At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season
Paris in May
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Paris in May offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for outdoor culture seekers. Expect temperatures of 11–20°C, around 9 days of rain, and medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around €85–160 for mid-range travellers. Book three to four weeks ahead for the best mid-range rates and the widest hotel choice.
Contents15 sections
#Weather in Paris in May
Paris in May averages 11–20°C (52–68°F) with around 9 days of rain, and crowds are medium.
| Measure | May in Paris |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 20°C / 68°F |
| Overnight low | About 11°C / 52°F |
| Wet days | About 9 |
| Sunset | 9:05pm on the 1st, 9:44pm by the 31st |
| Public holidays | Sat 1 May, Thu 6 May (Ascension), Sat 8 May, Mon 17 May (Whit Monday) |
| Crowds | Moderate, busier on the holiday weekends and as Roland-Garros begins |
Figures are Météo-France 1991–2020 normals for Paris-Montsouris.
What that actually means for your trip:
- May is mild rather than warm. Afternoons in the high teens or low twenties are ideal for walking, but the mornings are cool and a cold, wet spell can last several days.
- Showers come and go. Nine wet days is about one in three, often a passing shower rather than a lost day.
- The evenings stretch out. By the end of the month the sun sets close to 9:45pm, and the terraces fill until dark.
- Pollen is high, from grasses and the plane trees along the boulevards.
Is May a good time to visit Paris? Yes, it is one of the best: the gardens are at their freshest, the terraces open, and the summer crowds and heat have not yet arrived. Plan around the public holidays, especially 1 May, when much of the city closes.
#May's holidays and festivals
France has four public holidays in May 2027. Labour Day, Saturday 1 May, is the one day of the year when almost everything closes, including the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay; flower-sellers on the street corners sell sprigs of muguet, lily of the valley, for luck, and the unions march through the city.
Ascension Day is Thursday 6 May, and many Parisians take the Friday off to make a four-day weekend, the "pont".
VE Day, Saturday 8 May, brings a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe.
Whit Monday, 17 May, is a public holiday too, though some businesses open.
The Nuit des Musées, the European Night of Museums, opens museums free into the night on a Saturday in mid-May; the date and the list are published on the Ministry of Culture's site in the spring.
Roland-Garros, the French Open, begins with qualifying from 17 May 2027, and the main draw starts in the last week of the month, with the finals on 5 and 6 June. See our Roland-Garros guide.
#What to Do in Paris in May
Solo Travellers
Walk the Promenade Plantée, the old railway viaduct turned garden, from the Bastille to the Bois de Vincennes, then spend an afternoon in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, with its cliffs, waterfall and temple on a rock.
The Musée d'Orsay is free on the first Sunday of the month, 2 May 2027.
Couples
The rose garden of the Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne starts to bloom at the end of May, and the Jardin des Plantes is full of flowers. Take an evening walk along the Seine as the light fades after 9pm, then dinner on a terrace in the Marais.
Families
The Jardin du Luxembourg has its pony rides, puppet theatre and toy boats on the pond; the Jardin d'Acclimatation has rides and a farm.
The Ménagerie zoo in the Jardin des Plantes and the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution next door are good for a showery day.
Groups
Book a Seine cruise for a long May evening, spend a Saturday at the flea market of Saint-Ouen, or watch a day of qualifying at Roland-Garros in the week of 17 May, when tickets are cheaper and the grounds less crowded.
#Getting Around
From Charles de Gaulle, the RER B reaches Gare du Nord and Châtelet in 35–45 minutes, and from Orly the Métro line 14 runs straight into the centre.
In 2026 a Métro ride cost €2.55, loaded onto a Navigo Easy card or a phone, while the airport ticket cost €14; the Navigo Week pass, €32.40 in 2026, runs from Monday to Sunday. Fares are revised each January.
On 1 May and the holiday weekends, the Métro runs a reduced service, and a march can close streets in the east of the city; check the RATP app. In good weather, the centre is easy to walk: the Marais, the islands and Saint-Germain are all within half an hour of each other.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €80–110 | Dorm or simple hotel, market picnics, a Navigo Week pass |
| Mid-range | €180–270 | Comfortable 3-star room, a sit-down lunch and dinner, a museum a day |
| Luxury | €500+ | A grand hotel, a starred restaurant, taxis and a private guide |
May is shoulder season, with prices rising on the holiday weekends and in the last week of the month.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| A sprig of muguet on 1 May | A few euros |
| Métro single ticket | €2.55 in 2026 |
| Navigo Week pass | €32.40 in 2026 |
| Louvre, EU and EEA visitors | €22 |
| Louvre, everyone else | €32 |
- Free museum days: the Orsay on Sunday 2 May, the Louvre on the evening of Friday 7 May.
- Book hotels early for the Ascension weekend and the start of Roland-Garros.
- A terrace drink costs more in the tourist centre than in a neighbourhood café.
#Food & Dining
May is the season of gariguette strawberries, white and green asparagus, new peas, morels and the first cherries.
The Marché Bastille on Thursday and Sunday mornings and the Marché d'Aligre every morning except Monday are at their most colourful. The terraces open for the season: lunch outside at a café in the Palais-Royal or on the Place des Vosges is a May ritual.
Rosa Bonheur, the guinguette in the Buttes-Chaumont, is busy on warm evenings.
#Nightlife
The rooftops and open-air bars open for the season, among them Le Perchoir in the 11th, and the quays of the Canal Saint-Martin fill on warm evenings. On the night of the Nuit des Musées, the cafés and bars around the big museums stay busy late.
#Shopping
The spring collections fill the department stores on the Boulevard Haussmann and the boutiques of the Marais and Saint-Germain.
The Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, the flea market at the northern edge of the city, opens from Saturday to Monday, and the bouquinistes along the Seine are back at their stalls.
#Culture & Etiquette
- On 1 May, the city's closures are real; plan ahead for food and sights.
- On 8 May, the ceremonies at the Arc de Triomphe and war memorials are solemn occasions.
- Say "Bonjour" on entering a shop or café, and "Au revoir" on leaving.
- Service is included in restaurant bills; a euro or two for good service is a kind extra.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | French | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Happy May Day! | Bon premier mai ! | Bon pruh-myay may |
| Lily of the valley | Le muguet | Luh moo-gay |
| Is it open today? | C'est ouvert aujourd'hui ? | Say oo-vair oh-zhoor-dwee? |
| A table outside, please | Une table en terrasse, s'il vous plaît | Oon tah-bluh on teh-rass, seel voo pleh |
| A punnet of strawberries | Une barquette de fraises | Oon bar-ket duh frez |
| What time does it close? | Ça ferme à quelle heure ? | Sa fairm ah kel ur? |
| Thank you | Merci | Mair-see |
| Goodbye | Au revoir | Oh ruh-vwahr |
#Packing List
- Layers: a light jumper or jacket for cool mornings and evenings
- A compact umbrella or a light rain jacket
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses and sunscreen for the brighter days
- Antihistamines if you suffer from hay fever
- One smarter outfit for a good restaurant
#Backup Plans
If it rains: the Musée de l'Orangerie, with Monet's water lilies, the Musée Rodin and the Musée Carnavalet, the free museum of the history of Paris, fill a wet day; the covered passages of the 2nd arrondissement are made for browsing out of the rain.
If the Nuit des Musées queues are long: skip the Louvre and the Orsay and pick a smaller museum, where the evening is calmer and just as memorable.
If a holiday closes your plans: the Eiffel Tower, the parks and many of the cafés in the tourist areas stay open on the public holidays.
#Safety & Health
Serious crime against visitors is rare; the everyday risk is theft, so zip your bag and keep your phone out of back pockets at the Eiffel Tower, on the steps of Sacré-Cœur and on Métro lines 1 and 4. The 1 May marches are usually peaceful, but some have ended in clashes; keep clear of them if you are not marching. Hay-fever sufferers should carry antihistamines, which pharmacies sell over the counter.
Emergency: 112, or 15 for medical help and 17 for police.
#What's New for May 2027
- Labour Day and VE Day both fall on a Saturday in 2027
- Ascension Day is Thursday 6 May, and Whit Monday 17 May
- Roland-Garros begins with qualifying on 17 May 2027
- 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 May 2027. Climate figures are Météo-France 1991–2020 normals for Paris-Montsouris. Dates and prices verified against:
- Service-Public.fr for France's public holidays
- Roland-Garros for the 2027 tournament
- Nuit des Musées for the European Night of Museums
- Louvre for admission, closures and the free evenings
- Île-de-France Mobilités for transport fares
For the month that follows, see Paris in June, and for the season as a whole, Paris in spring.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is May a good month to visit Paris?
Yes, one of the best: highs around 20°C, the gardens in flower, terraces open and sunset after 9pm, before the summer crowds. Plan around the public holidays, especially 1 May, when most museums and many shops close.
What are the public holidays in Paris in May 2027?
Labour Day on Saturday 1 May, Ascension Day on Thursday 6 May, VE Day on Saturday 8 May and Whit Monday on 17 May. On 1 May the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and most shops close; on the others the big sights mostly open, but many small restaurants close for the long weekend.
When is the French Open in 2027?
Roland-Garros runs from 17 May to 6 June 2027. The first week is qualifying, when tickets are cheaper and easier to get; the main draw starts in the last week of May, and the finals are on 5 and 6 June.
Do restaurants close in Paris in May?
Some do. Many small family-run bistros close on 1 May and for the Ascension and Whit Monday long weekends, so check opening days before you cross the city. On ordinary days, book popular places a week or so ahead for Friday and Saturday nights.
What’s the weather like in Paris in May?
Paris in May typically sees temperatures of 11–20°C with around 9 days of rain across the period. Pack lightweight layers that suit both cooler mornings and warmer afternoons.
How much does it cost to visit Paris in May?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of €85–160, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Flexible dates can save up to 20% compared with peak-week rates.