Audrey Hepburn said Paris is always a good idea. Yes, but Paris in the spring is special. The sun is brightening, the weather is warm, flowers bloom in a marvelous city. It is one of the happiest places on earth.
The température is between 5 and 20 °C, and it varies a lot by time or by week. Sometimes, it's warm enough to go out in a T-shirt, or it’s so chilly that you need a jacket especially in the morning or evening. Therefore we recommend bringing clothes which are easy to adapt to, like a T-shirt, a cardigan, a leather jacket, or a trench coat. It's mostly sunny, but better to bring a small umbrella. Since Paris in the spring is a perfect season to take a stroll through the city, a pair of sneakers would be useful.
In this article, we will introduce 4 things to do in Paris during the most glorious season and the best spots to visit especially in the Spring.
Paris in the Spring is gorgeous. Cherry blossom and magnolia bloom almost everywhere in Paris. Dive into "la vie en rose" ("Life in pink" in French)!
At Champs de Mars and Trocadéro, you can see cherry blossoms. These 2 locations are the best places to photograph the Eiffel Tower and flowers at the same time. At Champs de Mars, cherry blossoms bloom usually at the beginning of March. At Trocadéro, Mid-April is the best.
Or you can also find cherry blossom in front of Shakespeare and Company and next to Notre-Dame Cathedral. It is a good idea to explore the historical area of Paris full of beautiful pink flowers. Flowers bloom around the beginning of April or Mid-April in these 2 places.
Magnolia also romantically decorates the city of flowers. From the Tuileries Garden, you can see a magnificent view of magnolias with a gorgeous background of the Louvre Museum, Rue du Rivoli, and Eiffel Tower. Palais Royal is also known for the stunning combination of its classical building with white and pink flowers. It’s very nice to sit on a bench with a cup of coffee from Café Kitsuné in a hand. Café Kitsuné is located in Palais Royal and loved by Parisians. At Tuileries garden and Palais Royal, Magnolia usually bloom in Mid-March.
Real Parisian vibes are hidden on the streets and reserved only for someone who walks around. Take at least 1 or 2 hours during a tightly scheduled trip, and have a stroll! Spring pleasant weather assures you to make your visit a perfect experience. You will find a secret narrow street full of charm that is never mentioned in any guide book.
At Seine river, you will find twinkling sunshine on the river. Another river in Paris, Canal Saint-Martin is one of the hottest places in Paris where there are many chic cafes or restaurants. Pick up some coffee at a chic cafe near the canal, and walk around!
If you like art, the beautiful garden of the Rodin museum would be perfect. It’s spacious but not very known for tourists. The garden is divided into several parts like a rose garden, a large ornamental garden, and so on. You can enjoy a romantic stroll surrounded by flowers, plants, and his famous statues such as "Thinker" or "The Gate of Hell". Woody Alen's "Midnight in Paris" was filmed in this garden. Now, you see how romantic the place is.
French markets are also a perfect place to feel the real Parisian vibes. It is great to stroll down the market under the warm and sunny weather in Spring. Especially in the spring, stands are filled with colorful fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
We recommend taking a walk in a market, buy some fresh fruits. Then bring them back to your room and complete your special breakfast. Or it is also nice to grab a sandwich and have a picnic under a bloomy cherry blossom tree in one of the spots mentioned above. Have a special weekend like a Parisian! Click here to learn more about the Parisian popular market.
Passing the time at the café must be included in your must-do list.
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Either on the terrace outside seeing Parisians passing by or inside the old cafes admiring their decorations and ambiance of the late 19th century, Belle époque. But as we are in the spring, we rather recommend enjoying your time at the terrace, with a coffee and croissant in the morning, with a brunch in the late morning, and with a glass of wine in the evening.
So where to go? In France, you can call "café" for french traditional coffee shops, and "coffee shop" for modern ones. If you would like to feel french vibes, you can go to "Les Deux Magots", "Café de Flore", or "Cafe Louise" in the 6th district. If you prefer trendy coffee shops in Paris, you can just type "coffee shop" in GPS mapping applications such as Google Maps, or planner apps like Tripadvisor. Then you'll find lovely ones such as "Café Kitsuné", "Cordonnerie", and "Dose".
As the weather is beautiful in Paris, there are many events that would make you like a local Parisians.
For example, "Salon Chiens Chats(Cats & Dogs)" in April must be a good idea for animal lovers. In the huge hall of 5000m2, you can not only meet 900 kinds of cats and dogs, but adopt them. It must be amazing to share your happy moment with your animal companions that you met during a trip.
And if you are an art lover, "Paris Art Fair" in April at Grand Palais is the best choice to know the contemporary art trend. Besides, you can taste world dishes in Taste of Paris in the same place, the best baguette of the year in "La fête du Pain" not far from Cathedral Notre Dame, and "Nuit des Musées" that you can visit free many Parisian museums in May for these three events.
Authors - Soonmin Hong, Yuka Ishihara
Photographs - O'bon Paris team