Paris on Palm Sunday and Easter
 

I will be arriving in Paris March 26th and have until April 7th when I join up with a tour group. It seemed like such a wonderful length of time to spend but when I started looking at what to do and see the days filled up fast! I have a feeling that both those Sunday's will be pretty busy in the city. Museums quite full etc, and since I'm hoping to check out Malmaison and Chantilly during this trip, would those be the days to pick?

Any thoughts from Paris inhabitants or folks who have visited there during those holidays before? I also guess there will be school holidays for the week before or after Easter? Input would be appreciated, thanks.

In the old days, Easter was the beginning of the tourist season and was the first weekend when you could really feel that the city had filled up with tourists. But really, it is not all that bad because lots of Parisians flee Paris for the long weekend to make room for the new arrivals.

Obviously the major sights will be jam packed -- Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Orsay, etc.

The spring school holidays for French students start at least a week after Easter this year (there are three 'vacation' zones for schools in France with staggered holiday times, but that's another story). However, if other European children are on holiday, they will more than make up for the French kids in school during the week before Easter.

I'll be in Paris over the Easter holiday with friends and we will be at Chantilly Easter Sunday. We already have our admission tickets and going to "le spectacle" there that afternoon.

I was curious about what might be open on Easter Monday so I emailed Galeries Lafayettes and they are open that day.

I am hoping for good weather but just being in Paris will be good enough for me!

Thanks for the replies, Kerouac and powhatangal. I think a trip out of town may be a good choice for me.

I can't find any info on 'le spectacle'' on Easter. Something special or their horse show performance? I'm very interested in seeing the musee Condé. Good weather would be so appreciated as I'm sure their grounds are lovely.

I did a blog post on our trip out to Chantilly which you might find useful.
http://www.somuchmoretosee.com/2013/05/chantilly.html

Have a great time!

I will be in Paris over Easter as well. Spent Christmas there a few years ago so it will be fun to see another holiday. Glad to hear shopping available :)

Lyndash - it's the horse show production that starts back up on April 1. It's 30€ for admission to everything including the show. I think I found it under "info pratiques" on the website. We are planning on lunch at La Capitainerie restaurant in the chateau's former kitchens.

I visited Chantilly on a Sunday last May and enjoyed it. It wasn't very crowded then - I'm hoping Easter Sunday won't be too crowded!

Thanks powhatangal, I wasn't planning on going to the horse show and I do know the chateau and museum are on the list I have for Paris Museum Pass. I hope for sunny weather for both of us.

The pictures and blog from welltraveledbrit were great. Thanks for the link. Months in Paris, how wonderful! I'm enjoying reading a lot of your suggestions. Thanks for sharing.