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In This Blog Post:
- Weather in Paris in April
- Events that may affect your trip, such as the Paris Marathon
- April holidays in Paris that may affect your trip
- Fun things to do in Paris in April
Weather in Paris in April: while the weather starts to improve in April, there can be occasional light rain showers. Temperatures typically range from 45°F to 65°F. Morning and evening can also be a bit chilly and require a jacket. The warmest part of the day, should the sun decide to appear, is generally in the afternoon.
The great thing about the weather in Paris is the arrival of spring. If you’re lucky with your timing, you’ll see gardens full of cherry and magnolia blossoms throughout the city!
The Paris Marathon 2025 is scheduled for April 13. With over 65k runners it will be a sight to see, but also may create some logistical challenges for tourists trying to get around the city by Uber/Bus/Taxi. We highly recommend using the metro or the public bike system on this day. The race starts at the Champs-Élysées and about 250k spectators will line the 26.2 mile route. The race starts at 8:20am and will see runners depart in waves until 9:50am. On Saturday April 12, a 5k run will take place starting at 9am from Hotel de Ville in the center of the city and end by the Eiffel Tower. Expect some logistical challenges that morning between 8am and 12pm. If you’d like more info on the race, click here: https://www.schneiderelectricparismarathon.com/en/
For our YouTube video on how to use the Paris public bike system, click here: https://tinyurl.com/3hey2ds6
Areas least affected by the race: Montmartre, Le Marais, Jardin du Luxembourg & The Pantheon, any place on the Eiffel Tower side of the river aka “The Left Bank”
April Holidays in Paris that may affect your trip:
The Easter holiday falls on Monday 21 April for an extended weekend of 3 days, from April 19-21. This makes it a very popular weekend to visit Paris for not only Americans, but French people living outside of Paris as well. Therefore it’s best to book restaurants and attraction visits in advance. Some restaurants and attractions may also be closed or have holiday hours, so be sure to double check when planning your trip!
Easter also means many wonderful concerts in historic churches such as Sainte Chapelle, Saint Ephrem, Saint Julien le Pauvre and Saint Sulpice.
In regards to Easter candy, the French chocolatiers prefer to make chocolate eggs instead of Easter bunnies. To find the best chocolates in Paris seek out some of the famous chocolatiers such as La Maison du Chocolat, Hévin, Ladurée and many others.
For a detailed list of Easter events in Paris, click here!
https://parisjetaime.com/eng/things-to-do-in-paris/major-events-paris/easter-in-paris-i089
Fun April Events!
Finally, there’s one more April event you should know about: Poisson d’Avril, on April 1st – the French version of April Fool’s Day. It means “April fish” and involves sticking a paper fish (the more brightly colored, the better) on the back of your unsuspecting victim. They say April Fools Day, called Poisson d’Avril, is a French tradition dating back to the 16th century. In 1564, Charles XIV decreed the Gregorian calendar would replace the Julian calendar making the New Year celebrated on January 1st instead of April 1st. Without reliable communication between Paris and rural areas, many did not get the memo for several years, or did not believe it. So, pranks were played on those April Fools still following the Julian calendar, and the tradition began.
So if you’re wondering why there are chocolate fish for sale at practically every chocolatier, this is why 🙂
Another great indicator that Spring has arrived is the start of the Musical Gardens and Musical Fountains Shows season in the Gardens at the Palace of Versailles in April. It’s a wonderful addition to your visit to the Palace! Be sure to book your tickets to the palace in advance and we highly advise skip the line tickets! https://en.chateauversailles.fr/news/shows/musical-fountains-show-and-musical-gardens
To experience a more local event in Paris, check out the Carnaval des Femmes on April 6 – https://www.carnaval-des-femmes.fr/
This colorful festival dates back to the 18th century, when the washer women working on boats along the Seine would crown one of their own a Queen for the day and dance until dawn. Everyone is welcome to enter the parade (men, too!) so put on your most fabulous costume and join in the festivities. Those wishing to take part in the parade itself should assemble at Place du Châtelet at 1pm, while spectators can watch the vibrant procession from 3pm.
Suggested Tour Activity to take advantage of the Spring weather: Try one of the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tours! It’s something we love to do when first visiting a new city. It’s an easy and fast way to get a quick overview of the entire city and decide where you want to visit. There are two main companies in Paris and can you book either of them here! We’re not familiar enough with the cruise option offered, but we do recommend the bus tour!
Many thanks and credit to the multiple sources we use to bring this helpful information to you. We encourage you to check them out!
https://www.sortiraparis.com/en/
https://www.parisinsidersguide.com/paris-events-in-april.html
