Things to do in Paris in August: weather, events and outings

Paris weather in August: normals and heatwaves

According to Météo-France's 1991-2020 normals for the Paris-Montsouris station, August has an average high of 25.6°C and an average low of 16.0°C, almost the same as July (average high of 25.7°C). An average of 58 mm of rain falls, spread over about 8 days, often during late-afternoon thunderstorms. Average sunshine reaches 215 hours. There are on average 15 days at 25°C or above and 5 days at 30°C or above; the station's record is 39.5°C, on 11 August 2003.

These averages now underestimate the real heat. According to Météo-France's review, summer 2026 was the hottest observed in France since 1900. Its third heatwave lasted from 28 July to 19 August, 23 days in all, and up to 83 departments were placed on orange heatwave alert on 13 and 14 August. For a stay in August 2027, allow for the possibility of several days above 35°C.

On very hot days, plan outdoor visits before 11am and after 6pm, and keep the middle of the day for cool places:

• The Paris Catacombs, where the temperature stays around 14°C all year round; book a time slot in advance.
• Churches, whose thick walls keep the cool in.
• Shady parks and woods: bois de Vincennes, parc Montsouris, Buttes-Chaumont. During heatwaves, the City of Paris may extend the opening of some parks into the night.

Carry a water bottle: water from public fountains is safe to drink (see our guide to tap water in Paris). The days get shorter as the month goes on: the sun sets at about 9.40pm on 1 August and about 8.40pm on 31 August.

Paris in August: a quieter city, but not an empty one

The summer school holidays begin on Saturday 3 July 2027 for all zones, and pupils go back to school on Thursday 2 September 2027. In August, traffic flows more easily and residential neighbourhoods empty out, but the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre and the banks of the Seine remain very busy.

Shops and restaurants closed for the holidays

Many independent restaurants, neighbourhood bistros, wine shops and small shops close for their annual holidays, often from late July to late August. If you are aiming for a specific address, check its summer opening hours before you go. Chains, department stores and restaurants in tourist areas generally stay open.

Bakeries and their rotas

For two centuries, the prefecture set, each summer, the list of bakeries allowed to close in July or August, to guarantee bread in every neighbourhood. This obligation was abolished by the law of 20 December 2014 on simplifying business life. Since then, bakers have coordinated with their neighbours so as not to close at the same time, without any obligation: a street sometimes goes without a bakery for two weeks.

Hotel prices

August is not a low season for Paris hotels. Business travellers disappear, but they are replaced by tourists: according to the overview published by Coach Omnium in 2026, the occupancy rate of Paris hotels never fell below 70% in 2025, with a low point in January and a peak of 87.5% in June. Hotels aimed at business travellers sometimes lower their rates, but not those in central neighbourhoods. Compare areas in our guide to Paris hotels by budget and check for air conditioning, which is not standard in small, older hotels. For public transport, a single Métro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 (price checked in September 2026).

15 August: Assumption Day and public holiday

Assumption Day, 15 August, is the only public holiday of the month. In 2027 it falls on a Sunday: there is therefore no long weekend and no extra closure day. Shops that usually close on Sundays stay closed, public transport runs a Sunday service, and the major sites open on Sundays (Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Palace of Versailles) operate as normal. It is the week when the most neighbourhood shops are closed.

At Notre-Dame de Paris, the Assumption is marked every year by a Marian procession. In 2026, the programme included a torchlight procession on the forecourt the evening before, then on 15 August a procession setting off from the forecourt at 3.45pm, with the statue of the Virgin and Child, followed by vespers at 5.15pm and a mass at 6pm. Cathedral visits were reduced over these two days. The Diocese of Paris had not yet published the 2027 programme in September 2026.

Another date in the month: every 25 August, the City of Paris commemorates the 1944 Liberation of Paris with official ceremonies.

Paris Plages and swimming in the Seine

Every summer, Paris Plages sets up sand, deckchairs, parasols and free activities on the Right Bank quays (Rives de Seine park) and around the bassin de la Villette. In 2026, the event ran from 4 July to the end of August; the City has not yet announced the 2027 dates.

Since 2025, you can also swim in the Seine at three free, supervised sites: Bras Marie (4th), Bercy (12th) and the Bras de Grenelle (15th). In 2026, they were open from 4 July to 30 August, with different hours depending on the site. Swimming may be suspended after a storm if water quality deteriorates. Rules, opening hours and tips are covered in our guide to swimming in the Seine.

Events in August 2027

Open-air cinema at La Villette

Every summer, the parc de la Villette screens free films on its large lawn. In 2026, the 35th edition ran from 22 July to 16 August, Wednesday to Sunday, with a children's screening at 6pm and the main film at 9pm. The 2027 dates had not been announced in September 2026. Programme, access and practical tips: see our guide to open-air cinema at La Villette.

Rock en Seine: late August, 2027 dates to come

The festival is held every year at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud, just west of Paris (metro Boulogne-Pont de Saint-Cloud, line 10). The 2026 edition took place over five days, from 26 to 30 August, with tickets from €79 a day and a five-day pass at €229 (prices checked in September 2026). The 2027 dates have not yet been announced; the festival usually takes place on the last weekend of August.

End of the sales

The 2027 summer sales run from Wednesday 23 June to Tuesday 20 July. By August they are over and shops switch to their back-to-school collections. Rules and good addresses are in our guide to the sales in Paris.

Ideas for outings in August

August favours evening outings, when the heat eases:

• A late-afternoon cruise: boats on the Seine offer a little breeze, and departures after sunset show the monuments lit up. Companies, durations and prices are compared in our guide to Seine cruises.
• A drink up high: rooftop terraces catch the breeze and the late sunsets of early in the month. Our selection of the best rooftops in Paris shows which ones to book.
• A waterside picnic: canal Saint-Martin, bassin de la Villette, the tip of the île Saint-Louis.
• A morning stroll in the Marais or Montmartre, calmer and cooler before 10am.

Exhibitions to see in August 2027

Several exhibitions announced by the City of Paris museums in their 2026-2027 programme close during the month:

• Leonor Fini at the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris, until 15 August 2027: nearly 200 works by this artist close to the Surrealists.
• Józef Czapski, at the same museum and until the same date: the first French monograph on the Polish painter and writer.
• An exhibition on the environmental history of Paris at the musée Carnavalet, until 22 August 2027: the links between the city, the Seine, its underground and the climate.
• André Derain, l'art est un jeu (André Derain, art is a game) at the musée Bourdelle, until Sunday 1 August 2027: the last day to visit is at the start of the month.

The permanent collections of the City of Paris museums are free; temporary exhibitions are ticketed. The summer programmes of the national museums and foundations had not yet been published in September 2026.

What to pack

• Light, loose clothing, in cotton or linen, and a light layer for the evenings and air-conditioned rooms.
• Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen: sunshine exceeds 200 hours over the month.
• A reusable water bottle, to refill at public fountains.
• A swimsuit and towel if you plan to swim in the Seine.
• A compact umbrella for late-afternoon thunderstorms.
• A light jumper for the Catacombs, where it is 14°C.

August 2027 at a glance

Prices checked in September 2026. Dates shown are those published by the organisers at that time.

Further reading

For the season's other highlights, our guide to Paris in summer covers terraces, gardens and outings in July and August. If you are still deciding on the month of your trip, read the best time to visit Paris. And for an overview of the year, see our Paris festival calendar.