February is Paris at its quietest and cheapest. Daytime temperatures sit around 9.9°C (50°F), nights drop to 3.2°C (38°F), and the sky tends to stay a flat, uniform grey for days at a stretch. Daylight runs from roughly 8:15am to 5:45pm at the start of the month, stretching to about 6:30pm by the 28th. If you want the Paris of golden evening light along the Seine and long dinners on open-air terraces, wait for June.
The trade-off is access. Hotel rates in neighborhoods like the 4th and 6th arrondissements typically drop 30-40% from their summer peaks. The Musée d'Orsay, which can mean a 90-minute wait in July, often has walk-in availability on weekday mornings. Restaurants that run 3-week waitlists in September will seat you at 8pm on a Saturday without a reservation. And 47mm of rain across roughly 9 days makes February, oddly enough, the driest month in the Parisian calendar. To be fair, 'dry' still means overcast. But you'll carry the umbrella less than in October or January.
February also has its own rhythm. La Chandeleur on February 2 fills every crêperie in the city with the smell of browning butter and buckwheat batter. The Chinese New Year parade winds through the 13th arrondissement's Quartier Asiatique with lion dances, firecrackers, and red paper lanterns strung between the tower blocks along Avenue de Choisy. The Salon International de l'Agriculture takes over the Porte de Versailles expo center in the final week. Roughly 600,000 visitors attend across 9 days, tasting aged Comté and raw-milk Roquefort from regional producers while livestock competitions fill the neighboring halls.
Why visit in February
- Airfare follows hotel rates down. Direct round-trip flights from New York to CDG typically run 400-500 EUR in February, roughly half the July fare. Eurostar from London St Pancras often drops below 50 EUR one-way on midweek departures
- Winter exhibition season fills the major galleries. The Grand Palais, Fondation Louis Vuitton, and Centre Pompidou all tend to open blockbuster shows in January that carry through February, and you can stand in front of a painting for as long as you like without being pressed forward
- The city empties enough that you can walk into Sainte-Chapelle or the Panthéon without a queue, experiences that require 30-60 minute waits in summer. Even the Eiffel Tower's second-floor elevator typically has under 20 minutes of wait on a February weekday morning
- The covered passages come alive in February. The 19th-century glass-roofed arcades like Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas, and Passage Jouffroy offer heated corridors lined with bookshops, tea salons, and antique dealers that feel purpose-built for grey, cold days
- Truffle season peaks in January and February. Périgord black truffles appear shaved over scrambled eggs and risotto at neighborhood bistros across the 5th and 11th, and market vendors at Marché d'Aligre in the 12th occasionally sell fresh specimens by weight
Worth knowing
- The cold is damp, not crisp. At 81% humidity, the 3.2°C overnight low feels closer to -2°C on exposed quais along the Seine, and the chill gets into your joints during longer outdoor walks
- Grey skies dominate. Paris averages limited sunshine in February, and the overcast can persist for 4-5 consecutive days, which wears on mood and makes outdoor photography flat
- Short daylight hours mean you lose usable outdoor time by 5pm in early February, compressing sightseeing into roughly 8 hours of reasonable light
- Some smaller neighborhood restaurants and shops still observe partial winter closures, particularly in quieter residential arrondissements like the 20th
Best for
Think twice if
February in Paris tends to hover around 9.9°C (50°F) during the day and 3.2°C (38°F) at night, with 81% humidity that makes the cold feel sharper than the numbers suggest. Rainfall averages 47mm across roughly 9 rainy days, which is the lowest of any month. Mind you, 'dry' in Paris still means grey overcast most days. Snow is possible but rare, typically melting within hours. The Seine carries a damp chill through the riverbank neighborhoods that you'll notice on longer walks along the quais near the Île de la Cité.
Seasonal caution
- Overnight temperatures occasionally drop below 0°C during cold snaps, creating frost and ice patches on cobblestone streets, particularly on the quais and steep staircases in Montmartre. Waterproof shoes with grip matter more than style during these spells.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | 2 | 84 |
| Feb | 10 | 3 | 47 |
| Mar | 13 | 4 | 63 |
| Apr | 16 | 6 | 55 |
| May | 19 | 10 | 72 |
| Jun | 24 | 14 | 82 |
| Jul | 25 | 15 | 86 |
| Aug | 25 | 15 | 71 |
| Sep | 22 | 13 | 82 |
| Oct | 18 | 10 | 85 |
| Nov | 11 | 6 | 66 |
| Dec | 9 | 4 | 69 |
Headline events
Salon International de l'Agriculture
Last 9 days of February into early March
France's largest agricultural fair fills the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles for 9 days. Regional producers from all 101 French départements set up tasting stands for cheese, charcuterie, wine, honey, and bread. Livestock competitions run in parallel pavilions, and the event draws roughly 600,000 visitors. It is part national food expo, part county fair, and one of the few February events in Paris where the audience is as much local as tourist.
Best things to do in February
Explore the 19th-century covered passages
sightseeingThe glass-roofed arcades of the 2nd and 9th arrondissements form a connected indoor walking route through some of Paris's oldest shopping galleries. Passage des Panoramas (1799), Passage Jouffroy, and Passage Verdeau line up back-to-back across Boulevard Montmartre. They shelter bookshops, stamp dealers, tea salons, and a wax museum. Galerie Vivienne near the Palais Royal has mosaic floors and a rotunda that catches whatever light filters through the glass.
The cold and grey make these heated, glass-ceilinged corridors the most comfortable way to browse the city. Summer tourists tend to skip them entirely.Booking tipNo booking needed. Start at Passage des Panoramas on Boulevard Montmartre and walk north through all three connected passages.
Visit the Musée de l'Orangerie
cultureTwo oval rooms in the western Tuileries garden hold eight of Monet's Nymphéas water lily murals, each roughly 2 meters tall and up to 17 meters wide. The lower level houses the Walter-Guillaume collection with works by Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse, and Modigliani. The whole visit takes about 90 minutes without rushing.
February's low visitor numbers mean you might have the oval rooms nearly to yourself on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning. In July, you share them with 200 people.Booking tipEntry is 12.50 EUR. Free on the first Sunday of the month, though expect longer waits that day starting around 9am.
Attend the Salon International de l'Agriculture
eventFrance's largest agricultural fair fills multiple halls at the Parc des Expositions, Porte de Versailles. Regional producers from every French département offer tastings of cheese, charcuterie, wine, cider, and honey. Livestock competitions with cattle, sheep, and goats run in the neighboring pavilions. The atmosphere sits somewhere between a county fair and a national food expo.
The Salon runs only in the last 9 days of February. Around 600,000 visitors attend. There is no equivalent event at any other time of year.Booking tipBuy tickets online in advance to skip the entrance queue. Weekday mornings are least crowded. Metro Line 12 to Porte de Versailles drops you at the entrance.
Descend into the Catacombes de Paris
sightseeingThe underground ossuary beneath the 14th arrondissement holds the remains of roughly 6 million Parisians, relocated from overcrowded cemeteries starting in 1786. The 1.5-kilometer walking route passes through narrow stone corridors lined with carefully arranged skulls and femurs. The temperature underground holds steady at about 14°C year-round.
The constant 14°C feels warm compared to the 3-4°C above ground. Online booking for the limited 200-visitor-per-hour capacity is easier to secure in low season.Booking tipBook the timed-entry ticket online at least a few days ahead. Walk-up availability exists in February but is not guaranteed. Entry is at Place Denfert-Rochereau.
Eat your way through truffle season
foodBlack Périgord truffle season peaks in January and February. Restaurants across Paris put them on tasting menus, shaved over scrambled eggs, fresh pasta, and risotto. The Marché d'Aligre in the 12th arrondissement occasionally has market vendors with fresh specimens. The earthy, musky scent of a truffle being shaved tableside carries across a small dining room.
February is the final full month of the Tuber melanosporum season before it closes in March. Supply is still strong, and menu appearances are at their most frequent.Take a French cooking class
foodFebruary is high season for culinary workshops that cater to visitors. La Cuisine Paris runs market-to-table classes that start with shopping at the Marché d'Aligre. Cook'n With Class in Montmartre does small-group sessions of 6-8 people. Most run 3-4 hours and include a sit-down meal of everything you prepared.
Indoor activities are at a premium when it is 4°C outside, and low-season availability means you can often book 2-3 days ahead instead of the 2-3 weeks summer requires.Booking tipBook through the school's own website rather than third-party platforms. Most offer morning and afternoon sessions.
See a performance at the Palais Garnier
cultureThe Paris Opera's 1,979-seat Second Empire house on Place de l'Opéra runs ballet and opera through the winter season. The building itself, with Chagall's 1964 painted ceiling and the grand staircase in polychrome marble, rewards the ticket price before the curtain rises. Upper balcony seats start around 15-35 EUR depending on the production.
The winter opera and ballet season is in full swing, and February performances tend to have better seat availability than the autumn premiere weeks or spring galas.Booking tipCheck the Opéra National de Paris website for the February program. Book directly for the widest seat selection and lowest fees.
Walk Montmartre on a clear winter morning
sightseeingThe hilltop neighborhood in the 18th arrondissement offers the widest open view of Paris from the steps of Sacré-Coeur. On a clear February morning, the light is low and sharp, and you can see from the Tour Montparnasse to La Défense without summer haze. The streets around Place du Tertre and Rue Lepic are nearly empty before 10am.
February's cold keeps the usual crowd of portrait artists and tour groups thin. The low winter sun hits the white travertine of Sacré-Coeur at an angle that turns it almost pink around 8:30am.What to eat in February
On menus now
Pot-au-feu
The quintessential Parisian winter dish. Beef shank, marrow bones, leeks, turnips, and carrots simmered for hours. Most traditional bistros in the 5th and 6th arrondissements put it on the menu from November through February. The marrow on toast with coarse salt is the part locals fight over.
Soupe à l'oignon gratinée
Onion soup with a thick gruyère crust, baked until the cheese pulls in long strings. It was historically the late-night fuel of Les Halles market workers, and February's cold makes it feel necessary rather than indulgent. The smell of caramelized onions and melted cheese drifting out of a brasserie doorway on a 4°C evening is hard to walk past.
Coquilles Saint-Jacques
French Atlantic scallop season runs from October through March, and February is peak harvest off the Normandy and Brittany coasts. Paris brasseries serve them pan-seared in brown butter with a few drops of lemon, often still in the curved white shell. The sweet, briny aroma of a hot scallop plate arriving at a neighboring table near Rue Montorgueil in the 2nd tends to change everyone's order.
What to drink
Chocolat chaud
February is peak hot chocolate season in Paris. The versions at Angelina on Rue de Rivoli are thick enough to coat a spoon, made from melted couverture chocolate rather than cocoa powder. A cup comes with a small pitcher of whipped cream. Jean-Paul Hévin's shops in the 1st and 7th offer a darker, less sweet version that leans toward bitter cacao.
In markets
Truffes noires du Périgord
Black Périgord truffle season peaks in January and February. Paris restaurants from neighborhood bistros to 3-star tables feature them shaved over eggs, pasta, and risotto. The truffle market at Marché d'Aligre in the 12th occasionally has vendors selling fresh specimens at 800-1,200 EUR per kilogram.
Festival food
Crêpes de la Chandeleur
La Chandeleur on February 2 is France's national crêpe day. Every crêperie in Paris runs specials, and home cooks flip crêpes with a coin in one hand for good luck. The best versions use Breton buckwheat batter for savory galettes and froment batter for sweet crêpes with salted caramel or Calvados-flambéed apples.
Regular events in February
La ChandeleurFree
France's national crêpe day on February 2. Every crêperie and many boulangeries run specials. Breton crêperies along Rue du Montparnasse near Gare Montparnasse see their longest lines of the year. Home tradition holds that you flip a crêpe with a coin in your left hand for good luck.
February 2Chinese New Year Parade in the Quartier AsiatiqueFree
Lion dances, dragon processions, and firecrackers wind through the streets of the 13th arrondissement's Asian quarter near Avenue de Choisy and Avenue d'Ivry. The parade date shifts with the lunar calendar. Restaurants in the neighborhood serve special Lunar New Year menus for about 2 weeks around the event.
Late January to mid-February (varies with lunar calendar)Saint-Valentin
Paris leans into Valentine's Day on February 14 with special tasting menus at restaurants across the city, typically 80-150 EUR per person at mid-range establishments in Le Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Chocolatiers like Patrick Roger and Pierre Hermé release limited Valentine's collections in the first week of February.
February 14Best places this February
Galerie Vivienne
landmarkAn 1823 covered arcade with mosaic tile floors, Corinthian columns, and a glass-vaulted ceiling near the Palais Royal. Home to wine bars, rare bookshops, and the tea salon A Priori Thé. The passage connects Rue Vivienne to Rue des Petits-Champs and stays warm even on the coldest days.
2nd arrondissementMusée de l'Orangerie
museumTwo oval rooms in the western Tuileries garden hold eight of Monet's Nymphéas murals. The lower level houses the Walter-Guillaume collection with Cézanne, Renoir, Matisse, and Modigliani. Entry is 12.50 EUR, free on the first Sunday of the month.
1st arrondissementLes Catacombes de Paris
landmarkAn underground ossuary beneath Place Denfert-Rochereau with the remains of roughly 6 million Parisians. The 1.5-kilometer walking route holds a constant 14°C. Entry is limited to 200 visitors per hour, so online booking is recommended.
14th arrondissementMarché d'Aligre
marketAn open-air food market and covered hall open every morning except Monday. The outdoor stalls sell produce, cheese, and flowers at lower prices than most Parisian markets. The covered Marché Beauvau inside houses specialist butchers, fishmongers, and occasional fresh truffle vendors in season.
12th arrondissementSainte-Chapelle
landmarkA 13th-century Gothic chapel on the Île de la Cité built by Louis IX. The upper chapel contains 15 stained-glass windows, each 15 meters tall, that depict 1,113 biblical scenes. Morning visits on clear days fill the interior with colored light. Entry is 11.50 EUR.
Île de la CitéPalais Garnier
landmarkThe 1,979-seat Second Empire opera house on Place de l'Opéra. Self-guided tours run daily from 10am to 5pm for 15 EUR and include the Grand Escalier, Chagall's painted ceiling, and the Grand Foyer with its gilded mirrors and polychrome mosaics.
9th arrondissementFondation Louis Vuitton
museumFrank Gehry's 2014 glass-sailed building in the Bois de Boulogne houses rotating contemporary art exhibitions. The rooftop terraces offer views over the park toward the La Défense skyline. A dedicated shuttle runs from Place Charles de Gaulle-Étoile every 15 minutes. Entry is 16 EUR.
Bois de Boulogne, 16th arrondissement
Your packing checklist
Tick items off as you pack. Your progress saves in this browser.
Insider tips
The Navigo Découverte weekly pass costs 30.75 EUR (Monday to Sunday) and covers unlimited Metro, RER, bus, and tram rides in zones 1-5, including the trip to and from CDG airport. You need a passport photo to buy one at any Metro station. Worth it after about 10 rides.
Musée d'Orsay stays open until 9:45pm on Thursdays. The Impressionist galleries on the 5th floor are nearly empty after 7pm, and the station clock face on the top floor frames a view of Sacré-Coeur through frosted glass.
The covered passages connect to each other. You can walk from Passage des Panoramas through Passage Jouffroy into Passage Verdeau without stepping outside, covering nearly 400 meters of heated, glass-roofed corridor across Boulevard Montmartre.
Department store food halls are free to enter, warm, and double as lunch stops. Le Bon Marché's La Grande Épicerie in the 7th and Galeries Lafayette Gourmet on Boulevard Haussmann both have oyster bars, rotisserie counters, and pastry cases you can graze through without a reservation.
Book Sainte-Chapelle for first thing in the morning on a day with any forecast of sun. The 15 stained-glass windows on the upper chapel face south and east. Direct morning light turns the interior into something no photograph prepares you for.
Avoid these mistakes
- Packing a single heavy coat instead of layers. Paris interiors, from the Metro to department stores, run 20-22°C. You will overheat inside and freeze outside if you cannot adjust.
- Assuming all restaurants operate on summer hours. Some smaller neighborhood places in the 15th, 18th, and 20th arrondissements close for 1-2 weeks in February, particularly in the first half of the month. Check current hours on the restaurant's own site rather than Google Maps, which tends to lag behind seasonal changes.
- Trying to photograph Paris in midday overcast. The flat grey light between 11am and 3pm produces dull images with no contrast. Early morning before 9am and the hour after sunset, when streetlamps reflect off wet cobblestones, give you the atmospheric shots February is actually good for.
- Queuing for the Eiffel Tower summit on a grey day. The top level sits at 276 meters, well inside the cloud base on most February afternoons. If visibility is under 5km, go to the second floor instead, or skip it for Tour Montparnasse's open-air 56th-floor terrace, which sits at 210 meters and tends to be below the cloud line.
Practical tips for February
The Paris Metro runs from 5:30am to 1:15am Sunday through Thursday, extending to 2:15am on Friday and Saturday nights. Line 14 is driverless and tends to be the most reliable in bad weather. Taxis from CDG cost a fixed 56 EUR to the Right Bank and 65 EUR to the Left Bank. If you arrive at Orly, the Orlyval shuttle connects to RER B at Antony in 8 minutes. Most museums close on either Monday or Tuesday, not both, so check each one's schedule before planning your day. The city's public restrooms (Sanisettes) are free and heated, which matters more in February than in any other month. French pharmacies, marked by a green cross, are staffed by pharmacists who can recommend cold and flu medication without a doctor's visit. Carry your European Health Insurance Card or travel insurance details for any pharmacy purchase.
FAQ
Does it snow in Paris in February?
Snow falls in Paris in February roughly once every 3-4 years on average, and when it does, it rarely sticks for more than a few hours. The city's heat island effect and 3-4°C average temperatures mean snow typically melts on contact with pavement. That said, frost is common on clear nights, and ice patches form on cobblestones, particularly on the quais along the Seine and the steep staircases in Montmartre.
Is February a good time to visit Paris?
February is a fair-weather trade-off. You get the lowest prices, shortest queues, and best restaurant availability of the year, but at the cost of 8-9 hours of usable daylight, frequent grey skies, and temperatures around 4-10°C. If museums, food, and indoor culture are your priority, February works well. If you want outdoor cafés, warm evenings, and golden light, late May or June is a better fit.
What should I wear in Paris in February?
Layers matter more than any single heavy piece. Daytime temperatures reach about 10°C but interiors are heated to 20-22°C. A thermal base layer, wool sweater, and waterproof shell jacket let you adjust as you move between outside and the Metro. Insulated waterproof boots with rubber soles handle the wet cobblestones, and a wool scarf blocks the damp river wind. Most Parisians wear dark colors in winter, which has the practical benefit of not showing rain marks.
Are the major museums open in February?
All major museums operate on normal winter schedules. The Louvre is open every day except Tuesday. The Musée d'Orsay closes on Mondays. The Centre Pompidou closes on Tuesdays. The first Sunday of each month grants free admission to the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and Orangerie, though lines build from around 9am. Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie on the Île de la Cité are open daily.
Things to Do in Paris in February
Free cancellation Normandy D-Day Sites & Cemetery Day Trip from Paris with Lunch
Day trip — 14 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise
Cruise — 2.5 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Bateaux Mouches® Dinner Cruise on the Seine River in Paris
Cruise — 3 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Loire Valley Castles Day Trip from Paris with Complementary Wine
Day trip — 13 hours, free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Paris Top Sights Half Day Walking Tour with a Fun Guide
City tour — free cancellation.
via Viator
Free cancellation Normandy D-Day Small-Group Day Trip with Omaha Beach, Cemetery & Cider Tasting
Day trip — free cancellation.
via ViatorFind a flight to Paris
Live fares to Paris appear here once cookies are accepted.
Last verified by automated review (v1.7.2) on July 15, 2026. What is automated review?