Travel

A Complete Guide to Deciding When to Book Your Paris Vacation

By Courtney Traub. Paris Travel Expert

A native of the notorious San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, Courtney Traub now divides her time between Paris and the UK.

A freelance writer, reporter, and editor who's worked for print, web, and radio outlets, Courtney enjoys aimless strolling around her favorite Paris neighborhoods. old movies on crackly screens. and the endless challenge of polishing her French .

When planning a trip to Paris. one of your most pressing questions is likely to be when is the best time to go? If you re set to visit Paris for the first time, you may be persuaded that the much-lauded Paris in the springtime is the obvious choice-- but depending on your budget, tolerance for large crowds, and your personal centers of interest, another time of year may in fact suit you much better.

Similarly, if you ve been to Paris before, you may wonder whether a fall or winter visit will be worthwhile, given rumors of cold, bitter conditions and gloomy, unsociable locals. The reality, though, is far more nuanced-- the winter holiday season in Paris offers plenty of light and celebration as the city lights up for Christmas and other winter holidays. In the fall, meanwhile, events like the Montmartre Wine Harvest (Vendanges)  and Nuit Blanche. an all-night arts and culture event that sees crowds throng the streets for free exhibits and performances, bring the city to life in a memorable way.

As a long-time resident of the city of light, my own perspective is that every season here has its charms and pitfalls, pros and cons-- as they do anywhere else, of course! There s no ideal time, in short, and deciding when to book is a highly personal decision that will depend on a number of factors.