Paris in September: What to Do, Weather & Events

Paris Weather in September & what to pack

As the summer fades Paris continues to enjoy warm sunny days and cool evenings. As Parisians send their kids back to school, the city settles into a calmer atmosphere. Crowds in the central tourist areas are more manageable. The warm days still becon you outside to enjoy a stroll through one of Paris’s parks.

• Average Temperatures: High 65°F (18°C) | Low 50°F (10°C)
• Rainfall: On average September has 9 days of rain – the end of the month often ushers in rainer days

What To Pack For Paris In September

As Audrey Hepburn said, Paris is always a good idea – and we completely agree. Paris offers marvelous experiences all year round, so there isn’t a bad time to come. As the weather changes layers are your friend. Layering lighter clothing that allows you to adjust from cooler mornings to warmer days back to cooler evenings is key. As always we recommend a versatile capsule wardrobe with mix and match pieces. Parisian style is actually quite simple – so worry less about fashion and more about comfort and pack light. Bring along a scarf and/or a cardigan sweater for warmth and to sharpen your more casual outfits. Opt for stylish sneakers to allow you to walk. Leave the fall boots with high heels at home – they are not usually designed for the cobblestones of Paris.

What’s On In Paris In September

Journees Du Patrimonie – European Heritage Days

Admission: Free | Location: Sites Throughout Central Paris
On September 19 and 20 Paris opens many of its monuments, public buildings, city halls and other locations to the public. It is a rare chance to see some of Paris’s most interesting, beautiful and historical places. Among the spaces to see are the Le Palais de l’Élysée (the French National Palace and home of the President) and the L’Assemblée Nationale (the French parliament building). For a full schedule of events and openings visit jds.fr/paris

Fetes Des Jardins – Paris Garden Festival

On the weekend of September 26 and 27 Paris opens its gardens – including many private spaces – to the public. This is a particularly good time to visit the Jardin des Plantes with its outdoor gardens and indoor botanical garden (5th arron, Metro: Jussieu (line 7) or Gare d’Austerlitz (lines 5&10)). Parks and gardens all over the city feature public education events about the green spaces of the city, their ecology and their history. For a full schedule of events visit the official City of Paris paris.fr/evenements

Paris Fashion Week

Among fashion’s biggest events of the year, the fall shows in Paris focus on womens wear for the following year’s Spring/Summer styles. Fashion week brings designers, celebrities and fans from all over the world to attend the shows (défilés in French). Tickets to the official, big name shows are by invitation only and venues often include major monuments or sites around town. Smaller shows from independent designers sometimes do sell tickets and there are some public events in the schedule. For a full list of events visit fhcm.paris/en. If you are interested in fashion don’t miss the Palais Galliera fashion museum near the Champs Elysees. For more information visit their website at palaisgalliera.paris.fr. Book tickets for Palais Galliera here→

Fall Museum Shows

Starting September 15 the Musee D’Orsay celebrates the 250th birthday of the United States with two exhibitions focused on the Statue of Liberty. The first is A Statue For Liberty – Barthodi’s Dream From Paris to New York and the second is Auguste Barthodi – Liberty Enlightening the World.

Opening September 30, the Musee de l’Orangerie marks the 100th year since Monet’s death with a special retrospective exhibit. The show brings together 40 paintings loaned from the Musée d’Orsay, the Musée Marmottan Monet, and other collections as highlights of Monet’s career from his early impressionist work to the Water Lilies collection housed permanently at the museum.

Best Things To Do In Paris In September

Here are some of our favorite things to do in Paris in September.

🎭 Experience Paris Cabaret

Attending a cabaret show at the Moulin Rouge or Crazy Horse venues is one of those Paris experiences that lives up to the hype. Each has its own history and character.

Moulin Rouge

The Moulin Rouge in French literally means “Red Mill.” The venue and its cabaret show is a living piece of French culture and history that has sat at the heart of Montmartre’s bohemian nightlife for over 130 years. Today, the Moulin Rouge presents its revue show “Féerie” — a spectacular production featuring 100 performers, over 1,000 costumes, elaborate sets, acrobats, magicians, ventriloquists, and yes, the famous finale and its Cancan dance. 

Crazy Horse

The Crazy Horse Paris (officially Le Crazy Horse de Paris) is one of the most iconic cabaret venues in the world. Founded in 1951 by Alain Bernardin on the prestigious Avenue George V, just steps from the Champs-Élysées, it has been dazzling audiences for over 70 years with a unique blend of dance, light artistry, and avant-garde choreography. While the Moulin Rouge offers a large-scale dinner show format, the Crazy Horse is a far more intimate and artistic experience. The venue seats only about 350 people, which means every seat delivers an up-close view of the stage.

⭐ Learn Something New

Paris offers the chance to participate in aspects of French culture that are world-famous. You can learn about the tradition of perfume making and make your own scent, you can take a baking class or take a deep dive into French wine. Some of our favorite classes and activities include:

• Perfume Workshops: Perfume workshops are one of the most memorable and genuinely unique things to do in Paris. Paris has been the global capital of perfumery for over three centuries – so there’s no better place in the world to learn this art. All you need is your own curiousity – no experience needed as an expert perfumer guides you though the process. At the end of a perfume class, you leave with a beautiful bottle of a perfume that is your own signature. More On Our Favorite Perfume Workshops →
• Pastry Classes: A pastry class over a 2 to 4 hour period offers a hands-on baking experience with a professional French chef (a pâtissier or boulanger). You learn to make a French classic: macarons, a croissant, an éclair or a tart. By the end of the session you take home what you make. More On Our Favorite Pastry Classes→
• Wine Tasting: Tasting wine in Paris is one of those experiences that sounds intimidating until you actually do it — and then you wonder why you hesitated. Whether you want to sip Grand Cru Bordeaux in a historic cellar or learn to pair Burgundy with perfectly aged cheese,Paris has a wine experience designed exactly for you. More On Our Favorite Wine Tasting Experiences →

Things To Book Before You Arrive

If you are planning to visit Paris in September you will be there as the summer crowds are tapering off – but it is still recommended to book ahead for some of the city’s more prominent attractions – including those below.

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