My husband is determined to visit Paris next summer (2009). We had potentially planned a trip two years ago and cicumstances prevented us from going. We would like to spend two weeks in Paris and then rent a car to visit Burgundy for about two weeks.
Unfotunately, since I am a teacher, the only time we could undertake such a trip is in July and early August. Is it worth it at that time? Are the crowds just unbearable?
Thanks so much -- no point in planning something which is doomed from the onset.
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If it was a choice between crowds and never seeing Paris, I%26#39;d bear those crowds :)
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Go when you can go. There are pros and cons to every season, Since you can take 4 weeks you will have the option of not %26quot;racing%26quot; through Paris like those of us who only have 5-7 days. And the weather is always unpredictable.
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I prefer vacations any time the weather is warmer. In June is was 65 - 70 degrees, perfect for lots of walking. So what if there are more tourists, it%26#39;s summer after all, just go and have fun. Check out guide books for sightseeing, when best time to go, avoiding lines, consider a Museum Pass.
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I%26#39;ve been to Paris a number of times in the summer (and at other times) and I found it to be fine. Every time (I know it%26#39;s the luck of the draw)the weather was beautiful.....no rain and in the 70s when we went in July and August.
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Dear gundi...we usually go 1st week in October. The weather has always been pleasant, warm during the day and cold in the evenings. We have returned from a trip in July and now can compare the two.
On the negative side
There were certainly there were more tourists in July (Noticeably more foreign accents in tourist spots!) but the city wasn%26#39;t overcrowded. Except perhaps on the Champs Elysees
Queues for popular attractions like the d%26#39;Orsay, Louvre and Tour Eiffel were long. As the above poster said you could consider a museum pass.
We go to less popular art galleries like the Musee d%26#39;Art Modern, Carnavalet. They were FREE and NO queue.
but the plus side is that
There are so much more outdoor activities going on
Nights are lighter and the days seem longer. It was so pleasant to walk around in the light in the evening without a coat.
The gardens are more beautiful and full of flowers.
There are summer concerts and the Paris Jazz festival.
So the simple answer to your question is NO. Just go for it at any time of the year.
Denise
Love from England
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What a choice, no choice at all. I would go of course, as I always have ,, in the summer.
You cannot miss a world class holiday because of %26quot;crowds%26quot; ,, its not like you are ever going to find a %26quot;perfect%26quot; time to go, no crowds, no pouring rain, no lines,, LOL, come on, you can%26#39;t have your cake and eat it too!!
Yes , it would be nice to go in May or Oct.. but many of us can%26#39;t, and even in those lovely months there are crowds and lines.
As for specific crowds and lines, I do not find July and especially August that bad, I just spent a couple weeks in Paris at the beginning of July ( one at beginning, one at end) and I waited 15 minutes most to walk in the Orsay, no time at all at Arc De Triomphe, 5 minutes to walk in the Lourve( use the mall entrance as outlined a hundred times on this board) and bought the Forfait Losirs ( train and admmission pass) for Versailles and walked right in( line skipping ) .. the only horrendus wait we had ( and I have always had, and I have been dozens of times) is at the Eiffel Tower.
Anyways, off soap box,, if given a choice between seeing Paris and not, well, it is a huge %26quot; DUH! %26quot; to me, go in the summer, be patient,, allow time to enjoy it crowds or not,,
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Hello Gundi,
We just returned yesterday from Paris - left on the 1st of August. Yes, Paris is crowded in August so you have to decide if you can deal with crowds or not. Here is what worked pretty well for us -
1. GET the Museum Pass - it definitely saves you time and if a particular site is too crowded (say the Louvre) you can come back during a less crowded time.
2. Plan your itinerary so that you are at the most popular (and most crowded sites) when they open and save the less popular sites for later in the day.
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One other thing to mention is that a lot of restaurants and shops are closed for part of Augsut as that is when the Parisians take their vacations. It didn%26#39;t really affect us, we found plenty to do, see and eat while there but it%26#39;s worth mentioning. But I%26#39;d opt for going, even if it%26#39;s crowded, just do a little research, find out what the most crowded things will be and the best time to visit and get the museum pass to skip the lines!
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