Ben41

My wife and I have an opportunity to work remotely for the next year. We're weighing the options when to go. Could you also weigh in - which would you choose Fall or Spring and why?

Thanks
Ben

DebitNM

I would pick Fall. Having been there at both times, the spring weather can be fickle but we had marvelous weather in fall.

Also, if you are American, be sure you stay is 90 days, not 3 months.

kerouac

Fall has more reliable weather, often warm and sunny. Spring can go either way, but seems to me (after more than 40 years here) to have lots of surprising cold and rainy sessions.

However, if you have the audacity to take the risk of spring, sometimes it can really pay off and take you into a spectacular summer.

Ben41

Thanks for your replies. We never considered summer but how crowded and hot does it usually get?

Whathello

Days are longer in spring.

kerouac

June is the "American" month. July is for Germany and Benelux. August brings the Italians and Spaniards.

August is quite a good month and not nearly as crowded.

This year, the main thing to know is that you don't want to be in France from 10 June to 10 July unless you are a football fan, since France is hosting the European championship this year.

sandralist

Paris is beautiful at night, so I would go with the drier weather rather than the longer days.

I really enjoyed being in Paris in August. For one thing, car traffic and pollution went way down. But long ago August I was there didn't have a bad heatwave, and I didn't have enough money to go to special high end restaurants or do any boutique shopping. If that interests you, it might be that those places are closed in August (I don't know).

crefloors

My last visit was in the fall. It was November, two weeks before Thanksgiving. It was frequently cold, so I layered. I made an error when we went to Versailles and wore a light knit sweater coat because it was quite warm when we left Paris. Oh yea, you learn by doing. I froze my rear end off, it was windy and cold, but dry.

We had a little bit of rain one day. They trees weren't totally bare yet so that was nice.

I have been in the spring and it rained most days. I always had my umbrella. Well I had it in the fall too.

So, just remember the weather is changeable at all times, and personally, I liked the fall best. The other thing about Spring is the flowers are all fresh and the trees are leafing out, so that's a plus.

I found museum lines to be much longer in the Spring. We had almost no lines for almost everything in the fall.

nytraveler

Depends on exactly which months you mean. I love May and June and didn't mind the time I spent there in April. But November tends to be gray and dreary and the days are getting short.

So I would definitely pick April through June instead of late Sept through early Dec.

fuzzbucket

1 August through 31 October would probably be ideal. If you're used to central a/c, you'll need to find a place that has "real" a/c, otherwise you will be miserable for about half the time you're here.

Ben41

Thanks for your comments.

It will either be Oct thru Dec or April thru June next year. What are the better months for festivals and art exhibits? It will be my wife's first time.

Ben41

I forgot to say we are leaning more toward Spring.

jpie

For me, having lived a number of years in Paris, aside from weather considerations, I think of fall when I think of plays, opera, etc. Seems like everybody start to roll out the new season of those events in Oct onwards. Also, Paris is nice for Christmas. If you are a foodie, lots of nice market offerings that time of year. And of course, it is always fun to find other expats for Thanksgiving.

Spring for me is a nice time to visit some of the places that get overrun in the summer in warmer locales like Spain, Provence, Italy, etc. The weather isn't too hot yet and prices are good compared to summer.

I know this is kind of a vague answer, but it sort of comes down to what you enjoy and what kind of vibe you are looking for IMO.

fuzzbucket

There's always stuff going on in Paris. Spring tends to bring out more music festivals, since the weather's nicer, but there are always art and cultural events throughout the year.

You can check these sites for everything going on in Paris:
http://evene.lefigaro.fr/
http://www.billetreduc.com/a-paris/

imelda72

I agree that it comes down to the vibe you want, and of course luck.

Spring in Paris can be spectacular. Flowers everywhere, warm weather, longer days than you’ll get in the fall, lots of energy. There’s a reason that people write songs about April in Paris. But you may happen to catch a year when it’s colder than usual, or wetter than usual. (or unpleasantly hotter than usual!) It’ll probably rain a lot no matter what.

Oct-Dec will be less touristy (well, Oct and Nov). Paris is also spectacularly beautiful at night (city of lights!), so you’ll get to appreciate that more. Christmastime in Paris is really lovely. But it’ll be cold. November’s kind of a drag because of the unpredictable cold – though I *loved* being there in Nov because it was quieter.

Really, it’s probably six of one, half a dozen of the other, if you don’t already have a strong preference!

PJTravels

We have made extended visits to Paris, always in the fall. The weather has been spectacular for the most part, with the evenings growing quite cool beginning in October. While the days are shorter, for me that means being able to marvel at an amazing sunset over the Seine prior to the dinner hour. The one time I was in Paris in June it was hot one week and cold the next.

While I vote for fall, Paris is great whenever you are there. If it rains, that is the day to go to the museums.