At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season July is Paris’s peak tourist month — book accommodation 3–4 months ahead. The Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Musée d’Orsay all sell out their timed entry slots weeks in advance. Book every major sight online before you travel.
Paris in July
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Paris in July offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for families & fireworks. Expect temperatures of 16–26°C, around 7 days of rain, and very high crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around €95–185 for mid-range travellers. Book accommodation two to three months ahead — the most popular rooms sell out fast during peak visiting windows.
Contents15 sections
#Weather in Paris in July
Paris in July averages 16–26°C (61–79°F) with around 7 days of rain, and crowds are very high.
| Measure | July in Paris |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 26°C / 79°F |
| Overnight low | About 16°C / 61°F |
| Wet days | About 7 |
| Sunset | 9:58pm on the 1st, 9:51pm on Bastille Day, 9:32pm by the 31st |
| Big dates | Bastille Day, Wednesday 14 July 2027; Tour de France finish, Sunday 25 July |
| Crowds | The summer peak, with Paris's own residents starting to leave by the end of the month |
Figures are Météo-France 1991–2020 normals for Paris-Montsouris.
What that actually means for your trip:
- An average day is warm, but the average hides the heatwaves. Spells of 35°C and more have become a regular part of a Paris July, and the city's stone holds the heat overnight.
- Few older buildings have air-conditioning. Many hotel rooms, most Métro lines and plenty of restaurants rely on open windows and fans.
- Rain is scarce and short, usually a thunderstorm at the end of a hot afternoon.
- The evenings are long and warm, and the city lives outside until well after dark.
Is July a good time to visit Paris? Yes, if you want the city at full volume: Bastille Day, the Tour de France finale, swimming in the Seine and long nights by the river. It is also the busiest and hottest month, so book everything ahead, plan your days around the heat, and choose a room that stays cool.
#July's big days
Bastille Day, the Fête Nationale, falls on Wednesday 14 July 2027. The military parade comes down the Champs-Élysées from about 10am, with a flypast of jets trailing blue, white and red smoke; the stands are for invited guests, but the pavements are free, and the crowds are deep by 8am. On the evenings of the 13th and 14th, many of the city's fire stations open their courtyards for the bals des pompiers, the firefighters' balls.
The day ends with fireworks at the Eiffel Tower, normally on the night of the 14th; the city moved them to the evening before in one recent year, so check which night before you plan. See our Bastille Day guide.
The Tour de France starts in Edinburgh on Friday 2 July 2027 and, three weeks later, is due to finish in Paris on Sunday 25 July. The final stage ends with laps of the Champs-Élysées; in 2025 the organisers added climbs of the Butte Montmartre, so check the 2027 route for where to watch. The barriers are free; arrive by early afternoon for a place at the front.
Swimming in the Seine is back. Since 2025, the city has opened free, supervised bathing areas in the river during the summer: at Bras Marie near the Île Saint-Louis, at Bercy and at Grenelle near the Eiffel Tower. In 2026 they ran from 4 July to 30 August, with Paris Plages, the summer beaches on the quays and at the Bassin de la Villette. Each site closes on days when the water quality or the current is not good enough.
#What to Do in Paris in July
Solo Travellers
Start early at the Musée d'Orsay, free on the first Sunday of the month, 4 July 2027, then spend the hot middle of the day in the Jardin des Plantes or the shaded courtyard of the Palais-Royal. In the evening, swim at the Bras Marie site in the Seine, or join the crowd on the quays of the Canal Saint-Martin.
Couples
Take a late boat on the Seine, when the light lasts until after 10pm and the river breeze cools the evening, or picnic by the water at the western point of the Île de la Cité, below the Pont Neuf. One of the firefighters' balls on the 13th or the 14th is the most Parisian night out of the year.
Families
The free open-air cinema at La Villette, usually from mid-July, shows films on a giant screen on the lawns; bring a blanket.
The Jardin d'Acclimatation and the Cité des Sciences are good for children, and Paris Plages has games and sand along the quays.
Groups
Watch the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées and then head for the terraces of the canal, or spend an evening at one of the open-air bars along the Seine and at La Villette.
#Getting Around
Trains link both airports to the centre: the RER B from Charles de Gaulle to Gare du Nord and Châtelet, in 35–45 minutes, and the driverless Métro line 14 from Orly.
A Métro ride was €2.55 in 2026 and the airport ticket €14; the Navigo Week pass, €32.40 in 2026, covers every zone but only from Monday to Sunday. Fares are revised each January.
On 14 July and 25 July, several Métro stations around the Champs-Élysées, Concorde and the Trocadéro close and the roads are shut from early morning; check the RATP app for closures.
On hot afternoons, a bus, a Vélib' bike or a walk along the shaded quays is often more pleasant than a deep Métro line.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €85–120 | Hostel bed, bakery lunches, Métro, free events |
| Mid-range | €200–300 | 3-star hotel with air-conditioning, bistro meals, one paid museum |
| Luxury | €550+ | Palace hotels, rooftop dinners, private guides |
July is high season, and rooms with air-conditioning cost more and sell out first.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Bastille Day parade and fireworks | Free |
| Seine bathing sites | Free |
| Métro single ticket | €2.55 in 2026 |
| Louvre, EU and EEA visitors | €22 |
| Louvre, everyone else | €32 |
- The Musée d'Orsay is free on the first Sunday of the month, 4 July 2027.
- Book air-conditioned rooms early; they go first in a heatwave.
- Many neighbourhood restaurants close for their summer break from the end of the month.
#Food & Dining
July is the season of apricots, cherries, melons from the south and the first peaches and nectarines. The markets are at their best early in the morning, before the heat; the Marché d'Aligre in the 12th is open every morning except Monday. Many family-run restaurants and bakeries close for their summer break in late July or August, so check before crossing the city for a particular table. On Bastille Day, book well ahead for any restaurant with a view of the fireworks.
#Nightlife
The city stays out late in July.
The rooftop bars, such as Le Perchoir in the 11th, and the open-air venues along the quays and on the canal are busy until late, and the floating bars and clubs moored on the Seine stay open until the small hours. On the nights of the 13th and 14th, the firefighters' balls are the party, with music in the courtyards of the fire stations and a small donation at the door.
#Shopping
The summer sales, the soldes, start in the last week of June and run into the third week of July, with the steepest discounts at the end.
The Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores are air-conditioned refuges on a hot day, and the boutiques of the Marais stay open on Sundays.
#Culture & Etiquette
- On 14 July, the morning parade is a formal state occasion, and the evening is a public party.
- Dress for heat, but cover up for churches: shoulders and knees for Notre-Dame and Sacré-Cœur.
- Say "Bonjour" when you enter a shop or café, and "Au revoir" when you leave.
- Service is included in restaurant bills; leave a euro or two for good service if you like.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | French | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Happy Bastille Day! | Bonne fête nationale ! | Bon fet nah-see-oh-nal |
| Where are the fireworks? | Où est le feu d'artifice ? | Oo ay luh fuh dar-tee-fees? |
| Is there air-conditioning? | Il y a la climatisation ? | Eel ee ah la klee-ma-tee-za-see-ohn? |
| A jug of tap water, please | Une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plaît | Oon ka-raf doh, seel voo pleh |
| Where can I swim? | Où peut-on se baigner ? | Oo puh-ton suh bay-nyay? |
| It's too hot! | Il fait trop chaud ! | Eel fay troh shoh |
| Thank you | Merci | Mair-see |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | Oh ruh-vwahr |
#Packing List
- Light, loose cotton or linen clothes
- A hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen
- A refillable bottle for the Wallace fountains
- Swimwear and a towel for the Seine and the pools
- A small fan, or a scarf to soak in water on hot days
- Comfortable sandals or trainers for long walks
- A light layer for late evenings by the river
#Backup Plans
If a heatwave hits: the big museums are cooled, and the Catacombs stay at about 14°C underground all year. Plan outdoor sights for the early morning and evening, and look for the city's list of cool spaces.
If the Seine bathing sites are closed: after heavy rain or a strong current, the river sites close for the day; the Piscine Joséphine Baker, which floats on the Seine in the 13th, and the outdoor basin at La Villette are the alternatives.
If a storm breaks: duck into the glass-roofed arcades north of the Palais-Royal, such as the Galerie Vivienne, and wait for it to blow over.
#Safety & Health
Paris is generally safe, but July brings the biggest crowds and the busiest pickpockets, at the Eiffel Tower, on Métro lines 1 and 4 and in the Bastille Day crowds. Heat is the bigger health risk: carry water everywhere, stay out of the sun between noon and late afternoon, and keep an eye on children and older companions. In the Seine, swim only in the supervised areas and only when they are open.
Emergency: 112, or 15 for medical help and 17 for police.
#What's New for July 2027
- Bastille Day falls on Wednesday 14 July 2027
- The Tour de France starts in Edinburgh on 2 July and is due in Paris on Sunday 25 July
- Swimming in the Seine: free, supervised sites at Bras Marie, Bercy and Grenelle, opened since 2025
- The Louvre charges €32 for visitors from outside the EU and the EEA
- The Centre Pompidou is closed for renovation until 2030
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for July 2027. Climate figures are Météo-France 1991–2020 normals for Paris-Montsouris. Dates and prices verified against:
- Paris je t'aime for Bastille Day and the firefighters' balls
- VisitScotland for the 2027 Tour de France start
- Ville de Paris for the Seine bathing sites
- Louvre for admission
- Île-de-France Mobilités for transport fares
For the month before, see Paris in June, and for the season as a whole, Paris in summer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happens on Bastille Day in Paris in 2027?
Bastille Day falls on Wednesday 14 July 2027. The military parade comes down the Champs-Élysées from about 10am with a flypast, many fire stations hold their firefighters’ balls on the evenings of the 13th and 14th, and the day ends with fireworks at the Eiffel Tower, normally on the night of the 14th. Watching is free; arrive early.
When does the Tour de France finish in Paris in 2027?
The 2027 Tour starts in Edinburgh on Friday 2 July and is due to finish in Paris on Sunday 25 July, with laps of the Champs-Élysées. Watching from the barriers is free; arrive by early afternoon, and check the final route, which in 2025 added climbs of Montmartre.
How hot is Paris in July?
The average high is about 26°C and the low about 16°C, but heatwaves of 35°C and more now come most summers. Many older hotel rooms and most Métro lines have no air-conditioning, so book a cooled room, carry water and plan indoor visits for the hottest afternoons.
Can you swim in the Seine in Paris?
Yes, since 2025, at free, supervised bathing sites at Bras Marie near the Île Saint-Louis, at Bercy and at Grenelle. In 2026 they opened from 4 July to 30 August, and each closes on days when the water quality or the current is not good enough. Swim only at these sites.
How much does it cost to visit Paris in July?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of €95–185, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Prices climb during peak weeks — book early to lock in the lower end of this range.