Paris is located in the region of Île-de-France, one of the coldest and rainiest areas of France. With an average of 14 days, January is the month with the most days of rain in Paris. September with the least (7 days). But are a few rainy days reason to cancel your Paris trip or get in a bad mood? Absolutely not! But what to do in Paris when it rains? Here’s my list of the best things to do on rainy days in Paris.
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The best things to do on rainy days in Paris
1. Visit Opéra Garnier
The famous Opéra Garnier is over 350 years old and definitely a highlight when visiting the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Booking your ticket in advance is highly recommended, especially if you’re planning to visit this place on the weekend. Visits are accessible every day starting from 10 am to 5 pm. Be aware that the last entry will be 45 minutes before closing time. When visiting the Opera, you can either choose to do a self-guided tour (with audio guides) or take part in a guided tour. There is even the possibility to book a private backstage area tour. For self-guided tours, the price is 8€ if you’re younger than 25 and 12€ if you’re 25 or older.
2. Go to a cabaret show
Paris is known worldwide for its entertainment and outstanding cabaret shows. Spend a memorable evening visiting one of the many cabarets shows and enjoy the performances with a glass of champagne or a glamorous show dinner. Moulin Rouge, Crazy Horse, Lido de Paris, and Paradis Latin are the best places to see a typical Parisian cabaret show.
3. Explore the hidden (and covered) Passages of Paris
Did you know that Paris is home to many charming little shopping arcades? Stroll around the “Passages Couverts Parisiens” and marvel at the small authentic stores. In the arcades, you can find not only many small boutiques and antique stores but also very good restaurants and cafés. The most popular covered passages are Galerie Vivienne, Passage du Grand Cerf, and Passage des Panoramas. If you want to discover the more hidden spots, it’s worth it to stop by Passage Choiseul, Galerie Vero-Dodat, or Passage Vendôme.
4. Shop until you drop
Being referred to as the city of fashion, Paris is home to thousands of designer boutiques, department stores, and shopping areas. And a shopping tour is just the right thing to do on a rainy day in Paris. The best indoor shopping places are Le Bon Marché, Westfield Forum des Halles, Le Printemps, and Galeries Lafayette. But even if you don’t want to spend your money on shopping, Galeries Lafayette is still worth a visit. If you’re exploring the French capital during winter, you will find the best Parisian Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling in the main hall of Galeries Lafayette.
Insider tip: if you’re visiting Paris from January 11th until February 7th, 2023, you can benefit from the official winter sales (“soldes d’hiver”) with great discounts not only in large department stores but also in small boutiques.
5. Experience the French Cuisine
According to statistics, there are about 45,000 restaurants located in Paris at the moment. So, if you would try out a new restaurant every single day, it would take you 123 years! 😀 Assuming you don’t have the time for that, I would suggest you check out a few restaurants that appeal to you at first sight. For the most part, you can’t go far wrong with the cuisine in Paris. The best thing about most Parisian restaurants is that, even on a rainy day, you can enjoy sitting outside as they offer covered (and partially enclosed) outdoor seating.
6. Visit one of the many museums
When it rains in Paris, seize the opportunity to visit a few of the city’s many museums. The most popular ones, which should be on top of your Paris bucket list, are the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou, and Musée de l’Orangerie. But there are also many smaller and lesser-known museums, which are only waiting for you to explore. For example Petit Palais, Musée Henner, Musée Marmottan-Monet, or Palais Galliera.
7. Play an Escape Room Game
If you’re traveling in a group, going to an Escape Room is one of the best things to do on rainy days in Paris. After a detailed introduction, together as a group, you need to solve different tasks and riddles within one hour. And don’t worry if your French is not très bien – there are many options for English Escape Room Games all over the city, for example, Leavingroom, Escape Hunt Paris, or Lock Academy.
8. Go to the Grand Rex cinema
Feel like you’ve explored as many areas of Paris as possible and want to have a relaxing evening? The listed Parisian cinema Le Grand Rex, which also serves as a theater and concert hall, plays many English films as well. Buy some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the entertainment.
9. Visit the Catacombs of Paris
The Catacombs of Paris are the largest ossuary in the world, housing the bones of a total of 6 million people. Over a period of 2,000 years, these tunnels were used to mine the limestone from which houses all over the city were built. When the first house collapses occurred in the 18th century due to the lack of stability of the subsoil, the catacombs were mostly closed. At the same time, there were serious epidemics in Paris and the cemeteries were hopelessly overcrowded. To solve this problem, the bones of nearly 6 million people were transferred to the old tunnels. If you want to visit the catacombs during your trip, it is better to buy the tickets in advance so that you do not have to wait in line for up to 2 hours.
10. Relax with a massage
Especially if you’re visiting Paris as a solo traveler, a relaxing massage is a perfect way to treat yourself on a rainy day and enjoy some me-time. There are several Spa, Wellness Centers, and Massage places all over the city. Check out the best places via TripAdvisor.
11. Test your wine-tasting skills
Besides Italy and Spain, France is one of the leading wine-producing countries worldwide. So, make sure to try some of the best wines while visiting the metropolis. Why not book a wine-tasting experience in Paris on a rainy day and learn about French wine culture? If you’re visiting Paris in the fall, you might be lucky to attend the Grape Harvest Festival (Fête des Vendanges) in Montmartre which takes place every year in early October.
12. Spend time in an old bookstore
No matter if you’re an avid reader or not, visiting a typical Parisian bookstore is something you should not miss on a rainy day in Paris. Shakespeare & Company in the 5th arrondissement, close to Notre-Dame de Paris, is the most iconic one. Since its opening in 1951, the bookstore has been a meeting place for many famous writers and readers. Here you really have the feeling that time stands still. If you’re interested in the history of the bookstore Shakespeare & Company, I can recommend reading the novel Time Was Soft There by Jeremy Mercer. In my opinion, it’s one of the best books about travel and self-discovery set in Paris.
13. Grab your umbrella and explore the city in the rain
The movie Midnight in Paris with Owen Wilson ends with the sentence “Actually, Paris is the most beautiful in the rain”. Although I would not completely agree with that quote, I must confess that the streets of Paris have a certain charm in the rain. And you would definitely regret it if you had not seen anything from Paris at the end of your trip. So, grab your umbrella and discover the best Eiffel Tower photo spots while exploring the streets of Paris. You will see, when strolling through the beautiful city, the little bit of rain is quickly forgotten!
Do you know more things to do on rainy days in Paris? Let me know in the comments down below 😊
And don’t forget to save this blog post for your next Paris trip!
