Easter in Paris
 

My friend and I are visiting Paris from April 12th to the 19th -- the Thurs before Easter til the Thurs after. Though this is my 10th trip to my favorite city, I've never been there for Easter and am wondering what to expect. I know that Easter Monday is a holiday too -- is EVERYTHING closed down, even museums? Will any restaurants be open? Does anyone have a suggestion for Easter church services? We are staying on the Left Bank near the Luxembourg Gardens.

The Louvre is open 16 April its usual hours; (remember that the 'national' museums are closed Tuesdays, the 'city' museums are closed Mondays); Versailles is closed on Mondays. Lots of restaurants will be open; a few family-run places might be closed for the long weekend. Ditto shopping. <BR> <BR>Re a church service: of course, Notre Dame is my first choice BUT it will be very crowded - if that won't bother you, then go to that service. If you want a smaller church, then check the times for the masses at St Joseph des Carmes and 70, rue de Vaurigard - it's an old church with quite a history.

Notre Dam displays Jesus' Crown of Thorns on Good Friday only. The lines are long & they shut them down in time to prepare for the 6PM mass.

If you are feeling adventurous, why don't you visit Paris Chinatown, down past Place d'Italie? Most of Chinatown does not stop for holidays. That's how I spent a big holiday there--it was fun and a lot better than wandering around wishing more stores were open. Found some good bargains too!

There was another thread on this exact question just a couple weeks ago, as I recall, try searching for "easter". Plenty will be open, even some museums are open on Easter (I think the d'Orsay is, but check). Last year (and prob before) the big flea market north at Clignancourt was even open on Easter. As for the services, if you do not want to try Notre Dame I would suggest St-Etienne du Mont right behind the Pantheon (well-worth seeing architecturally in any case) or St-Severin down towards the Seine, although I think St-Etienne is more attractive; both have decent organs. Eglise St-Suplice in St-Germain has a wonderful organ, one of the most famous in Europe, but personally I don't find the church that attractive. St-Etienne is mainly Gothic style, I believe, if you prefer something more recent architecturally (17th century, Jesuit style), one of my favorite churches is actually the Eglise St-Louis on Ile St-Louis, it is smaller and very beautiful IMO with pretty woodwork and gilt (but does not have as good an organ as these others, I don't think). Given you are right there, I'd probably go to St-Etienne. I'd check for mass times when you get there, they are usually around 10 am.