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-   -   Paris in April? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-in-april-556486/)

EmilySD Sep 5th, 2005 03:14 PM

Paris in April?
 
How is the weather in Paris end of April?

My in-laws have agreed to watch to my two boys while husband and I go to France next year. I was planning on going the 1st week of June, but my son won't be out of school until June 24th, so he'd have to miss 2 weeks of school (although it is just K).

So, then I was thinking of going in April when my son has spring break, so he'd only miss 1 week of school. But now I'm concerned about the weather. How cold and possibly rainy it would be? I don't want to be sightseeing in cold rainy weather.

This will be our first trip to Europe & our 10th anniversary is in May.

Thank you for your time and any advice!

francophile03 Sep 5th, 2005 03:19 PM

I have only visited Paris in mid-April once. And when I visited Paris was not springlike but cold and rainy. That's not to say you won't experience sunny weather but just remember that it can rain unexpectedly in Paris at any time of year so bring your umbrella. On the whole, the weather is unpredictible.

jsmith Sep 5th, 2005 04:48 PM

This is the BBC website for the climate in Paris:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/c...ml?tt=TT003570

I suggest you find your own city on the website and compare. Any city in the temperate zone will have variations in the weather and I'm sure if francophile03 had visited the time it hit 30 centigrade (86 fahrenheit) (s)he'd have a different opinion of April weather.

francophile03 Sep 5th, 2005 05:04 PM

Ah, yes, jsmith, if it were 86F. when I visited, I'd have reported April was very hot. Paris is known for unpredictible weather as I mentioned before.

jsmith Sep 5th, 2005 06:23 PM

Most, if not all, cities in the temperate zone, francophile03, have unpredictable weather which is why a single experience means nothing. The one time I was there in April, the avg daily high was about 60 and there was one day, late in the afternoon, with a slight shower. So what does that tell us? I was luckier than you.

Use the BBC website, EmilySD, to get the more likely climate.

djkbooks Sep 5th, 2005 07:05 PM

Typically, the weather is nicer in June (though there could be a heat wave) than May, and nicer in May than April (though the reverse could just as well happen).

Can your in-laws stay at your house and take your son to school?

francophile03 Sep 5th, 2005 07:30 PM

Thank you for the lesson, jsmith, although I am not the first nor only person to comment on Paris's unpredictible weather here and elsewhere. One of my visits during one October was both balmy and cold so I do understand your what you are saying.

EmilySD Sep 5th, 2005 09:25 PM

Thank you all for the info. It is as I suspected, June would be better, at least more likely to have nicer weather.

Actually, jsmith, we have to go from San Diego to Cincinnati to leave our kids with family, then travel on to France from there. I wish we had family here, but we don't. :(

Thanks again for the advice. Tough choice ahead.

ira Sep 6th, 2005 03:06 AM

Hi E,

For what it's worth, we visited Paris from April 27-May 5, 2004.

We had a few days with a little rain in the morning. The last day was cold and windy.

The rest of the time was sunny, in the mid 70's, with gentle breezes.

((I))

hopingtotravel Sep 6th, 2005 09:31 AM

This past spring we were in Paris around April 24, 25, and 26. Two mornings we had a bit of drizzle that was probably over by 9 or 10 a.m. One day was quite, quite warm. We felt like we nearly sunburned our faces on the boat ride and on the roof of the Samartine. Now, the point is, like above posters mentioned, you don't know what you'll get so need to be prepared for both.

sssteve Sep 6th, 2005 11:14 AM

spent a week in Paris in April 3 years ago. It rained every day.

francophile03 Sep 6th, 2005 11:24 AM

Hi EmilySD, as you can see from all of the replies, you can expect Paris's weather to be anything and everything in April.

luvtotravel Sep 6th, 2005 11:35 AM

Many years ago I was in Paris in late May and it was cool and rainy. This past May I was there the last week of the month and it was 92 degrees with high humidity--miserable. Just be prepared.

EmilySD Oct 6th, 2005 01:03 PM

If anyone is interested, we have decided to go the first week of July, after school gets out. My family will enjoy having the boys in the summer also.

Thank you again for all the info!

francophile03 Oct 6th, 2005 01:41 PM

I've visited in April and it was rainy and pretty cold but sunny on some days. This year I went in July and it was the opposite being very hot but there were a few showers. So it's good to walk with your umbrella.

elsiejune Oct 6th, 2005 02:53 PM

IMO, you'll want to have a hotel room or apartment with A/C if you're going in July.

wondering Oct 6th, 2005 08:24 PM

I was there last week in March and first in Apr. last year. It was pretty nice!

AnthonyGA Oct 6th, 2005 08:59 PM

Traditionally the weather in Paris in April is excellent, although it is very unpredictable and can go from rainy to sunny several times in a single day.

Traditional average temperatures for April are cool, at around 15° Celsius (59° F) for the daily highs. With global warming in recent years, though, temperatures have been much higher. The high in April of this year, for example, was around 96° F.

These days Paris is often uncomfortably hot from June to August, although the weather is otherwise nice. Temperatures now are often 10-20° F above historical norms. The highs in July (and also for the year, since July is the hottest month) have historically been around 74° F, but these days they are often closer to 100° F in the city.

adeben Oct 6th, 2005 11:22 PM

Apparently Yip Harburg, who wrote 'April in Paris', was reprimanded by a firend who remarked that 'May' was better. Harburg agreed, but said it didn't scan as well as 'April'.


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