Is Paris in March right for you?

March is a month of transition: A chill is still in the air — but it lacks winter’s lovely coziness. The first real signs of spring come with the budding trees — but proper warm weather and flowers will arrive at the end of the month, or more likely in April and May. Don’t even think of leaving home without a jacket, and you’re statistically more likely to need an umbrella than at any other time in the year, except January.

It’s classic shoulder season: more events, more crowds — but fewer of both than the city will see in the months to come. If you’re thinking of coming in March, here’s what to expect — in terms of events, inconveniences, top-quality events, and more.

Paris in March: Quick Reference

Paris in March: Weather breakdown

March weather is a conundrum: It has the second-highest number of rainy days (at 16.1, tied with December, only January has more) — and yet it has the second-lowest average amount of precipitation (only September is drier). The conclusion: In March, it rains often but little. Bring layers!

In March, February’s warming trend continues, as shown in this map, produced by WeatherSpark:

As the month starts, the average high temperature is 49 — by its end, it’s risen to 56. Hotter weather is on its way!

Let’s not forget another defining feature of Paris weather in March: the wind. I think of March as a very windy month, though this impression isn’t backed by stats. Paris wind increases through the autumn until January, when it starts decreasing again until the stillest month, August. March/April is generally considered the end of the windy times.

All that rain belies increasing daylight, so if your mood is soured by showers, it might be buoyed by longer days. When the month starts, sunset comes at 6:34 PM — but by the end, it’s not until 8:20 PM! (This is aided by the switch to Daylight Savings mid-month.) Sunrise, meanwhile, shifts from 7:32 AM on March 1 back to 6:34 AM on March 31.

And we cross into 12 hours of daylight by March 20!

In terms of what to pack: Depending on where you’re coming from, you could maybe (maybe!) ditch the winter coat. Sub in jackets with rain protection, and voluminous scarves. Think, as always, in layers: tees, sweaters and sweatshirts. Jeans and pants, plus long skirts and dresses.

Crowds, Prices, and Travel Atmosphere

Everything is medium — there’s no other way to put it. Crowds and prices will peak in the summer, having bottomed out in January. March is on the upswing, but we’re not there yet, and you shouldn’t have to fight for space — in hotels, on planes, and elsewhere.

Consider it pretty low-key! If you dislike both crowds and bad weather, March might be a good happy medium, with changeable skies and chilly temps but less competition for space.

12 Reasons to Visit Paris in March

1. Spring is here: flower edition!
If your heart warms at the sight of blossoming trees, Paris has loads. Consulting with my “Year of Blooms” calendar, I see evidence of flowering cherry trees as early as mid-March. (Though I generally find the weather pretty similar to NYC, expect flowering trees to show up a couple weeks earlier than you’d expect there). The flower beds — there and elsewhere in the city, including the wonderful Jardin des plantes — will have hyacinths and daffodils as well.

Important note! The garden at Giverny won’t open until April 1, so schedule accordingly — if you’re a flower person, it’s absolutely

2. Crowds still not awful
They’re on the rise, and you’ll see a noticeable bump come April — but we’re still on the low side.

3. Fashion Week!
Even if you’re not in the biz, you’ll see evidence of fashion week all around, as designers, stylists, photographers, models, media, and more set up camp here for Paris Fashion Week. While most events are industry-only, there truly is a buzz in the air, and you’ll see longer lines and cooler crowds in the city’s more fashionable neighborhoods, including the Marais and around the major venues, including the Carrousel du Louvre and the Grand Palais. The exact dates change every year, but it’s generally the first week of March.

4. Café culture heating up (without outside heaters)
Life en terrasse really never stops — even during the winter, when outdoor heaters do the job the sun has abandoned. But with marginally warmer weather, café-goers begin to return en masse, and the bulky outdoor heaters are slowly stowed for the season.

5. Eiffel Tower watch: still not terrible
Crowds have risen to “medium” levels, according to the tower’s website, but you can still make good by visiting when it’s quietest: between 8 and 10 PM.

6. The Paris half-marathon
Paris’s full marathon comes a month later, in early April, but those hoping to run 21 kilometers through the city’s streets will have their shot in early March, alongside 40,000 other runners. The course is flattish and fast, touring the Bois de Vincennes before returning to the Place de la Bastille. 

7. Spring is here: vegetables edition!
Asparagus! Leeks! Radishes! Corsican pomelos! Spring’s earliest produce begin showing up in markets citywide, and on special, springtime-y menus. These seasonal appearances give chefs something fun and new to work with — always try one if you can. To see what’s new, visit one of the regular street markets or just a regular fruit ‘n’ veg shop.

8. International day trips!
March is too early for somethings, and too late for others — but it’s the perfect time to take advantage of Europe’s rail network and add a second country to your itinerary. You can be in London in around two hours and 20 minutes, Brussels even faster, Zurich in four, and Amsterdam in three and a half. This might be the best time of year for a trip like this, when temperates are moderate and crowds not near their summer peaks. 

9. The Foire de Chatou
The city’s “schmanciest antiques market” sets up on  on the city’s eastern edge twice a year on the Île de Chatou — a.k.a. the Île des Impressionistes, thanks to its history as a carousing ground for Claude Monet and Gustave Caillebotte. This is a much fancier proposition than the weekly market at Vanves and more similar to those at Clignancourt; bring a flexible attitude toward spending or a window-shopper’s appreciation for beautiful objects.

10. St. Patrick’s Day
Though certainly not as significant a holiday as it is elsewhere, the Irish Cultural Centre hosts a week’s worth of fun exhibitions and performances.

11. Reasonable — though not exceptional — hotel savings
Hotel occupancies are midway between their winter lows and summer highs. As always, if you’re worried about hotel costs, book as early as possible or consider looking outside city limits to save money.

12. Last call for the most popular attractions
Want to see the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles? Maybe the Mona Lisa or Winged Victory at the Louvre? In the mood for a (relatively) stress-free visit through the place du Tertre in Montmartre? Outside of another global public health emergency, we’re unlikely to encounter these places free of competition for space — but a few weeks from now, the crowds will really turn up, and we’ll be thinking back to the quiet days of March with affection. Or maybe you don’t mind crowds — or in fact are energized by them.

Downsides of Visiting in March

The downsides of visiting in March include:

• unpredictability, weather wise: maybe be beautiful, might be terrible
• the sense that better things are to come
• autumn might be the better shoulder season

The real problem, I think, is actually #2: Better things are around the corner. The bulk of spring and summer festivals, reliably good weather, late nights on the Seine — they’re just weeks away. But it’s still March. It’s still windy and rainy and blustery, and you might need a T-shirt or you might need a parka. Who can say? A March trip is by nature unpredictable. 

And in terms of #3: late autumn — a.k.a. shoulder season part II — sees similar dips in airfares and hotel rates, but the weather (at least until mid-November) is usually sunnier, plus you have all the harvest festivals, and the fun of the holidays coming up. In my opinion, March is inferior to high season, inferior to the autumn shoulder season — and even in a way inferior to January and February, if you love cozy vibes. “A jack of all trades, master of none” kind of month.

Verdict: Is March Right for You?

All that said!! I feel like I introduce all these verdicts by saying “all that said,” and it’s true every time, because there really is no bad time to visit Paris. Cue up a thousand “Paris is never a bad idea” pillows.

March is right for you if you’re looking for a medium-warm porridge kind of trip: The weather’s not too cold, not too hot. The city’s not too crowded, but not empty, either. Airfare and hotels aren’t too expensive, but not cheap in the way that reflects an undesirable destination. Your odds of a 20-degree day are exceedingly low, as is the more worrying possibility of a 105-degree day. And moderate temperatures, plus moderate crowds, make it easy to see a lot, and rather efficiently.

I hem, I haw: March is a little bit of everything. Just look at the three pictures on this page — March! Sunny and beautiful! Rainy and terrible! You buy your ticket, and take the ride!