Paris in March?
 

Hi, my husband and I are planning a sort-of last minute trip to Paris last 2 weeks in March. (If we don't go then, probably wouldn't be able to go til the fall.) Also thinking of going to Normandy. We were in Paris 20 years ago, but I don't remember any details! I'd like some advice:
1. I've read weather can be kind of cold (40s-50s) and sometimes rainy, Is this true, and would this put you off going to Paris at this time? (We live in the States, in New England, so we're used to cold weather, tho not my favorite.)
2. If we take train to Normandy from Paris, how many days do you suggest we spend in Normandy to see the sights?
3.. Re hotels: We'd want somewhere safe, rated at least 3 stars, near public transportation, and with a nice breakfast.
4.. Would Montmartre a nice place to get a hotel?
5. Favorite foodie tours or classes in Paris? Other tours that were great in Paris or Normandy (or not worth it)?
6.Can you suggest other activities or places to visit in or near the city.... or things you'd recommend avoiding?
7.. Favorite restaurants?
Thanks in advance!

Neither snow, nor rain, nor dead of night would stop me from visiting Paris if given the opportunity.

Is this your first visit to the city? If so, Montmartre seems not terribly convenient to many places you might be visiting; on the other hand, they have a great transit system with the metro and busses. I love the city busses - they are a tour all by themselves.

In Paris a long time ago, and don't recall details of that trip.

Montmartre is very inconvenient. Plus I would not eat up on the mount. Mostly lousy food and a ripoff.

Paris is safe. No need to worry about that.

Although any time is a good time to go to Paris, strolling around is a top thing to do, and it will be far more pleasant in the fall.

The best tour of Paris is a self-guided walking tour of the Marais. This is the beginnings of Paris. Another great area is St Germain des Pres. Buy the Michelin Green Guide to Paris, or you could find walking tours on the internet.

You'll get more detailed answers if you provide some details on what you like to do, types of cuisine, etc. Also, you might search on this website for trip reports that include Paris; there should be tons, and they would help give you some ideas. Additionally, there are day trips that you might enjoy such as Versailles.

We've been to Paris 7 times over many years. 5 trips were in Sept-Oct, excellent weather. Last month for Xmas, cold as we expected but wanted to see the City of Light this time of year -- great time but too crowded. And once in March, rainy & chilly. Dress for March in New England -- waterproof boots, merino base layers, etc. Montmartre poor choice for hotels. Stay in the 6th in St. Germain de Pres. You are near the Seine, close to Ile de la Cite, and the oldest part of the city. Check Hotel d'Angleterre. LOVED that hotel more than in the 1st (or was it the 8th?), and few times in the 5th. 6th & 7th my fave arrondissements. Two-day advance ticketing only for Notre Dame, but you should be fine in March if interested.

I would think that Normandy , especially the DDay sites will be cold and very windy as well as possibly very rainy. Later in the spring or fall would be preferable. We were there in October and weather was perfect for visiting Omaha beach, Pont Du Hoc and the American Cemetary.

Hi, Farfeldog,

If you click my name, you can look for my trip reports in Paris. "A Provence Sandwich" starts and ends in Paris. Before his death, my hub and I always traveled around March 17. Layers of clothes worked...we needed coats or sometimes sunned outside with tout le monde. I didn't know Fodors on our earlier trips but our day jaunts included:
Versailles
Chartres
Bruges
Loire Valley Chateaux
Aix (longer trip)

My solo side trips were:
Giverny
Bayeux
Bordeaux (longer than a day)

There are enough museums in Paris proper to keep you busy! The bus, metro, taxis are easy and plentiful. What are your interests?

We were in Paris in late March several years ago. As far as weather, we had sun, rain, a rainbow and snow and hail. Really. But we had a great time. Sept/Oct is better weather.

I agree with those recommending a location closer to the Seine. For our most recent visit, we stayed in the sixth arrondissement at a hotel a few blocks from a metro station and even closer to several bus routes.

In Normandy, would you rent a car or take tours to the places that interest you? Several years ago, we, along with another couple, took an early train from Paris and spent a very full day with the excellent Overlord Tours. With more time, I would definitely want to see the Peace Memorial Museum in Caen and the Bayeux tapestry. Plan to arrive with enough time to see the introductory film about the tapestry.

For a food tour in Paris, take a look at Paris by Mouth. They offer walking tours of several different neighborhoods, both right bank and left bank. Pre-Covid we did a cheese experience where the eight participants joined our guide at the cheese shop and discussed with her the qualities of the cheeses she purchased. From there, it was on to the tasting room at a wine shop where we enjoyed the pairings of the wine and cheese.

Paris in March? Just be prepared for the weather. Our most recent visits have been in November. Layer, layer, layer. Scarf, hat, gloves. Umbrella or raincoat.

Keep in mind that places right next to the river can be damper and colder in March. Areas like the 10th or 11th arrondissements are preferable.

Wait until fall!

We spent 10 days in March and as far as weather it was miserable. Haven't had a chance to return, but vowed after that trip to return when the weather was better (the previous trip had been in February).

If you go, you will need layers and layers so you can strip down when entering roasting hot buildings. Waterproof shoes or boots are a must. We never even had a chance to sit at an outside cafe because of the weather. A couple times we had intended to go out for the evening but never made it out of the apartment again because, after we were ensconced in our cozy apartment, we just didn't want to go out again and face the very damp and cool weather.

My favorite memories of our way too many family trips to count adventures in Paris were often in cold, wet, rainy weather. We always loved seeing the city's heartbeat as opposed to witnessing better weather massive tourist incursions. We often had good weather in March yet encountered horrendous weather in October, so there are never any comfort guarantees anyway.

Knowing where you live, we know you know how to layer up, and you'll deal well with weather just fine. Just be aware that Paris receives slightly more rain per year than does London, more than the typical New England town.

While I don't think Normandy is your ideal side-trip from Paris in the March weather, that's totally up to you. As others have suggested, there are many shorter adventures you can take per day by train on the spur on the moment within an hour or less. You can eat breakfast and decide if you want to zip down to the Chartres cathedral (a little over 60 minutes from Gare de Montparnasse), or to the Chateau de Chantilly (25 minutes from Gare du Nord) or to Reims (46 minutes from Paris’ Gare de l’Est), just to name a few destinations.

There's also no reason you can't hop on a train to Brussels or Bruges or Amsterdam mid-stay. When my youngest daughter and I suddenly had two weeks available years and years ago, we stayed three or four nights one place, trained it to Amsterdam for four nights, and then returned to stay in another neighborhood in Paris, from which we trekked to a cooking class in Montmartre.

And NO, as other posters have indicated, we would never locate ourselves on Montmartre. We've explored it a lot, though. In addition to the cooking class, we've crawled across the roof of Sacre Coeur, done two self-guided walking adventures, and once hung around a local parklet for an hour watching an old busker teach a young busker how to "fake" a violin solo.

Happy Planning, no matter what you choose.
AZ

DW and I have visited Paris in early February, early March, late April, late May-early June and lastly a trip to Normandy and Paris in mid-June. We included Normandy in the March trip, the May trip and spent a full week in June. As stated above, weather can be an issue in both Paris and Normandy. If you properly prepare, any time is acceptable. You just may need to adjust your timing of things after following the weather reports. There are several good 10 day forecasts you can use to avoid being outside in rainy conditions. Also, the layering of your clothing makes it easy to prepare for any weather. A shirt, sweater and jacket combo will work for most March weather. When it begins to warm up during the day, you can simply remove a layer and store it in a carry-along (we always have a backpack) as you move around the day.
I would also agree with not staying in the Montmartre area hotel. If your plan in Paris is to visit many of the museums, monuments and areas throughout, then I wouldn't worry too much about the neighborhood feel, any place in 1-7 arrondissements will be mostly central enough. If you really plan on staying near your hotel area most of the time to get a feel of the Paris communities, 5 and 6 and part of 7 are likely the best. We've stayed in the 1st, 2nd and 7th and we really preferred our stay in the western edge of the 2nd, near the 3rd. You'll need to move on lodgings pretty quickly as if your trip is in 6 weeks, most of the preferable hotels (and apartments if you chose that route) will be unavailable.

As for tours in Normandy, we've done it ourselves most of the time, but on two days we did use Overlord and found it to be very good both times. I also wouldn't worry about the weather as much, especially if you're planning on D-day sights. It will likely give you a better understanding of how they fared if the weather is close to what they dealt with anyway.

Good luck and enjoy.

We’ve been to Paris four times in March. We often travel in March as it’s less expensive. As others have said it can be cool and rainy.

My favorite restaurant is Septime. Great tasting menu. I want to eat at their sister restaurant, Clamato. I also love Buvette for lunch.

We've also had good meals at L’Ami Jean and Comice, as well.

I would never go in March because there is nothing about March in Paris that interests me in the slightest, including weather. I would have no reason to go at that time. I go skiing in March for travel, anyway. But just for regular tourism, I prefer late Spring through early Fall. I do ski trips Dec-March in the US.

There aren't as many 3* hotels as there used to be seems, to me. Grade inflation or something. My longstay one turned 4* for no reason I can figure out (amenities haven't changed as far as I can tell). So mainly pick the area you want, and then look 2-4*. you never know. I've never stayed in a 2* hotel in Paris that was really what I wanted, some look nice online though, so who knows (like Hotel Clement). But there is some reason it is only a 2* and you don't have to have that any extraordinary things to qualify as a 3* at all, so makes me wonder. Maybe room size, but those requirements are pretty limited anyway (what it takes to be a 3*). Tyhey do have a breakfast room and elevator and AC, so beats me. That is unusual for a 2* though.

I just checked and it could be their room sizes, which are pretty small. the midcategory is only 12 m2 (tradition or classique). The double superior is 15 m2, which is the size of the basic "classic" room (or whatever it is called) in most of the hotels I stay in, not the superior rooms.

We were not experts but found many nice hotels in the 5th arr. and found it very convenient to many important locations. When we were very young and had no money we stayed at some funky places on rue Gay Lussac. Later when we had more $$ we graduated to a better place. Around the Jardin de Luxembourg there are many places, close to the RER to the airport, good food etc.

I think Paris in March could be delightful, and if you do get rainy weather there is plenty inside to keep you entertained. Normandy is another matter. We were there in September a few years ago and even with perfect sunny weather, it was windy at the sites and you are walking and climbing a lot. There are a few museums, but this is a mainly outdoor experience. Rainy, cold, windy weather would greatly diminish your visibility and your desire to linger at the many locations. However, Paris is a lot more crowded in September.

It is interesting that Christina mentioned Hotel Clement in the 6th. That is where we stayed our last time there, a year ago.We have tried to stay there multiple times and it is always sold out. It is quirky with very small rooms, but their suite is the same small room but they have opened up the wall to another smaller room, which I am guessing used to be a single room with a shared bathroom down the hall. Now, it adds on to the basic room so it has another single bed, a desk and chair, TV, and another closet. This makes for an area to relax and spread out. The bathroom is very small. It does have an elevator, and a very nice breakfast room, and at about $225 a night it is a steal. The street is quiet and there is a great grocery store very nearby. I love the 6th, followed by the 5th, and the 7th. Enjoy!

I will be there for a month starting mid-March and also being a hardy NE'r have no real concerns. :cold: I've been twice before in March and it was cool for sure with some rainy days but it did not detract from the trip. I spent 2 weeks last September and the weather was beautiful, despite a random hailstorm. But the next weeks I heard turned rainy and cool. Point is you never know with weather. I'm also going to Normandy for a couple of days, later in the trip to get a chance at slightly warmer temps. Enjoy and layer, layer layer...

Thanks to all who responded to my post about possible trip to Paris in March. We decided not to go cuz weather was so iffy. Now we’re thinking of going in May. Thanks for all your suggestions/advice, much of which would still be relevant for a trip in May. We have no itinerary planned, but we’re foodies, love beautiful scenery. Thinking of possibly adding another city for a couple of days.. maybe Normandy.