Paris in February? Where to Stay?

My partner doesn’t get much time off of work, but she’s going to take several days off in February. I was thinking of Paris because we could fly overnight and arrive in the morning, thus maximizing our time, but Central/South American is an option.

2 quick questions

  1. Is February in Paris “worth it” or will it be too cold (40s F) to enjoy?
  2. What area would you recommend to be central for a fair amount of sightseeing? I was thinking the Latin Quarter, but I’m open to any/all suggestions.

Thank you.

We’re in Paris now. We’ve stayed in many parts of central Paris, but have spent the last nine September-Octobers in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in the 6th (the Latin Quarter is a little east, in the 6th-5th, mainly surrounding the Sorbonne). I like it here better than the Latin Quarter, as the Sorbonne area largely, though not exclusively, caters to the student population.

Corey,

Depends…we’ve mostly been in the warmer weather (which presents its own issues) but I remember going in December. It was cold, but not so bad that I was unhappy. To me, the bigger issue would be that it will get dark early at that time of year. I would suggest staying in the 6er rather than the Latin Quarter. I’d also suggest finding a hotel that has nearby access to two different metro lines. We stayed at the Lutetia which is in the 6er and very close to the 7er and thought it was perfect.

You’re not going to be having a picnic in the Rodin Museum gardens at this time of year and the Tuilleries won’t be blooming, but so what? You’ll get to eat some of the more hearty dishes that you might not consider in the warmer weather.

Thanks gents. I’ll focus my search in the 6th arrondissement.

Coq au vin and cheese souffle, at L’Auberge Bressane. Perfect for that time of year.
Even better, few tourists.

  1. Worth it.
  2. Agree with already mentioned 6th Arr, but will throw in Le Marais for a much closer feel of old Paris.

Agree on the 6th. I would also look at Lima. No jet lag. So many great restaurants. It is summer.

George

Thank you – will check that out!

I go to Paris in February, and will be there in 2019 at that time. I usually stay in the 9th, but as others have mentioned the 6th is very centrally located and easy to navigate from. The weather won’t be too cold (mid-40s, sometimes even 50sF), though it does get dark early. That said, there are WAY fewer tourists to deal with, and you might even snag a deal or two. Almost as importantly, there are rarely any strikes at that time of year.

Yeah, I could see that meal lasting you a week. [snort.gif]

It’s February, it’s going to be cold. Possibly rainy, too. Keep that in mind, but it’ll be a blast. Metro stops are all over the place, but given rain, bring an umbrella and use Uber. Much, much more convenient than taxi. Exception - use metro during commute hours if you’re criss-crossing Paris; I’ve routinely spent an hour getting from Issy to Gran Palais/Louvre when stuck in a vehicle.

Re: where to stay - I’d also consider the Les Halles area. Lot of great shops, restaurants and artsy things to do… but still very walkable to other destinations.

Cassoulet is a slam dunk here as is warm Mont d’Or cheese.

Paris is great anytime, but of course my wife and I have been there well over 20 times. Sounds like a lot, but at 72 and having gone 2 Europe once or twice a year, regardless of where we go we usually connect through Paris for a couple of days on the way home. Stayed at multiple hotels all over central Paris at various price points. On our last several visits we have stayed at Hotel Vernueil in the 7th bordering the 6th. Highly recommended for several reasons: very reasonable, great location on left bank surrounded by metro stops and 2 short blocks to the Seine, wifi, Internet, comfortable , welcoming and helpful staff, AC (not needed in November ). Meets our basic needs quite well. We have long since given up 5 stars, although I did enjoy the Maurice and the Four Seasons.

Corey,

I don’t know how often you have been to Paris, but I would think that if the weather is cold, you could easily spend days in museums and eating. I have not been to Paris in February and generally would not want to go then (we were once in Rome in the winter and it rained almost every day), but we have been to Paris on rainy days. On one of them we went to the Musee d’Orsay during the day and then had a wonderful dinner at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. So, I would say not necessarily the best time to go but I would think you would have lots of fun anyway.


This summer we were in Paris for two stints (before and after Beaune). On our first stint, we stayed at the Renaissance Paris Vendome Hotel. Luxury Boutique Hotel in Paris | Renaissance Paris Vendome We stayed there because we had Marriott points and did not pay for the hotel (which was nice [cheers.gif] ). The hotel was very nice but not great - but the location was spectacular. Very convenient to walking places.

Wow. This is a thread I am going to follow closely!

After a LOT of back and forth on ideas, I just booked a trip to Paris the first two weeks of February next year. I get a sabbatical and it’s really the only time I can do it. Never been to the Louvre and many other museums. Going to buy a museum pass and plan to relax in cafes the rest of the time. May try to do Versailles, despite the gardens being mostly closed. Lots of food and wine, obviously.

I’m also planning to travel to Reims for a night or two, as I am super excited to visit Krug!

Any other thoughts on winter ‘things to do’ - let me know! My wife will be joining me the second week and we’ll celebrate our anniversary in Paris.

February will likely be cold and grey with some rain. Worth it? I love less touristy times of year. You’re a Chicagoan aren’t you? It won’t be that cold.

To be central to the action, you probably can’t beat recommendations for the 6e and Marais.

My Sis lives out near La Defense. Don’t stay out there…but I do enjoy it having done a fair bit of the downtown thing. Prices for everything drop pretty significantly with distance from the Louvre. The best of Parisian food and wines are all closer to downtown.

Just returned from a week trip. My first full day was spent at Euro Disney with 2 x 10 year olds. It’s not quite my idea of hell…but one makes sacrifices for family.

RT

Versailles is worthwhile, even the indoors…which can take most of a day. The gardens are fantastic and I’d really recommend touring them in nice weather. Just did a 4+ hour cycling tour and only covered half of the gardens (including the Trianon and Hameau). A knowledgeable guide is worth the premium…even if the facts behind half the stories are dubious. Turns out Versailles gets 7+ million visitors per year, 2nd busiest attraction in the Paris region behind the Louvre. No doubt there’ll be fewer in the Winter.

RT

I actually found that Versailles without the gardens wasn’t worth the time. It’s a huge property (just trying to comprehend the size is amazing) but the inside is mostly empty rooms. That said, clearly many, many others feel differently.

Less likely to encounter this in February. A good guide can really make the experience.

RT

Thanks Richard, Howard, Andrew, Michel, Ramon.

Michael, there’s a chance that we might do Italy instead, but I think Paris will win out. In any case, perhaps we can meet up there, since it’s impossible to get together in Chicago! Seriously – let’s compare notes in advance of our trips.

We were there in July. Rented a 2/2 Airbnb with AC in the 3rd Le Marais. Great location.