in the summer sales.

Bask in Paris’s open spaces

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Lining the Seine’s rive droite (right bank) on the city’s western extremity is the immense Bois de Boulogne. Gifted to the people of the city by Napoleon III, it’s one of the city’s biggest parks. Amongst its over 2000 acres are gardens, greenhouses and even a zoo. However, in Paris in June attention turns to the southern side of the park, and Roland Garros, home to the French Open tennis championship.

The year’s premier clay court competition, it’s possible to encourage on the year’s favorites and underdogs with a ground pass, giving access to practice courts and big screen displays.

It’s the silver screen which features most prominently during June’s Champs-Élysées Film Festival. Movie theatres along arguably France’s most famous thoroughfare début a mix of American independent and French cinema.

The most colorful event of the year – Paris Pride – is also a stalwart of Paris in June. Also known as the Marche des Fiertés LGBT, this parade sets off from the Tour Montparnasse and ends on the opposite bank of the Seine at the Place de la Bastille. Here the good-natured crowds disperse amidst the streets of La Marais – the city’s de facto LGBTQ+ district.

Absorb a little culture

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Should you miss Pride, you can instead wander the sun-filled streets of the fifth arrondissement with a guide-led Latin Quarter selfie tour. One of the most picturesque areas of the city – and that’s saying something – you’ll be able to grab Instagrammable images at the Panthéon and Shakespeare and Company – perhaps the world’s most famous bookshop.

Home to a number of family-friendly museums, there are some collections that just shouldn’t be missed from a June Paris itinerary. It’s the Louvre that grabs most of the headlines, but it’s the Musée d’Orsay that contains some of French art's most celebrated works, from Cézanne to Toulouse-Lautrec. American visitors – and Mr. Bean fans – should keep a look out for Arrangement in Grey and Black, better known as Whistler’s Mother.

On the outskirts of Paris, June also sees theme park Parc Asterix open up for its lively summer season. A blend of adrenaline-inducing rollercoasters and child-friendly rides, this rival to Disneyland Paris has been celebrating the comic book antics of Asterix the Gaul since 1989.

Celebrate summer in style

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Keen to not let a single annual event pass without celebration, the summer solstice on June 21 is marked with the Fête de la Musique. Public spaces become stages for incredible amateur and professional musical talent, with few visitors able to resist the allure of the beat.

Ideally suited to fitting into a tight schedule of things to do in Paris in June is the La Défense Jazz Festival. Concerts usually take place over lunchtime and then again in the early evening, giving you plenty of time to admire the area’s other delights, including the views from the Grande Arche.

Combining rock music with concerns for the environment, the We Love Green festival takes place in the Bois de Vincennes at around the same time. Lasting just three days, this is one of Paris’s top festivals, featuring huge names in rock. As a result, tickets sell out long before summer kicks off.

Making the most of your vacation budget

With so much to do in Paris in June, how do you keep a tight rein on your vacation budget? One way is to uncover the glories of the French capital with Go City. Our pre-pay passes have been designed with discounts to major Paris attractions in mind, without taking away the flexibility you value as a traveler!

Ian Packham

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A toddler enjoys a snow shower in Paris in January
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What to do in Paris in January

January is a month many of us like to forget. The Christmas festivities have come to an end, yet the warm days of spring still seem a lifetime away. Paris in January is different. Whilst spurned by spoiled Parisians, if you come prepared, there’s no reason you can’t start the new year with a bang. Other advantages include smaller crowds at big name attractions and the chance to update your wardrobe with the winter sales. Wondering what’s on in Paris in January? You’ve come to the right place. What’s the weather like in Paris in January? The Parisian penchant for fluffy scarves is actually the result of an icy wind that can whip through the boulevards from the River Seine in the first months of the year. With temperatures ranging between 3 – 8°C and averaging 5°C much off the day, decent winter clothing is a must for visiting Paris in January. Skies can be a little overcast throughout the month, although the lack of rain means you can probably do without the waterproofs. Average levels for January are just 18 mm. It may also snow. However, it’s very unusual for snow to settle, so if you see flakes begin to drift across the city be sure to take a selfie! What to expect from Paris in January First off, it’s wrong to say that the Christmas period is all done and dusted. The first week to 10 days of January continues to spread much of the cheer of the season. Ice rinks and marché de Noël – that’s Christmas markets to you and me – often don’t shut up shop until after the new year begins. It varies by market – there are up to 20 each year – but the biggest in Paris at the Tuileries Garden is generally a reliable friend right into January. The Festival of Lights at the Jardin des Plantes botanic garden goes one step further, lighting up the 70 acre site until the end of the month. No ordinary light show, the festival is made up of large-scale lanterns in the form of various animals and other designs. At the same time, most of those taking advantage of these events after Christmas week will be Parisians rather than travelers. Visit Paris in January and you therefore don’t face the same crowds you will at other times of year. Now’s the time to experience Paris at its most authentic. Check out the Paris stores Paris is known as one of the finest shopping destinations in the world. Those keen to add a touch of Gallic elegance to their apparel are in luck. Not only do department stores including Galeries Lafayette host regular fashion shows, but January is the time of the winter soldes (sales) too. Nor do any passing rain showers have to put you off. Covered shopping arcades are hidden across the city. Often bathed with natural light on even the gloomiest of days, their history dates back several centuries. Passage de Panoramas has some excellent dining options, whilst Galerie Vivienne is lined with luxury boutiques. You might even find a patisserie selling galette de rois. Made from layers of puff pastry and almond paste, ‘king cake’ is a specialty of epiphany on January 6. Look out for the fève or figurine placed in each one. It grants the finder good luck for the following year, but has also been responsible for its fair share of broken teeth! Join the café culture Another way to fight off the January chill in Paris is in its cafés. A key part of French culture, each has its own ambience and clientele, be that the out of work artists of Montmartre or the bankers of the La Défense business district. Stop by for a freshly-brewed café, and you’re sure to be tempted into also buying a pastry. The only real question is which do you choose – croissant, madeleine or éclair? To feel at one with your adopted home, you might instead decide on a traditional Parisian breakfast at Café Louise. But that doesn’t have to stop you checking out the cake counter here or in any of the hundreds of independent coffee shops lining the streets of Paris. For drinks with a little more potency, the heritage of Harry’s New York Bar is hard to beat. Shipped across the Atlantic from the Big Apple in the first part of the 20th Century, it became a favorite watering hole of Nobel prize for literature winner Ernest Hemingway. Order a bloody Mary, sidecar or Paris 75 cocktail – the bar claims to have invented all three. Don’t miss Paris’s January events By far January’s biggest event is the New Year celebration. It is centered on the Arc de Triomphe rather than the Eiffel Tower. Hundreds of thousands of people gather at the monument to enjoy a spectacle that includes fireworks and live music. The cabaret clubs of Montmartre and the Paris Opera ballet company put on special new year’s shows too. Other places to spend the day include the city’s churches, who put on a host of concerts. Don’t expect much else to happen on January 1 though. A national holiday, many stores and restaurants give their staff the day off to be with family. Gear heads should also keep an ear to the ground for the Traversée de Paris winter vintage car and motorbike rally. Roughly 700 vehicles make the departure from Vincennes chateau in the southeast of the city before following a route that takes them to Les Invalides and the Place de la Concorde amongst other attractions. Save on Paris January attraction admission January is a great time of year for anyone who loves a bargain to visit Paris. There are the winter sales, some fantastic deals to be had on hotels and the ability to explore with Go City. Our passes give you reduced admission at many of the top museums and attractions in Paris. Our flexibility allows you to choose as you save. If the weather brightens up, you don’t have to find yourself trapped indoors all day, and vice versa.
Ian Packham
The Eiffel Tower from across the River Seine
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Should you visit Paris in August?

A few short years ago August would have been seen as a terrible time to visit Paris. And whilst some still stick to this old cliché, many others, us included, now see August as one of the best times of year to visit the French capital. Why the about face? It’s simple really. Although hotels might ratchet up their prices, Paris in August enjoys great weather and a plethora of events sure to have you returning year after year. Relive Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte The River Seine rightly takes the limelight when it comes to the best loved things to do in Paris in August. And let’s face it, why wouldn’t it? What could be better than enjoying a drink or late-night DJ set from aboard one of the peniche boat bars moored along its banks? Or opting for a river cruise passing by the city’s most famous sights on a warm mid-summer evening? Or even the chance to flop into a deckchair, as if you’re in the south of France rather than the center of the capital? The latter is possible thanks to the Paris Plages program of beaches and pools which crop up along the right bank of the Seine in July and August each year. If you prefer your seas a little warmer, head instead to the Aquarium de Paris. Suitable for adults as much as younger visitors, its tanks contain everything from jellyfish to sea turtles and no less than four species of shark. Delve into the capital’s history One of the most important occasions in Parisian history is marked on August 25 – at the Liberation of Paris Festival. It commemorates the surrender of Nazi forces in August 1944 to a mix of Free French, British and American troops. The festival kicks off at midday with firemen replicating the climb up the Eiffel Tower to unfurl the French tricolore. This is followed by a parade and then music at the Hôtel de Ville. The Order of the Liberation Museum is open daily for anyone interested in the full story. To pay your respects to the great and the good of French history, consider instead the Latin Quarter’s Panthéon. Built by King Louis XV to house the relics of the city’s patron saint, after the French Revolution it was converted into a national mausoleum. Among the 80 burials and memorials are those to philosopher Voltaire, writer Victor Hugo and Nobel prize winning scientist Marie Curie, one of just a handful of women honored. On the western edge of the nearby Jardin du Luxembourg stands one of several replicas of the Statue of Liberty in Paris. It’s one of around one hundred statues dotted about the garden, at 1/16th the scale of the New York original. Paris in August with the kids Younger visitors to Paris may not appreciate the significance of events such as the Liberation of Paris Festival. But they certainly won’t get bored with the number of child-friendly things to do in Paris in August. With the added bonus of soothing tired legs, an open-top Hop-on Hop-off bus is a great way to connect up sights from the storefronts of the Champs-Élysées to the gothic masterpiece of Notre-Dame Cathedral, which has survived revolution and fire during its 800 year history. Thrill seekers should instead turn their attention to Parc Astérix. The second-largest theme park anywhere in France, it boasts over 40 attractions, including seven rollercoasters and a further seven water rides. All are based on the comic book series following the lives of ancient Gaul’s tribes. Meanwhile, the Place de la Concorde is occupied from July until the end of August with the Fête des Tuileries. An authentic traditional funfair, attractions here include a tin can alley, hook-a-duck, carousels and stalls selling candy-floss and freshly-made donuts. Make the most of the summer weather Yet another reason to stay in Paris in August is the giant screen belonging to the open-air movie theater which stands amongst the trees of Parc de la Villette in northern Paris. Bring a picnic, rent a deckchair and a blanket, and enjoy evening screenings of everything from French indie cinema to cult classics. Movies are shown in their original language with French subtitles as necessary. Few subtitles are needed for the Rock en Seine festival, which literally rocks the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud park at the historic gates of Paris over three days in August. Creating a memorable contrast with their 17th-Century surroundings, the five stages host internationally-renowned bands such as Royal Blood and Eels alongside homegrown up-and-coming talent. Summer in Paris doesn’t come to an end until the arrival of the Tréteaux nomades traveling festival at Montmartre arena. Almost impossible to pigeon-hole, the festival uses French characters you’ll know and love from classic works – for example Quasimodo and Cinderella – in totally new and sometimes subversive ways. Enjoy first class art It’s difficult to visit Paris in any month of the year without a stop at the Louvre, dominating the right bank of the Seine. With enough artworks to keep you busy for an entire lifetime, highlights include the da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Almost immediately opposite on the rive gauche (left bank) stands the beaux arts edifice of the Musée d’Orsay. Built as a railway station in 1898, it has been a gallery dedicated to French art since a major renovation in 1986. Monet, Degas and Gauguin are all well represented. Fans of modern art need look no further than the Musée National d’Art Moderne at the Pompidou Center – Europe’s biggest modern art museum. A who’s who of the 20th-Century art world, its walls hang with greats including Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo and Willem de Kooning. Save on attraction admission in Paris in August One of the sunniest months of the year in the French capital, Paris in August is not to be avoided as some would have you believe. Alive with summertime activities and outdoor events, it is in fact a great time to visit Paris. Make the most of your trip by saving on admission to many of the top attractions with Go City. The All-Inclusive Pass allows you to see as many attractions as you like within a given period at reduced cost. The Explorer Pass gives you 60 days in which to marvel at up to seven different attractions.
Ian Packham

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