Hi,

How is the weather in Paris the 1st week of May? I'm thinking of going there from April 30 to May 8. Still rainy? Cold? I'm from southern Cal.

Also, I notice that May 1 and May 8 are holidays in France. Any problems there for tourists? Things will be closed? What can I do on those days?

Also, please recommend a place (or an area in Paris) to stay that's convenient and at night I could safely walk around -- something like Piazza Navona in Rome? And not too expensive. I'm looking at $100 USD per night. Possible?

Also, is 8 days in Paris too long, too short? Any must-sees/must-eats, must-dos?

Any advice would really appreciated!

I've been saving Paris all my life for the perfect moment, and I guess there's no such thing as perfect, so I gotta do it now!

Thanks.
JC

Hate to break it to you but this year May 5th is a holiday in France too. Since Easter comes so early so does Ascension Day.

How is the weather in Paris the 1st week of May? I'm thinking of going there from April 30 to May 8. Still rainy? Cold? I'm from southern Cal.
<font color="green">Weather is unpredictable in Paris, just like most anywhere (except SoCal!)... go to www.weather.com and find the 'historical' data... my guess is 40-50's am and 60's afternoons.</font>

Also, I notice that May 1 and May 8 are holidays in France. Any problems there for tourists? Things will be closed? What can I do on those days?
<font color="green">national museums will be closed... save those days for street markets, walkin' around, see some of the beautiful parks, etc. Go to the movies...</font>

Also, please recommend a place (or an area in Paris) to stay that's convenient and at night I could safely walk around -- something like Piazza Navona in Rome? And not too expensive. I'm looking at $100 USD per night. Possible?
<font color="green"> $100 for a single or a double? That's about 80 &euro;, easy for a single, bit harder to find for a double. The sights are not all lumped in one place, so any one hotel is not going to be near it all. Pick a hotel in a single-digit arrondissement and near a metro. Check reviews here and on www.tripadvisor.com ; good websites: (research the hotels and then book w/ hotel directly is usually better).
- www.hotelsearch-in-paris.com
- www.france-hotel-guide.com
- www.venere.com
- www.parishotels.com</font>

Also, is 8 days in Paris too long, too short? Any must-sees/must-eats, must-dos?
<font color="green"> 8 days is a good introduction and you would have time to go out to Versailles if you liked (use the RER-C to &quot;Versailles-Rive Gauche&quot. Use the Fodors &quot;Destinations&quot; section to get the &quot;must-sees&quot; (really, you have to do this part yourself, we don't know what you want to see or why)...</font>

So, 3 holidays in one week that I'll be in Paris? Oh, no! Would it be hard to get a room during that time? Museums and shops will be closed? Worth going still or I should go elsewhere?

The latest I could fly is May 4, and going earlier is not an option -- not good weather, etc.

What should I do? See, I hope it doesn't mean I'll never get to see Paris then.

Early May is a wonderful time for Paris but it is good to be aware of the holidays. Many things, including restaurants, close depending on the holiday. As for a place to stay, the central Arrondisements (1-8) are most convenient and closest to the river and major attractions. If you search on this board, you can find recommendations for hotels in your price range.

We were in Paris last May 1, which was the last day of our 4 days in Paris.

The weather during our stay was cool - the highest temperature we encountered was in the mid 60s.

I can't comment on museums that were closed on May 1 since we didn't attempt to visit any on that day, but there were many restaurants open - I didn't notice that many were closed. Certain metro stops were closed - I'm not sure if that was because it was a holiday or if the stop was normally closed on a Saturday. It appeared that many retail shops were closed.

We spent May 1 in Paris going to the Eiffel Tower in the morning, trying to ride the Batobus (ended up having no time), having lunch with my cousin and being taken on a walking tour of the 6th arr., then taking the nighttime Segway tour.

The parks were full of people enjoying the holiday - during our walking tour we stopped in some parks and plazas to sit and people watch - it was a great way to spend the day.

Hi JC,

Just because it's a holiday doesn't mean that they roll up the sidewalks.

We were there last May about that time. Weather was very pleasant (mid 60's and sunny) except for the last day - cold and a bit of rain.

For 75E/nite ($100) look for hotels in the 4th (Marais) or 5th (Latin Quarter).

The Monge gets alot of good reviews here.
http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75005monge.htm

JC - I was there the 2nd week in May last year and the weather was perfect, around 70-73 degrees. However, since I walked everywhere I wouldn't have minded if the weather was a bit cooler. Just make sure you are prepared in the event the weather is cooler than you are used to. Knitted scarf, gloves, etc.

Have a wonderful time and don't let thoughts of unpleasant weather ruin your trip for you.

My favorite neighborhood in Paris is the Rue Cler area. It is wedged between the Eiffel Tower and Invalides. It's a pedestrian-only zone, quiet, and is handy to two metro stops. It has lots of clean, quiet, affordable 2-star hotels priced well under $100.

A week in Paris is ideal, imho. You can get a museum pass that will cover almost all Paris museums and pay for itself in about 3 uses. It lets you bypass the long lines and walk right in.

A week's worth of metro tickets is also a good buy.

Aside from the obvious attractions, consider the Picasso Museum, the French Natural History Museum, roller-blading en masse on Paris streets on Fridays &amp; Sundays (I think), a creepy and interesting tour of Paris' old sewers, or wandering around Marais. Easy day trips from Paris include Versailles, Chantilly (check my spelling), and even Disney.

for historical weather information, and also for probabilities for the future, go to www.wunderground.com

Accuweather.com will give you up to 15 days of forecast as you get closer to your trip.

May is an unpredicatable weather month; I went to Paris once during the last week of May ,and we had rain every day with temps only in the low 50sF.

The advice about staying in the Latin Quarter/5th arrondissement, or the Marais, is what I agree with. I've not stayed in the Rue Cler area, because I prefer other areas, but many people like it.

We were in Paris for two weeks in early May, 2002, and had fine weather.
We also were there during three holidays and didn't find that it deterred us at all. May 8 is especially interesting day. It's Liberation Day. Make sure you go the Arc de Triomphe May 8 or 9 to see the huge flag hanging from within the arc. It's an impressive sight.
I believe that there's parade May 8.

Have a look at the Hotel Rive Gauche, a 2 star hotel in Saint Germain des Pr&egrave;s area...Pricnes are really great at this hotel for the great location . It is located in Rue des Saint P&egrave;res..I think you should find a room in the range of prices you are searching for:
http://www.hotelrivegauche.com
have a good trip!

May 1st is one of the most major holidays of the year, so I would avoid that one if you easily can. Most public buildings and stores will be closed. I wouldn't worry about the other two.

Eight days sounds like a nice chuck of time for the visit -- enough to see lots of things and make some day trips, but not overload.

There is never a month or season of time in Paris when it does not rain for long predictable periods of time. It rains all year. It shouldn't be cold, but could be cool.

I have been in Paris at this time of year. The flowers and trees are in bloom so it is very pretty. It could still be on the cool side, and I'd bring a compact umbrella. Layered clothing is a good idea.

When you are looking for lodging, a good idea is to look for something nearby a metro stop for convenience.

I have stayed in Montmartre and St Germain areas. I prefer Montmartre, but you might want to consider staying in the Latin Quarter for your visit.

Sesamee

Thanks all for your helpful suggestions and advice.

I'm still a bit concerned about having 3 national holidays falling on the week that I'll be in Paris though. Will museums, shops and places in general close down, not only on the day of the holiday, but the day after or before? Like how we take off 2 days for Thanksgiving in America?

The holidays are: May 1 (Sun), May 5 (Thurs), May 8 (Sun). And most museums are closed on Mon and Tues, so that doesn't give me many days left to sightsee.

This is my 1st trip to Paris too. Please share any info you know. I'm still deciding whether to purchase that ticket at all.

Thanks.
JC

When we were there in May 2002, the major museums rearranged their schedules. They didn't close more days, but shifted their closing day. Sorry, but I forget exactly what the switch was. To us, the important thing was that they weren't closed additional days.
We were also there during a three-holiday period. We were never at loss for things to do on these holidays. I don't know about the department stores, as we didn't plan on shopping on those days.
It's a great time to go to the parks and other public areas. French families enjoy their holidays by strolling together throughout the city. We loved the feel of those days, enjoying observing how the Parisians relaxed and enjoyed their free time.

I checked the Louvre and Orsay sites and they are closed only Sunday, May 1, not the 5th or 8th.

I was in Paris over the 8th last year and I don't remember being slowed down at all. I did check the websites of places I wanted to see, though, just to be sure.

After much deliberation, I finally took the plunge and bought tickets to Paris! Am so very excited.

Thank you all in the forum who have helped me with all my questions! Merci!

Now, the rest of the logistics... Book a hotel and compile a list of where to eat, etc.

Edward2005, you said there are many affordable 2 star thotels under $100 USD in Rue Cler. Could you please name some.

I'm looking for a double w/ a shower and WC.

La Veque seems to be very popular but it's more like $125 USD, and it's not available on all days that I'm there. I'm looking for something a bit less expensive.

Thanks!

I don't think there are tons of hotels in that price range any more, although a few. I think the Hotel Champs de Mars is in that range. The Hotel de Turenne is around 70-80 euro for a double

http://www.france-hotel-guide.com/h75007turenne.htm