if there is such a thing, low season in paris.
 

Not in the summer though. I'd really like to go May 8-13 2009. I'd like to really pamper and spoil myself and stay at a really nice hotel.

Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks, Theresa

According to a Fodorite who rents apartments in Paris, the only low season is December and January. Expect to pay the higher amount listed if you want to go in what could be the height of spring.

A lot of the locals clear out in July to visit the beach...but the low season for tourists is November through March. Lots of cold rain, but generally slightly cheaper hotel prices.

For hotels, low season in Paris is February and August.

(This is according to the Paris tourist office.)

If you want a really nice hotel, learn how to game the system at betterbidding.com or biddingfortravel.com and use Priceline.com to bid.

Finding a real bargain in May will be very difficult, if not impossible. Here's how VRBO.com/24190 divides up the year:

LOW SEASON: OFF PEAK Rates: Jan 5-Mar 13, Nov 1-21, Dec 1-12:
€1820/week and €260 for extra nights. 1 week minimum stay
HIGH SEASON: SPRING, SUMMER, CHRISTMAS Rates: Mar 14-Aug 8, Dec 13-Jan 4:
€2660/week and €380 for extra nights. 1 week minimum stay
AUTUMN, THANKSGIVING Rates: Aug 9-Oct 31, Thanksgiving week:
€2450/week and €350 for extra nights. 1 week minimum stay

I'm not sure if you are asking if May is low season, then the answer is no.

I think the cheapest hotel low season is August, although that often can extend from after Bastille Day in July for many hotels. I always get a discount when I stay in July in a Parisian hotel from 7/14 onward, from around 20% to maybe 40%.

I've seen a few hotel discounts from around mid-January through February as the next most likely hotel low season, then maybe November to early December, but those aren't as consistent as August.

Thank everyone, especially Robes!

I think I could swing Jan or Feb. And as for cold and rainy I can deal with that. I'm going to start plugging in some dates right now.

I did have some trouble getting rates on some of the hotels websites. But I finally figured out most hotels don't reserve or have prices for that many months in advance. As soon as I emailed the hotel directly they would give me a price.

Thanks Again. Half the excitement for me is researching and pricing hotels.

There is a reason why Jan/Feb is low season:

1) It can be very cold (around freezing)
2) Daylight is very short (<9 hrs in Jan vs 15 hrs in early May)
3) Some restaurants are closed during mid-late Feb

Of course, the plus side is it's cheaper and there are fewer tourists during that time.

It all depends on what your tolerance is to cold weather and being outside walking.

I have spent several February vacation weeks in Paris. It does not get as cold as New York or Boston. Snow seldom stays on the ground.

Concert, opera and ballet seasons are in full swing.

There are short days and long nights, but that's fine for long, leisurely restaurant dinners or evenings spent in theaters or jazz clubs.

I just got back from Paris at the end of November. Other posters were correct on the weather. Although we did not encounter steady rain, it can be damp and foggy. However, on the plus side, we literally had no wait at the Louvre, d'Orsay, and Versailles. I went to Versailles several years ago in May. I couldn't move in the Hall of Mirrors. This time there were maybe 20 people there. Restaurants were not overly crowded with other tourists. I felt like I saw Paris in a more local light. The Christmas lights were up on the Champs and in other parts of the city. It just couldn't be nicer. I say if you can put up with the weather, this is a great time of year to visit Paris.