B12822

I'm going to Paris the 2nd week of April and want to know about the weather. Also I've heard that Paris is more formal than the U.S. Are pants as common there as they are here?

Hyalker Amaral

I actually spent a week there last year in the 3rd week of April. In 3 words...cold and rainy. We had 1 1/2 nice days out of 8. We used those for the top of Notre Dame and the Eiffel but since we were trying to introduce our 13-year old sister to "culture", we didn't mind having a good reason to stay in the musuems. I tend to think that European restaurants (by category) in general are more laid back than in US. There are "good" restaurants where they accept people in jeans and although I think having slacks and an collared shirt or turleneck is always appropriate just if to avoid looking underdressed. Even in the cafes, Europeans tend to look far sharper dressed than us so.

Joel

April is the rainy month, but also not infrequently cold. I lived in France and am there on business frequently. I'm going to guess that on a given day you have a 20% chance of outright rain, a 60% chance of overcast, and a 30% chance of chilliness. I would definitely not pack shorts <BR>As to formal vs. casual, it's less a clothing thing than it is a matter of etiquette. The French will be what we would call formal as a matter of course. Unfortunately, we Americans who use first names immediately, read that as being snubbed or unpleasant. Not so. It's a cultural difference and has nothing to do with you being American. <BR>You should mind the following: speak no louder than others in any public place as nothing signals the arrival of an American better than their loudness; second expect the waiter to not hover over you or smile since his job is to be as inobtrusive to your dining experience as possible; also, expect him to not rush out with the check inasmuch as that would be impolite in France because meals are to be enjoyed, not rushed; third, when you ask for assistance or have a question, ask very politely and alway say excuse me. The stock phrase a frenchperson would use (if you can manage this) is to preface his question with Excusez moi de vous deranger (EX-KEW-ZAY MWAH DUH VOO DAY-ROHN-JAY). Even if you can't ask the question in French, if you start off with just that little phrase (which means "excuse me" in a very polite manner) you will be miles ahead. <BR>Bon voyage. <BR> <BR>

Bob Brown

The last time I was in Paris it was mid April and it was dreary. Overcast most of the time. Out of curiosity I looked up in my National Geographic Atlas the number of days of rain and the average high temperature in Paris during April. To my surprise, the average high termperature in April is 16 C, but in March it is only 12. I think March must run until April 20 on our calendar. 12 degrees C is a little over 50 on our scale which is chilly when it is raining because of evaporational cooling. The number of days of rain is 13, but it must take two days to get ready. Maybe it is the wind that makes the climate less than optimal most of April. So 3 out of 3 posters say take some warm clothes and rain gear to Paris if you visit in mid April. <BR>Incidentally, the guy who wrote the song April in Paris used April because May would not scan right.

tina

I am going to Paris last week of March and first of April. From the weather reports I have seen Paris seems to have the same weather as the Pacific Northwest which is to say drizzle and cold in the spring with occaisional glorious sunny days. But as I read on one of these boards "You might as well travel, it's raining at home too."