What It’s Like Visiting Paris In May: Pros and Cons
We’ve visited Paris many times over the years, always in different months, both with kids and as a couple.
However, our most recent trip to Paris was as a family during the month of May.
On this specific trip to Paris in May, we had great weather while we sailed vintage toy boats in the Luxembourg Gardens fountain, soaked in views of the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe, and spent a day at Disneyland Paris (amongst other things).
This guide is to let you in on the pros and cons of choosing May to visit Paris, plus what type of weather to expect (it can be hit or miss), typical crowd sizes, and holidays to be aware of (think major attractions like the Louvre being closed).
I’ll share firsthand experiences and give a sneak peek at what a trip to Paris, France in May can look like.
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🇫🇷🥐 IN A RUSH? CHECK OUT OUR PARIS FAVORITES!
🗼 Paris in A Day: Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Seine Cruise: Short on time? Discover Paris' most iconic landmarks in one day! One of the best tours with amazing reviews to make the most of your short time in the city. Click here to read the reviews!
🥐 Paris Croissant Small-Group Baking Class with a Chef: Learn how to make croissants in this 2.5-hour hands-on class with a professional chef! It's rated 4.9/5 stars on Viator and looks amazing.
FAMILY-SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES:
🖼️ 2-3 Hour Paris Kids and Families Private Louvre Tour: Discover the Louvre in a family-friendly way with this private family Louvre tour! We haven't booked this, but the reviews are amazing, and it seems like something we'd like to do in the future.
🧑🍳 Fun Macaron Baking Class For Families in Paris: Learn how to make macarons from expert pastry chefs in Paris! This experience, designed specifically for families, is an amazing way to get a taste of French culture (and a great option for one of those rainy days in May you might get!).
PARIS TAXIS WITH CAR SEATS:
🚕 G7 Taxis: G7 Taxis is our favorite way to get around Paris when we need a taxi. G7 Taxis have a 'family' option in the app that has carseats on board that are loaded and ready to go when they pick you up- you can order one just like an Uber. It's amazing and so easy and convenient. We took a G7 Taxi from Disneyland Paris into Paris for the day and it was SO much easier than public transit with 3 young kids. You can book both straightaway or up to 30 days in advance.
🚕 Baby Cabs: Baby Cabs is a Paris airport transfer service/taxi service that specializes in families. They arrive with your pre-booked carseats installed and ready to go. We've only ever had amazing experiences with Baby Cabs. However, you must book around 24 hours in advance with Baby Cabs so we prefer to use them only for airport transfers rather than around the city.
HOW WE SAVE MONEY ON OUR RENTAL CARS:
🚘 Economy Bookings Car Rental: Any bit you can save on your car rental is worth it. Our go-to is Economy Bookings.
OUR OTHER TRAVEL FAVORITES:
📸 Tours/Excursions: Viator & Get Your Guide
🚕 Airport Transfers with Car Seats in Multiple Locations: Welcome Pickups
👉 Travel Strollers: Zoe Traveler & Zoe Double
🍼 Baby Carriers: Tula Carriers, Wildride Hip Carriers
📱 International Data Phone eSIM: Airalo
🚗 Cheap Rental Cars: Economy Bookings
🏠 Accomodations: Booking, Expedia, VRBO, Airbnb
🌎 Travel Insurance: World Nomads
We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using the above link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.
Is May A Good Time To Visit Paris, France?
PROS OF VISITING PARIS IN MAY
- Less crowded than peak summer months of July/August (much easier to enjoy popular attractions)
- Overall pleasant temperatures in the mid-60°s F to low 70°s F
- Spring is in full swing with green trees and blossoming flowers
CONS OF VISITING PARIS IN MAY
- May is one of the rainier months, with 10-13 rainy days, but the showers tend to be more sudden and intermittent rather than an all-day event. Keep in mind that Paris experiences 110 days a year of rain, so you could run into rain almost anytime you visit.
What Is The Weather in Paris in May?
The weather in Paris in May can be pretty perfect (it can also be a bit all over the place🤪).
The average high temp during May in Paris is 66° F (which is pretty lovely when the sun is out).
However, as 66° F is the average, that does mean that there can be days in the mid 50°s F or the high 70°s F, and it’s good to be prepared for both.
We visited Paris during the last week of May and saw an incredible range of weather.
We experienced one perfect day of 70° F, two days of oppressively hot 88° F, and one day of low 60°s F accompanied by rain jackets and umbrellas.
Wild, right?
The moral of the story is that when visiting Paris in May, cross your fingers for perfect gorgeous weather but be prepared for both rain and/or an early-summer heatwave (which isn’t too common in May, but happened to us 🙄).
My favorite way to research the weather of a destination is to use the website Time and Date. On Time and Date, you input your destination and can see the exact past weather on any given day of any given year- it’s amazing!
You do this by visiting timeanddate.com, clicking on weather, then worldwide, inputting the destination, clicking yesterday/past weather, and then selecting the dates you want to see.
If you want to see the average weather rather than the exact historical weather, click on climate (averages).
I’ll usually look at the overall average weather, followed by inputting a few specific days of the month over the last five years to see what the recent weather has been.
I find it so helpful to input the travel dates I’m considering to see not only the overall average weather but the exact weather for the last many years. It really helps with my decision-making.
Is it Rainy in Paris in May?
The thing about Paris is that it sees around 110 days of rain per year, meaning that it has the chance to be rainy about any time you visit.
However, May does tend to be one of the rainier months, with 10-13 rainy days per month.
However, the rain in May often comes in short, sudden spurts unlike the grey drizzly days of winter.
As long as you’re prepared for the weather to swing either way by bringing both cooler clothes along with a sweater and/or rain jacket, you’ll have a great visit in May!
What To Wear In Paris in May
On a lovely day in Paris in May, you can wear summer dresses, short sleeves, or even tank tops.
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However, even on the warm days, it’s nice to have a light jacket, sweater, or blazer to layer on top for the cooler mornings and evenings, and it’s good to bring along a rain jacket or umbrella to combat any potential rain.
On cooler days in May, you may end up wearing your sweater and rain jacket the whole day.
Fun Experiences/Tours to Book in Paris in May
We’ve learned that no matter when we’re visiting a new destination, our favorite experiences almost always end up being a special tour or experience we’ve booked.
Here are some of the most popular tours and experiences in Paris that are perfect for May!
I’ve even included some family-specific experiences to book (we are crossing our fingers to try the macaron baking class next time we are in Paris with kids!).
🗼 Paris in A Day: Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Seine Cruise: Short on time? Discover Paris’ most iconic landmarks in one day! One of the best tours with amazing reviews to make the most of your short time in the city. Click here to read the reviews!
🏰 Versailles Palace and Gardens Tour from Paris: Explore the Palace of Versailles, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a guide, including round-trip transportation from Paris! A great way to get out of the city to see Versailles!
🥐 Paris Croissant Small-Group Baking Class with a Chef: Learn how to make croissants in this 2.5-hour hands-on class with a professional chef! It’s rated 4.9/5 stars on Viator and looks amazing.
🛥️ Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise: Enjoy a gourmet meal on a luxurious dinner cruise along the Seine River, floating past famed monuments such as the Louvre and Notre Dame.
FOR FAMILIES:
🖼️ 2-3 Hour Paris Kids and Families Private Louvre Tour: Discover the Louvre in a family-friendly way with this private family Louvre tour! We haven’t booked this, but the reviews are amazing, and it seems like something we’d like to do in the future.
🎡 Disneyland Paris Tickets with Transportation To and From Paris City Center: Get a taste of the Paris version of Disneyland by taking a day trip to Disneyland Paris! These park tickets include transportation to and from Paris city center, making a day trip super easy. We’ve visited Disneyland Paris multiple times and think it’s a great option for Disney lovers.
🧑🍳 Fun Macaron Baking Class For Families in Paris: Learn how to make macarons from expert pastry chefs in Paris! This experience, designed specifically for families, is an amazing way to get a taste of French culture (and a great option for one of those rainy days in May you might get!).
🔎 Paris Family Adventure- a Fun City Quest for Kids: Discover Paris as time-traveling explorers and visit highlights and hidden gems with a kid-friendly guide and a bakery stop! Click here to read the amazing reviews.
May Public Holidays in Paris (Some Affect Museum Openings)
- May 1 (Labour Day): A public holiday that lands on the same day each year. This is an important day to note as most museums (including the Louvre) and shops close, and public transport may run on a limited schedule.
- May 8 (Victory Day): This public holiday also lands on the same day each year as it commemorates the end of World War II in Europe. Many attractions remain open but with potentially limited schedules. There are also ceremonies around the Arc de Triomphe.
- Ascension Day & Whit Monday: These two public holidays are related to Easter, which means they land on different Thursdays and Mondays each year. Attractions are generally open, but might be busier as locals take advantage of the long weekends.
Other Good Times To Visit Paris
June, September, and October are other great times to visit Paris.
June and September offer warmer weather but fewer crowds than July/August.
October brings the magic of fall, with leaves changing colors and a briskness in the air that you get at no other time.
We’ve visited Paris in both August and September, and the crowd difference between these two months was MASSIVE.
In August we saw a FOUR-HOUR-long line for people hoping to get same-day entrance to the Eiffel Tower, whereas when we visited in May or September, there was no (or very little) line for same-day Eiffel Tower tickets.
That alone shows how much better of an option it is to visit Paris in months like May, June, or September.
And that’s my Paris in May guide- let me know in the comments below if you have any questions. I’ll be sure to get back to you.
🇫🇷 LOOKING FOR MORE ABOUT VISITING PARIS?
2️⃣ The Only Itinerary You Need to Spend Two Days in Paris
❗ 27 Essential Paris Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Traveling to Paris
➡️ 15 Things to Know Before Planning a Trip to Disneyland Paris
VISITING PARIS WITH KIDS?
✨ 20 Things To Know Before Visiting Paris with a Toddler + Fun Things to Do
🛝 10 Fun Playgrounds in Paris Near Top Paris Attractions
⛵ Luxembourg Gardens Sailboats: How They Work
🥐 What It’s Like Visiting the Arc de Triomphe With Kids
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