Paris is every bit as charming in the rain as it is in the sun. However, if you’re only visiting for a short while, you might want to have some activities up your sleeve so that you can still enjoy Paris in the rain. With world-class museums, endless patisseries and a shopping scene that rivals any other, you’re still in for a treat.
Here’s how we think you can still enjoy Paris in the rain:
Visit a museum
Museums are the cultural treasures of Paris and so a must-visit whatever the weather. But if the heavens have opened, what better excuse? There’s the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and not forgetting the Foundation Louis Vuitton. You’ll be barely scratching the surface with a staggering 130+ museums in Paris to choose from. With a museum pass you’ll be free to hop around over 50 museums, galleries, monuments and more. For more museum suggestions, check out our guide to the 10 Best Museums in Paris.
For Musée du Louvre:
Classic Route – Red Route, Stop: Louvre-Pont des Arts
For Musée d’Orsay:
Classic Route – Red Route, Stop: Musée d’Orsay
For Foundation Louis Vuitton:
Classic Route – Red Route, Stop: Trocadéro
Sample Parisian Pastries
When it comes to wiling away the hours over a good coffee and a tasty pastry (or 2), Paris is the perfect host. The city is filled with impressive patisseries, with shop windows filled with sweet delights. For an art deco inspired afternoon, and perhaps the best macaroon you’ll ever taste, grab a table at Carette Paris. Or for a very indulgent time, visit the famous Angelina Paris. For the rest of our list of recommendations, see our Ultimate Guide to Afternoon Tea in Paris.
For Carette Paris:
Classic Route – Red, Stop: Trocadéro
For Angelina Paris:
Classic Route – Red Route, Stop: Louvre-Pont des Arts
Retail therapy on the inside
In and around the area of Grands Boulevards, you’ll find around 20 les passages couverts – charming glass-roofed, covered passageways of shops, tea rooms and restaurants. So Paris in the rain doesn’t seem like such a bad thing hey? Built mainly in the 18th and 19th century, the architecture of these galleries are worth a visit alone. The best we can recommend for a few hours of mooching are Passage Jouffroy and Passage Verdeau. You’ll find everything little boutiques selling everything from fashion and jewellery to cameras and furniture.
For Passage Jouffroy & Passage Verdeau:
Classic Route – Red Route, Stop: Opéra Garnier
Go Underground
Les Catacombes is a fascinating network of tunnels that run under much of Paris. During the era of the Revolutionary Terror, public burial pits were overflowing and so the bones of six million people were moved to the catacombs. The statistics alone are hard to comprehend. Walls are packed tight with the bones of Marat and Robespierre along with their fellow citizens, housed in the ‘empire of death’. Not just a way to get away from Paris in the rain, a way to learn about a significant era in French history.
And that’s our roundup of activities to enjoy Paris in the rain. And of course, we’re just scratching the surface here. If you hop on a (dry and cosy) sightseeing bus tour, we’ll transport you around the entire city to cover the rest. And if you don’t fancy hopping off, simply stay on board for a scenic spin around Paris. Enjoy!
