My sister and I will be going to Paris in late April or early May to visit our French cousins. The family was originally from Nord/Pas de Calais, and our cousin still has a home there so we'll no doubt visit the far northern part of the country as well.

I'd like to know what to expect in terms of weather that time of year, what to pack, etc for a 10 day trip. We're women in our late 50s/early 60s and this is our first trip to France. We've been to Ireland together - oh, about 20 years ago - and American casual clothes worked just fine there, but I keep reading that France is not so casual - especially for people our age.

Hi Kate,
We were in France last May, although in Paris and south, not north. We had mostly sunny, pleasant weather with a few rainy days. I mostly wore cotton pants decent tee-shirts or casual blouses and if it was rainy or a little cooler in the evening, I wore a casual cotton jacket that looked like it somewhat went with what else I was wearing. I saw many women in bluejeans but although I wear them at home, I don't take them traveling because they're not comfortable and versatile enough. I did take my black jeans, though. I also took one cotton skirt -- the kind you can twist up and tuck in a corner of your suitcase. I did take a dress just in case we did something a bit more fancy but I didn't wear it.

Most important, I'd say, are comfortable shoes -- several pair and some a little dressier than others. Despite what you'll read here, I saw plenty of white sneakers but I preferred my casual but somewhat prettier Sketchers.

Have a wonderful trip!

May is the driest month of the year for central Europe. You'll need a lightweight windbreaker for early mornings and after sundown. Long hours for the sun.

hopscotch, has northern France been moved to Hungary? "Central Europe?"

If you visit the Opal coast from Calais to Boulogne be sure to have anoracks its chlly there even in May

American casual will be just fine. Wear what you are comfortable in. Take layers, as it can still be chilly in May, certainly in the evenings, and also take something waterproof - it could be a great dry sunny May or a cool wet one. Comfortable shoes are a must.

We were in Paris in May 2007.

Rain was predicted for every day on the ten day advance forecast.

Every night they predicted rain for the next day.

In reality, it showered briefly two evenings.

You have to be prepared for anything.

I was in Paris at the end of May, first of June about five years ago. The weather was very changable. The day we arrived and the next day were sunny and quite warm..was glad I'd packed some T-shirts for layering because I would have been melting. Then the weather changed, turned cooler, mid 60's and we had overcast and some rain off and on. I like the cooler temperatures actually. The worst day for rain was the day we went to Giverney. It rained pretty hard for a time.

Take layers, take an umbrella and be prepared for anything.