Is Paris in February right for you?

That depends: What do you think about the photo above?

Because that’s a pretty solid representation of Paris in February. The weather: not great. The sky: probably gray. Love locks on the Seine? Definitely in play. Paris in February can be tricky, with a mixture of gloomy days and Valentine’s Day-related crowds (which, to be clear, are a negative factor).

That said: Temperatures are recovering from January’s dip, spring blooms are on the way, and sunny breaks in the rain offer a welcome reminder of the good weather to come. Plus: It’s all incredibly cozy, and there’s nothing quite as calming as an ASMR video-adjacent stop in a warm café with a glass of mulled wine, as the rain comes down outside. It’s perfect, in its way.

Paris in February: Quick Reference

Paris in February: Weather breakdown

While February does have the statistically coldest day of the year, on February 8th, check out that warming trend! This map, produced by WeatherSpark, shares the average highs and lows for February:

The average high increases by 10 degrees from February 1 to the end of the month — an incredible rise that suggests the weather-sensitive might want to look for dates later in the month.

Despite its chilly start, February’s average high temperature in 48 — third-lowest after January and December. While the thermometer (very) occasionally dips below freezing, you’re unlikely to see much, if any, snow — for that, head for the mountains, not just the Alps but the Pyrenees, the Jura, the Vosges, and the Massif Central.

The most interesting stat isn’t the temps but what’s shown in this WeatherSpark chart: hours of daylight. At the beginning of February, it’s just 9 hours and 28 minutes — but by the end of the month, it’s just two minutes short of 11 hours. That’s a huge increase of 90 minutes of daylight per day! Another argument for coming at the tail of the month, unless you prefer gloom.

As you consider what to pack, you’ll definitely want to dress in layers, to circumvent overheated bars’ and restaurants’ desire to cook you from within, thanks to their overzealous (but deeply wonderful) heating systems. It’s scarf and gloves weather, and you’ll likely be happy with an option for waterproof shoes.

Crowds, Prices, and Travel Atmosphere

I love and hate Paris in February: The crowds start their long crawl back to the summits of June and July (for example, the hotel occupancy rate will tick up a percentage point or two from its January lows), and you’ll see high hotel costs around Valentine’s Day and the run-up to Fashion Week. Guided tours pick up their cadence, though many attractions outside of Paris will still be on restricted opening hours and public transportation options outside of the city will likely be slightly restricted. It’s a washing machine of a month, when our attention turns away from the holidays of the past season and firmly toward what’s to come.

This doesn’t make it a bad time to visit — there really isn’t a bad time to visit. It does mean advance planning: if you want to come for Valentine’s Day but without spending a fortune, if it’s important to you to spend time outside and thus want to maximize daylight and warming temps at the end of the month. Come right at the start of the month, and between the cold weather, Candlemas, and holiday lights, you’ll think it was Christmas. Come at the end, and with the blooming trees, Fashion Week antics, and brightening skies, it may very well feel like spring. It might require a little more advance planning, but a Paris trip in February can offer your choice of calm versus chaos, winter versus spring, coziness versus exploration. Just do your homework so you get the ones you want.

12 Reasons to Visit Paris in February

Here, 12 reasons to visit Paris in February:

1. Valentine’s Day
You will know if this applies to you! Some people dream of Valentine’s Day in Paris. I am not recommending this! I am only saying this is a fact. If this is your truest ambition, book early, and prepare for higher crowds and inflated prices. On the plus side, there’s often a break in the wintry weather in mid-February, and sometimes we’ll get lucky with a sunny day in the 60s or 70s.

2. Low-ish crowds
February is not empty the way January is, thanks to several big events (most of which are listed above and below): Valentine’s Day weekend is visibly busier than the rest of the month. Outside of this weekend, though, it’s not too dissimilar from January, though you’ll notice it gets busier as we head toward March, and spring.

3. Fête de la Chandeleur
Christmas lights stay up for an abnormally long time in Paris, but that’s by design: They come down at Candlemas — a.k.a. February 2, a.k.a 40 days after Christmas, commonly regarded in the U.S. as Groundhog Day, and known in Catholic circles as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ. We can also call it Crêpe Day, as it’s celebrated with crêpes. Flip a crêpe in its pan, while holding a coin in your left hand, and you’ll have good luck with money all year.

4.Tale end of the winter sales
The winter sale period end the first week of February — at this point, you’ll find the best discounts (if the most picked-over selection) of the soldes.

5. Flashes of spring
Mimosa blooms in late January, and by February you’ll see it in bouquets at flower shops across the city. It’s a beautiful, bright yellow reminder that spring is right around the corner. Depending on the weather, you might also see the earliest buds on the magnolias or fruit trees in the jardin du Luxembourg, though they won’t bloom until March and April.

6. Salon International de l’Agriculture
The International Agricultural Show brings a zillion farmers, 4,000 animals, and one “mascot cow” to the Paris Expo space at the Porte de Versailles the last 10 days of the month. It’s a major event on the Paris calendar and draws major political figures — almost as if the Iowa State Fair (and the presidential candidates who appear there) picked up from Des Moines and landed at the Jacob Javits Center. Open to the public and very well attended.

7. The pleasures of less-crowded museums
The Jardin des plantes in the 5th won’t bloom again for a couple months, but its glasshouses are full of orchids and other tropical plants. Next door at the Galerie de Géologie et de Minéralogie is one of the city’s best collections of gemstones, crystals, and minerals.

8. Lunar New Year
Chinese New Year falls either in January or February — if the latter, look for events in both of Paris’s two “Chinatowns,” in Belleville and in the 13th arrondissement southeast of the city center. Expect exhibitions, performances, street lanterns, and the grand parade, which usually travel between avenue de Choisy, porte de Choisy and avenue d’Ivry.

9. Shortish lines at the Eiffel Tower
The shortest lines of the year at the Eiffel Tower come during February, January, and November, according to its website — for additional time savings, visit from 8 PM – 10 PM.

10. Discounts on hotels and airfares
Certainly cheaper than the height of summer, though you’ll have to avoid the weekends nearest Valentine’s Day. Also be mindful of higher fares during President’s Day week/end in the U.S., plus school holidays in France and elsewhere bumping up visitor levels.

11. More sunlight in the morning
Over halfway to spring!

12. Good jumping off point for ski vacations
Headed to the Alps? It’s peak season for French and Swiss ski resorts — though watch prices spike during France’s two-week winter school holidays, which are staggered across regions and begin in mid-February.

Downsides of Visiting in February

The downsides of visiting in February include:

• the weather: still sucks
• the gray is if anything more omnipresent? (see above)
• plenty of rain
• Valentine’s Day crowds

November, January, and February are generally considered the low season. For me, February comes in last. November has the anticipation of the holidays and the arrival of holiday lights; January has post-holiday calm and a rare sense of stillness. February, though, has plenty of bustle and big events — chief among them Valentine’s Day — but the same terrible weather, so you get March’s drizzle without the promise of flowers and November’s gloom without the holiday lights.

Of course, if you’re set on a once-in-a-lifetime Valentine’s Day in Paris, have at it, though I would say this is Paris at its least romantic: gray, cold, and damp. Imagine the wobbly couple at your local “romantic restaurant” — only now they’re at every table at every restaurant in the city. Eh.

Verdict: Is February Right for You?

All that said: It’s still Paris, it’s still beautiful, and you won’t see crowds this low again until November.

If your dream is to do Valentine’s Day in Paris — well, you’ve got no other option, so book that ticket!

If you see a great deal on a plane ticket or hotel stay — take advantage of that. The Louvre doesn’t melt under sleet. Croissants are just as delicious in the cold. And a nice glass of vin chaud or chocolat chaud is never more appreciated than now.

February tests the theory that there’s no bad time to visit Paris. Ultimately, there is no bad time to visit Paris. And that includes February.

There are sunnier, buzzier, more-fun times to visit — but February might represent the best chance to see a city bestirring itself, while costs and crowds are relatively low.

And each year, I swear to God, there are a couple harbinger-of-spring-type days, with temperatures in the 60s or 70s, and plenty of sun. If you get a couple of those, you’ve truly hit the jackpot.