October is the month when Paris looks the way it does in films. The plane trees along the Seine, the chestnuts in the Jardin du Luxembourg, the lindens in the Tuileries all begin turning copper and gold by the second week. Daytime temperatures settle around 17.6°C (64°F) with lows near 9.8°C (50°F), comfortable enough for a full day on foot without the August heat that drives everyone indoors by 14:00. The summer crowds have thinned, and you'll notice it most at the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay, where queues that stretched 45 minutes in July might take 15.
Paris+ par Art Basel typically takes over the Grand Palais in mid-October, drawing galleries and collectors from more than 30 countries. Up in the 18th arrondissement, the Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre fills the streets around Sacré-Cœur with a 5-day wine harvest celebration in the second week, with tastings, parades, and live music. Galleries across Le Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés reopen for autumn exhibitions after the August closures. By early October, the smell of roasting chestnuts from marrons chauds vendors drifts near Métro exits, mixing with the damp-leaf scent that follows every afternoon shower.
To be fair, October's 85mm of rainfall across 13 days makes it one of Paris's 3 wettest months, alongside January (84mm) and July (86mm). The showers tend to be 30-to-60-minute affairs rather than all-day soakings, but keep a compact umbrella in your bag regardless. Daylight shrinks through the month, with sunset dropping from roughly 19:15 on October 1 to about 17:30 by the 31st after clocks go back on the last Sunday.
Why visit in October
- Autumn foliage peaks mid-to-late October in the Jardin du Luxembourg, Tuileries, and Bois de Boulogne, turning the city's parks into copper-and-gold canopies that photograph well in the low-angled afternoon light
- Museum queues at the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and Orangerie drop roughly 30-40% compared to the July-August peak, making full-day museum visits far more pleasant
- Hotel rates in central arrondissements (1st through 7th) fall 20-30% from summer highs, with last-minute availability that barely exists in June or September
- The art and gallery season hits full stride with Paris+ par Art Basel at the Grand Palais and dozens of autumn exhibition openings across Le Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Walking temperature around 16-18°C (61-64°F) in the early afternoon is ideal for covering ground on foot without the sweat-through-your-shirt factor of summer
Worth knowing
- Rain falls on about 13 of the month's 31 days, totaling 85mm, and the showers arrive with little warning so an umbrella becomes a permanent companion
- Daylight contracts by nearly 2 hours through October, with sunset arriving around 17:30 by month's end after the clock change, cutting afternoon sightseeing short
- Some outdoor café terraces along Canal Saint-Martin and in Montmartre begin closing or scaling back service by the second half of the month as temperatures drop
- Overcast skies are common between rain showers, which can make the city feel grey on days when the foliage is not catching direct sun
Best for
Think twice if
October brings crisp, changeable autumn weather to Paris. Mornings feel genuinely cool around 9.8°C (50°F), gradually warming to a mild 17.6°C (64°F) by early afternoon. Rain arrives on about 13 of the month's 31 days, typically in short spells of 30 to 60 minutes rather than all-day downpours. Humidity sits at 82%, which you'll feel as a persistent dampness in the air, particularly along the Seine in the mornings. Winds tend to pick up compared to summer, adding a bite when crossing open spaces like the Esplanade du Trocadéro or the Place de la Concorde. The first half of the month still carries some of September's warmth, but by the final week, especially after the clocks go back, the evenings start to feel genuinely autumnal.
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 |
Best things to do in October
Autumn foliage walk through the Jardin du Luxembourg and Tuileries
outdoorThe horse chestnuts and plane trees in both gardens begin their color change around the second week of October, peaking by the third or fourth week. The allées in Luxembourg turn deep amber, while the Tuileries gets a mix of gold and russet along the central promenade leading toward the Place de la Concorde. Morning visits catch the best light.
Foliage color peaks mid-to-late October, and the low autumn sun angle creates the warm golden light that defines Paris photographyBooking tipNo booking needed. Arrive before 10:00 for the best light and fewer people.
Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre
festivalMontmartre's annual wine harvest festival celebrates the Clos Montmartre vineyard on Rue des Saules, one of the last remaining vineyards in Paris. The 5-day event fills the narrow streets of the 18th arrondissement with wine tastings, street food, parades, and live music from French and international artists.
The festival happens exclusively in the second week of October, tied to the grape harvest at the Clos Montmartre vineyardBooking tipStreet events are free. Some ticketed tastings and dinners sell out weeks ahead, so check the programme when it's published in September.
Explore the covered passages on a rainy afternoon
cultureGalerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas, and Passage Jouffroy are three of the roughly 20 surviving 19th-century covered arcades in Paris. The glass-roofed corridors house antiquarian bookshops, vintage poster dealers, and small tea rooms. The mosaic floors and wrought-iron details are worth the visit even if you buy nothing.
October's 13 rainy days make these glass-roofed 19th-century arcades the ideal wet-weather activity, with warm interiors contrasting the grey outsideParis+ par Art Basel at the Grand Palais
artThe successor to FIAC (Foire Internationale d'Art Contemporain), Paris+ par Art Basel brings together more than 150 galleries from 30-plus countries under the restored glass roof of the Grand Palais. Expect contemporary and modern art from both established names and emerging artists, with a satellite programme of exhibitions across the city.
The fair runs exclusively in mid-October, and the satellite exhibitions across Le Marais and Saint-Germain provide free gallery-hopping for the rest of the monthBooking tipBuy tickets online at least a week ahead. The opening preview on Wednesday evening is the most crowded. Thursday or Friday morning is calmer.
Père Lachaise cemetery walk
outdoorThe 44-hectare cemetery in the 20th arrondissement holds the graves of Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf, and Molière, among roughly 70,000 others. In October the cobblestone paths between the old tombs get carpeted with fallen leaves, and the combination of weathered stone, ivy, and amber foliage gives the place a particular atmosphere that does not exist in summer.
Autumn leaves on the cobblestone paths and reduced visitor numbers create the most atmospheric conditions of the year, especially on overcast morningsBooking tipFree entry. The main entrance on Boulevard de Ménilmontant gets crowded. Try the side entrance on Rue des Rondeaux for a quieter start.
Seasonal market shopping at Marché d'Aligre
foodThis open-air market in the 12th arrondissement runs Tuesday through Sunday and draws a more local crowd than the tourist-heavy Marché Bastille. In October, the stalls fill with cèpes, girolles, wild game, seasonal squash, Comice pears, and late-season figs. The covered Marché Beauvau next door has cheese and charcuterie vendors.
October brings the peak overlap of wild mushroom season, game season, and autumn fruit harvest, making the market stalls the richest they get all yearBooking tipArrive before 10:00 on weekends for the best mushroom selection. Sunday is the busiest day.
Evening concert at Sainte-Chapelle
cultureThe 13th-century Gothic chapel on the Île de la Cité is known for its 15 stained-glass windows spanning 600 square metres. Evening classical concerts, mostly Vivaldi and Bach, run year-round but gain a particular quality in October when full darkness falls before 19:00, letting the glass and candlelight do the work without competing with daylight.
Earlier sunset in October means the 19:00 and 20:00 concerts take place in full darkness, which lets the stained-glass windows and candlelight create the most dramatic setting of the yearBooking tipBook at least 2 weeks ahead for Friday and Saturday evenings. Weeknight performances are easier to get.
Day trip to the Château de Versailles gardens
day_tripThe formal gardens, the Grand Canal, and the Petit Trianon grounds are lined with trees that turn gold and amber through October. With summer visitor numbers down, you can walk the 800-hectare park without the July experience of shoulder-to-shoulder crowds on the main axis.
The gardens' autumn foliage peaks in mid-to-late October, and visitor numbers drop enough to walk the grounds at a pace the summer crowds make impossibleBooking tipTake the RER C from central Paris, about 40 minutes. Book palace entry online to skip the ticket queue, but garden access is free most days November through March. October still charges for garden entry on weekends when the fountains run.
What to eat in October
In season: fruit
Comice pears
The Comice variety from the Loire and Anjou regions hits peak ripeness in October. Look for them at open-air markets like Marché Président-Wilson in the 16th arrondissement, where they appear alongside quince and late-season figs.
On menus now
Gibier (wild game)
Hunting season opens in early October, and Parisian bistros respond with venison loin, wild boar stew, and roasted pheasant. Restaurants in the 11th and 12th arrondissements tend to offer game-heavy autumn menus at lower price points than the tourist-center equivalents.
Soupe à l'oignon gratinée
The classic Parisian onion soup, slow-cooked with beef broth and topped with melted Gruyère over a crouton, comes back into rotation as evening temperatures drop below 12°C. It shifts from nostalgic to necessary around mid-October.
Street food peaks
Marrons chauds (roasted chestnuts)
Street vendors fire up their carts near Métro exits and along the Champs-Élysées starting in early October. The smell is sweet and toasty, the paper cones cost a few euros, and they double as hand-warmers on cool afternoons.
In markets
Cèpes (porcini mushrooms)
French cèpes from the Dordogne and Lot regions reach peak season in October, appearing on menus across Paris sautéed in butter and parsley, folded into omelettes, or served alongside roasted meats. Marché d'Aligre and Marché Bastille both carry fresh specimens from foragers.
Huîtres (oysters)
The traditional oyster season begins with the R-months in September, and by October, Cancale and Marennes-Oléron varieties appear on raw bars across the city. The cooler weather makes a plateau de fruits de mer feel appropriate again after the summer break.
Regular events in October
Fête des Vendanges de MontmartreFree
Montmartre's annual wine harvest festival celebrating the Clos Montmartre vineyard, with tastings, parades, live music, and street food across the 18th arrondissement over 5 days.
Second week of October (usually Wednesday through Sunday)Paris+ par Art Basel
Major international contemporary art fair at the Grand Palais, bringing together more than 150 galleries from over 30 countries. Satellite exhibitions open across Le Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Mid-October (usually Wednesday through Sunday)Salon du Chocolat
The world's largest chocolate fair at Parc des Expositions, Porte de Versailles, with more than 500 exhibitors, live pastry demonstrations, and tastings. Typically draws over 100,000 visitors across 5 days.
Late October through early NovemberBest places this October
Jardin du Luxembourg
parkThe 23-hectare formal garden in the 6th arrondissement is Paris's most popular autumn-foliage destination. The Medici Fountain alley and the western allées turn deep amber by mid-October. The green metal chairs around the central basin are still out through most of the month, and you can sit in the low afternoon sun with a view of the Panthéon dome.
6th arrondissement (Saint-Germain-des-Prés)Père Lachaise
cemeteryThe 44-hectare cemetery in the 20th arrondissement is at its most atmospheric in October. Fallen leaves cover the cobblestone paths between ornate 19th-century tombs. Visit on a weekday morning for near-solitude among the graves of Chopin, Wilde, Piaf, and Proust.
20th arrondissement (Belleville / Ménilmontant)Canal Saint-Martin
waterwayThe tree-lined canal in the 10th arrondissement gets a canopy of gold and orange in October from the plane trees along its banks. The iron footbridges and lock system date to 1825. The cafés along Quai de Valmy still have outdoor seating in early October, though blankets and heat lamps appear by mid-month.
10th arrondissementGalerie Vivienne
covered passageOne of the best-preserved covered passages in Paris, built in 1823 with neoclassical columns, mosaic floors, and a glass-and-iron roof. It connects Rue Vivienne to Rue des Petits-Champs in the 2nd arrondissement. The warm, dry interior makes it a natural refuge on rainy October afternoons.
2nd arrondissement (Palais-Royal)Marché d'Aligre
marketOpen-air market in the 12th arrondissement, running Tuesday through Sunday. In October, the stalls overflow with cèpes, girolles, pumpkins, quince, and game birds. Less tourist-oriented than Marché Bastille, with better prices and a more local crowd.
12th arrondissementPlace des Vosges
historic squareThe oldest planned square in Paris, built between 1605 and 1612, sits at the heart of Le Marais. The four rows of clipped lime trees around the central lawn turn yellow in mid-October. The arcaded ground floor has galleries and cafés, and the square itself is a good spot to sit with a book on a dry afternoon.
Le Marais (3rd / 4th arrondissement)Bois de Boulogne
parkThe 846-hectare park on the western edge of Paris has far more tree diversity than the central gardens, including oaks, beeches, and maples that produce a broader palette of autumn color. The Jardin de Bagatelle rose garden inside the park has its last blooms of the season in early October.
16th arrondissementÎle Saint-Louis
islandThe smaller of Paris's two river islands, connected to the Île de la Cité by the Pont Saint-Louis. The quai-level walk around the island's perimeter takes about 20 minutes and offers close views of Notre-Dame's reconstruction. October's thinner crowds mean the narrow Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île is actually walkable, unlike in August.
4th arrondissement
Your packing checklist
Tick items off as you pack. Your progress saves in this browser.
Insider tips
The Jardin des Plantes in the 5th arrondissement has some of the best autumn color in Paris, with labeled specimen trees including rare Asian and North American species in its arboretum section. Most tourists head to Luxembourg instead, so you'll likely have the paths to yourself on a weekday morning.
Marché Président-Wilson in the 16th arrondissement carries seasonal wild mushrooms from foragers at better prices than the more tourist-heavy Marché Bastille. The Wednesday and Saturday morning sessions are the ones to hit.
After the clocks go back on the last Sunday, sunset arrives before 18:00. Plan your outdoor sightseeing and photography walks for the morning and early afternoon. By 16:30 the light is already low, and by 17:00 you're losing it fast.
Parisian restaurant menus shift in early October. Look for "menu d'automne" or "carte de saison" at neighborhood bistros in the 11th and 12th arrondissements, where seasonal game and mushroom dishes appear at noticeably lower prices than in the tourist-center equivalents around the 1st and 6th.
The covered passages (Passage des Panoramas, Galerie Vivienne, Passage Jouffroy) connect to each other across Boulevard Montmartre in the 2nd and 9th arrondissements. You can walk through all three in sequence without going outside, which on a rainy October afternoon feels like stepping into a warm, lamp-lit 19th-century arcade.
Avoid these mistakes
- Packing only summer clothes because early October still feels mild. By the third and fourth weeks, evening temperatures near 8-9°C (46-48°F) with wind chill along the Seine can feel genuinely cold. Bring at least one warm layer you'd wear in November.
- Booking a sunset Seine river cruise for late October without realizing sunset falls before 18:00 after the clock change. The afternoon departures around 15:00-16:00 catch better golden light on the buildings than the traditional 19:00-20:00 evening slots, which run mostly in the dark.
- Assuming outdoor terrace dining will be available everywhere. Smaller cafés along Canal Saint-Martin and in Montmartre scale back or close their outdoor seating by mid-October. The larger brasseries on Boulevard Saint-Germain and in Le Marais tend to keep their terraces open longer, often with blankets and heat lamps.
- Skipping the umbrella because the morning forecast looks clear. October rain in Paris tends to develop quickly in the afternoon, often arriving as a 30-minute shower with no real buildup. The 5 minutes it takes to buy a street-vendor umbrella near the Eiffel Tower will cost you 3-4 times what a compact one from home does.
Practical tips for October
Book museum tickets online 3-5 days ahead for the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and Orangerie. Crowds are lighter than summer, but timed entry still saves 20-30 minutes of queuing. The Paris Museum Pass becomes better value in October because you can fit in more visits per day without the heat exhaustion that slows summer itineraries. Restaurants in the 1st and 6th arrondissements still fill up on Friday and Saturday evenings, so reserve 2-3 days ahead for dinner at any specific spot. The Métro runs its normal schedule through October, with last trains around 00:40 on weeknights and 01:40 on Friday and Saturday nights. Note that clocks go back 1 hour on the last Sunday of October, moving France from CEST to CET. If you're visiting during the Fête des Vendanges in Montmartre, the narrow streets around Sacré-Cœur get very congested during parade hours. Approach from the quieter entrances on Rue Caulaincourt or Rue Lamarck rather than the main tourist route up from Anvers Métro. For the Salon du Chocolat at Porte de Versailles, weekday mornings have the shortest lines. Weekend afternoons can mean 30-40 minutes of queuing at the entrance.
FAQ
Is October a good time to visit Paris?
October ranks among the top 4 months for visiting Paris. Temperatures around 17.6°C (64°F) make for comfortable walking weather, the summer crowds have thinned by 30-40%, and the autumn foliage in parks like the Jardin du Luxembourg peaks mid-month. The main drawback is rain, with about 13 rainy days averaging 85mm total. If you can handle occasional showers and shorter daylight hours, October delivers a quieter, more atmospheric version of the city than June through August.
What is the weather like in Paris in October?
Expect highs around 17.6°C (64°F) and lows near 9.8°C (50°F). Humidity sits at 82%, and rain falls on roughly 13 of the month's 31 days, usually in short spells of 30 to 60 minutes rather than all-day downpours. The first half of October tends to carry some of September's warmth. The second half cools noticeably, especially after clocks go back on the last Sunday. Layers and a compact umbrella are the essentials.
Is Paris crowded in October?
Noticeably less crowded than June through September. The summer tourist peak drops off after late September, and you'll find shorter queues at the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and most major attractions. Hotel availability opens up across the central arrondissements. That said, October is still shoulder season, not low season. Specific events like the Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre and Paris+ par Art Basel bring temporary spikes in their respective neighborhoods during the second and third weeks.
Are outdoor cafés still open in Paris in October?
Most are, though some start scaling back by mid-month. The larger terraces along Saint-Germain-des-Prés and in Le Marais typically stay open through October, often with blankets on chairs and heat lamps fired up by the second week. Smaller neighborhood cafés along Canal Saint-Martin and in Montmartre are more likely to fold their outdoor seating by the second half of the month, especially after the clock change shortens the afternoon.
What should I pack for Paris in October?
Layers, a waterproof jacket or trench coat, and closed-toe shoes that can handle wet cobblestones. Mornings around 9.8°C (50°F) call for a sweater or light coat, while midday might warm up enough to remove a layer. A compact umbrella is close to mandatory given the 13-day average for rain. By late October, a wool scarf and light gloves become worthwhile for evening outings along the Seine, where the wind off the water adds real chill.
Things to Do in Paris in October
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?