Paris
Capital of France
Paris is the capital of France with a population of about 2.1 million people. The city offers a variety of historic landmarks, museums, and public spaces for visitors to explore.
What to see
The city contains numerous historic structures, including the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Notre-Dame de Paris. Religious and government sites are also prominent, such as the Panthéon, Sainte-Chapelle, the National Assembly, the Élysée Palace, and the Grand Mosque of Paris. For art and culture, the city features major institutions like the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, Musée Rodin, and the Palais Garnier. Visitors can walk through distinct areas like The Marais and Rive Gauche, or enjoy outdoor spaces such as the Tuileries Garden, Parc Monceau, and the Bois de Vincennes. Other notable sites include the Catacombs of Paris, the Père Lachaise Cemetery, the Tour Montparnasse, and the Château de Vincennes.
When to go
The city experiences its warmest weather from June through August, with daily highs around 21 °C to 24 °C. These months generally see lower rainfall, with about 9 to 11 rainy days per month. Spring, particularly May, and early autumn, such as September, offer moderate temperatures between 18 °C and 20 °C. The winter months from December to February are the coldest, with daily highs ranging from 7 °C to 8 °C and lows near 1 °C to 2 °C. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year, with October and December seeing the highest amounts of precipitation.
Getting there
The nearest airport is Paris-Orly Airport, located 14 kilometers from the city.
Top sights in Paris
Eiffel Tower
Louvre
Notre-Dame de Paris
Arc de Triomphe
Catacombs of Paris
National Assembly
Panthéon
Sacré-Cœur, Paris
Champs-Élysées
Père Lachaise Cemetery- Les Invalides
Sainte-Chapelle
- Bastille
- Musée d'Orsay
- Place de la Concorde
- Palais Garnier
- Tour Montparnasse
- Élysée Palace
- Grande Arche
- Centre Pompidou
- Accor Arena
- Grand Palais
- Hôtel de Ville, Paris
- Tuileries Garden
- Palais-Royal
- Conciergerie
- La Madeleine, Paris
- Place de la Bastille
- Luxembourg Palace
- Château de Vincennes
- Louis Vuitton Foundation
- The Marais
- Montparnasse Cemetery
- Saint-Sulpice, Paris
- Place des Vosges
- Pont Alexandre III
- Musée de l'Orangerie
- Rive Gauche
- Parc Monceau
- Musée de Cluny
- Palais de Chaillot
- Montmartre Cemetery
- Petit Palais
- Musée Rodin
- Grand Mosque of Paris
- Plenitude Arena
- Musée Marmottan Monet
- Saint-Eustache, Paris
- Musée Carnavalet
- Tour Saint-JacquesUNESCO
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Opéra Bastille
- Bois de Vincennes
- Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
- Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
- La Samaritaine
- Palais de Tokyo
Weather by month
The warmest month is July, with an average high of 24 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average high, °C | 7 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 10 | 7 |
| Average low, °C | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 2 |
| Rainfall, mm | 54 | 45 | 51 | 50 | 63 | 54 | 59 | 52 | 48 | 66 | 52 | 63 |
| Rainy days | 13 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Paris (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.
Also worth a look
- Army Museum
- Arènes de Lutèce
- Centre of New Industries and Technologies
- Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
- Guimet Museum
- Immeuble Molitor
- Institut du monde arabe
- Jardin d'Acclimatation
- Jardin des Plantes
- Jeu de Paume
- Musée Grévin
- Musée Jacquemart-André
- Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris
- Musée de l'Homme
- Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
- Musée des Arts et Métiers
- Place des Victoires
- Place du Tertre
- Pont Mirabeau
- Pont de Bir-Hakeim
- Porte Saint-Denis
- Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois