Paris in April
 

Hey all,

Wife and I are going to Paris next April (4/11 - 4/19).

What will the weather be like. We live in Florida, so we don't have a lot of cold weather clothing. I do have a leather jacket with zip-out Thinsulate® liner.

Will this be enough to keep me warm or will I be overdoing it? (I try to pack light, but thought this jacket would fit in nicely in Paris).

Hi Clem.

Your jacket will be just right.

((I))

It can rain, rain, rain in Paris at that time of year. It's lovely, but waterproof shoes and either an umbrella and rain hat or -- for the fashion-defiant -- a poncho with a hood are musts.

The weather is generally cool (although recent years have been much warmer than historical norms). Rain is frequent, interspersed with sunny weather with fluffy clouds. The sunny weather is so nice that it's easy to understand how April in Paris got its (justified) reputation.

It's still cold and rainy in April. However, you may get some sunny days but the temperature will be on the cool side.

Keep in mind that rainy + cool = damp! If you're not used to colder weather, you'd do well to bring along some extras to help keep you warm. (Although of course stopping into cafés for a cup of something hot is always a great option! Do try the deadly rich hot chocolate at Angelinas...)

You'll probably each want a sweater (or two), longsleeved shirts, and socks. A scarf is a great option as it packs small both in your luggage and in your day bag for variable spring weather; French women often wear a pashmina or other shawl-type scarf over their jackets, and a silk scarf tied at the neck can do wonders if there's a little chill in the air!

I have found that shoes with a thicker sole (i.e., rubber) are good both for walking comfort and for keeping your feet warmer on the stone surfaces that proliferate throughout churches, monuments, and of course sidewalks.

If you really tend to get cold quickly, tuck a pair of gloves and a warm but stylish hat into your bag; again, they pack small but might be very handy if the weather is dreary!

I hope this helps! Paris is lovely in spring, but usually not quite as warm as I hope it will be. Being prepared for that fact will help enormously in your overall vacation pleasure! :)

We have been in Paris many times in April and all I can say is that there is no way to predict weather .. take your zip out jacket and a foldup umbrella. Over the years we have had everything from 75 degrees to low 40 degrees, sunshine and rain. You just have to adapt to whatever happens and hope for the best. At least you will be in Paris - which even in bad weather is a great place to be :-)

Paris April 22, 2005 we got sunburned just walking around and boat riding. However, some mornings we had drizzle when walking to breakfast. A hooded lightweight gortex raincoat took care of all.

April weather is unpredictable. However, you can expect it to be cool and rainy. Pack for that, and then just strip off extra clothing as necessary. Or come with your Florida clothes and buy new items as needed.