6 Best Things to Do in Spring in Paris

Paris spring fashion week transforms the city into a global style capital, featuring runway shows and exciting events that highlight cutting-edge designs from renowned and emerging fashion houses. A glamorous buzz fills Paris during spring fashion week in March, when the world’s designers, celebrities and superstar models come to gossip and strut.

Though the shows held near The Louvre are for industry only, department stores like Galleries Lafayette and Printemps hold fashion shows, and the Paris boutiques dress up for the event.

City walks and cycle routes await you in springtime, when the trees are in blossom, the flowers are blooming, and the Paris sunshine puts a bounce in everyone’s step. Riverside quays are lined with booksellers and the chestnut trees on the Champs-Élysées are tipped with freshly minted green.

Paris specializes in city walks, and whether you choose the grand public buildings of the Palais-Royal or the neighborhood backstreets of Belleville, spring is the best time to take a wander. Or go for a bike ride through the city on a self-service Vélib’ bicycle provided by the City of Paris. Hire a bike from Bastille and cycle north through the Paris suburbs to the Bois de Vincennes parklands.

A Paris spring break at Easter means special church services at Notre Dame Cathedral and festive meals. It also means plenty of chocolate, with children’s Easter egg hunts organized at parks like Buttes-Chaumont and Bois de Boulogne.

Chocolate shops all over Paris fill their windows with artfully displayed chocolate bunnies, hens, eggs, bells and fish. Standout chocolatiers include Patrick Roger in the Latin Quarter, Christian Constant near the Luxembourg Gardens and Fauchon, on the Right Bank of the River Seine near the Madeleine church.

For one night in May, the museums and galleries of Paris stay open until midnight and host an array of cultural shows and events. As the sun sets over the city, the streets come alive with culture as art enthusiasts and visitors immerse themselves in exhibitions and discover the vibrant nighttime atmosphere.

There might be film screenings at the The Louvre, string quartets at the Carnavalet Museum, late-night modern art exhibits at the Pompidou Centre and contemporary dance at the Orsay Museum. Entrance to the museums and events is free for the evening.

Luxembourg Garden holds a special place in the hearts of Parisians. Here, spring softens the tree-lined walkways with dappled green, and the garden beds are a riot of colour as hyacinths, tulips and apple trees bloom.

As the weather warms up, people play games of outdoor chess or sit beside the tranquil ponds, while children ride the merry-go-round and ponies. The circular basin becomes a home for toy sailing boats, and there are puppet shows in one of Paris’s most renowned theatres. Check out the apiary if you’d like to discover the beauty of artisanal honey-making.