The weather in Paris in February
According to Météo-France's 1991-2020 averages for the Paris-Montsouris station, February has a mean temperature of 6°C, with lows around 3.3°C and highs around 8.8°C. On average 41.8 mm of rain falls over about 9 days of precipitation, and there are just over 5 days of frost in the month. Sunshine remains limited, about 84 hours over the month, but it increases noticeably compared with January.
Days lengthen by about an hour and a half over the month: on 1 February 2027 the sun rises around 8:23am and sets around 5:46pm; on 28 February it rises around 7:37am and sets around 6:31pm. Snow is occasional and melts quickly in central Paris, but an episode like the one in February 2018 cannot be ruled out. Wind and humidity often make the cold feel sharper than the thermometer suggests: plan outdoor activities around the middle of the day.
To compare February with the other seasons before setting your dates, read our guide to the best time to visit Paris.
Crowds: watch out for the winter holidays
February starts quietly, then the French winter school holidays follow one another by zone from 6 February. In 2027, zone C, which includes Paris and the Île-de-France region, is the first to break up:
- Zone C (Paris, Créteil, Versailles, Montpellier, Toulouse): from Saturday 6 February to Monday 22 February 2027.
- Zone A (Lyon, Bordeaux, Grenoble, Dijon…): from Saturday 13 February to Monday 1 March 2027.
- Zone B (Lille, Marseille, Nantes, Strasbourg…): from Saturday 20 February to Monday 8 March 2027.
During the zone C holidays some Parisians leave town, but sites for children fill up: the Cité des sciences, the Natural History Museum, the Aquarium and museum workshops. From 13 February, families from zones A and B arrive in turn. The first days of February, up to Friday 5, remain the quietest window of the month. If you are travelling with children, our guide to Paris with kids details suitable activities.
Hotel prices in February
February is one of the months when accommodation in Paris is most affordable, outside school holidays and major trade shows. As a benchmark, our selection of Paris hotels by budget lists double rooms from about €60 to €90 in budget hotels and €130 to €250 in the mid-range, outside high season (prices observed in September 2026). These amounts do not include the tourist tax, charged per person and per night.
Two periods push demand back up: the Valentine's Day weekend and the last week of the month, when the opening of the Agricultural Show (27 February) comes shortly before women's Fashion Week (1 to 9 March). For a stay in late February or early March, book several weeks ahead and compare neighbourhoods with good metro links.
Key dates in February 2027
Candlemas, the end of the sales and Mardi Gras
On Tuesday 2 February, Candlemas (la Chandeleur), crêperies and bakeries put crêpes in the spotlight. The winter sales, which opened on Wednesday 6 January 2027, end the same day: the last days bring the biggest markdowns but a smaller choice. See our guide to sales in Paris. Tuesday 9 February is Mardi Gras, a good excuse to try beignets and bugnes from a bakery.
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February and begins the Year of the Goat, also called the Year of the Sheep. Celebrations continue until the Lantern Festival on 20 February. In Paris the main parade takes place in the 13th arrondissement, around avenue de Choisy and avenue d'Ivry; its day and route are announced by the 13th arrondissement town hall during the winter. Tips on where to stand and which neighbourhoods to know are in our guide to Chinese New Year in Paris.
Valentine's Day on a Sunday
In 2027, 14 February falls on a Sunday, in the middle of the zone C holidays. Some restaurants close on Sunday evenings: book early if you want dinner that night, or move it to Saturday 13. Special menus are often set at a higher fixed price than the usual à la carte. For ideas on walks, views and restaurants, see Paris for couples.
The Six Nations at the Stade de France
The French rugby team plays two home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis in February: against Wales on Saturday 6 February at 5:40pm, then against Scotland on Sunday 21 February at 4:10pm. On those days RER B and D and metro line 13 are very crowded before and after the match, and sports bars across the city fill up.
Late February: the Agricultural Show and Fashion Week
The Salon international de l'agriculture (Paris International Agricultural Show) runs from Saturday 27 February to Sunday 7 March 2027 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (metro 12, Porte de Versailles; tram T2 and T3a). Prize livestock, regional produce and tastings draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every year: the first weekend is the busiest, weekday mornings are more comfortable. All our visiting tips are in the guide to the Agricultural Show.
Contrary to a common belief, women's Fashion Week is not held in February in 2027. According to the calendar of the Fédération de la haute couture et de la mode, the women's autumn-winter 2027-2028 collections are shown from Monday 1 to Tuesday 9 March 2027, after men's week (19 to 24 January) and haute couture (25 to 28 January). If you want to soak up the atmosphere of the shows, extend your stay into early March and read our guide to Paris Fashion Week.
Exhibitions to see in February 2027
Several major exhibitions of the 2026-2027 season are still open in February. These have confirmed dates:
- "Un vestiaire à soi. Féminités dissidentes au 19e siècle" (A Wardrobe of One's Own), at the Palais Galliera, Paris fashion museum (10 avenue Pierre-Ier-de-Serbie, 75116 Paris), until Sunday 14 February 2027. Nearly 500 pieces show how 19th-century women appropriated the male wardrobe. Open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 6pm, late opening on Friday until 9pm; admission up to €14, booking required.
- "Gustave Fayet. Collectionneur – Créateur" (Collector – Creator), at the Fondation Louis Vuitton (8 avenue du Mahatma-Gandhi, 75116 Paris), until Monday 8 March 2027. More than 250 works from his collection, including Van Gogh, Gauguin and Redon, and 325 of his own creations. Admission up to €18, booking required; closed on Tuesdays.
- "Artistes au Muséum" (Artists at the Museum), in the Grande Galerie de l'Évolution of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Jardin des Plantes, 75005 Paris), until Sunday 7 March 2027. More than 300 works marking the Museum's 400th anniversary, on the links between art and natural science.
Two free dates fall early in the month: the Louvre is free for everyone during the late opening on Friday 5 February, and the Musée d'Orsay on Sunday 7 February, with a time slot booked in advance. For the full current programme, see our selection of exhibitions in Paris right now.
Ideas for cold-weather outings
When the temperature drops or the rain sets in, choose indoor places:
- The covered passages of the 2nd and 9th arrondissements, such as Galerie Vivienne or Passage des Panoramas, can be explored in the dry among shops and tearooms. See our guide to the covered passages.
- The free permanent collections of the City of Paris museums, such as the Petit Palais or the Musée Carnavalet, can be visited without a ticket: full list in free museums in Paris.
- The department stores on boulevard Haussmann, with the dome of the Galeries Lafayette free to see, combine well with a warm lunch.
- Concert halls and cinemas: February is a full season for opera, theatre and film clubs, with seats often easier to get than at the end of the year.
For a whole day under cover, our guide to Paris on a rainy day offers an hour-by-hour programme.
What to pack
- A warm, waterproof coat, or a light down jacket with a rain jacket on top.
- Several thin layers (jumper, thermal base layer) rather than one thick garment: museums, the metro and restaurants are well heated.
- Closed, waterproof and comfortable shoes for walking on wet cobblestones.
- Hat, scarf and gloves, especially for walks along the Seine or up in Montmartre.
- A compact umbrella and a power bank: cold weather drains phone batteries faster.
February 2027 at a glance
| Item | What you need to know |
|---|---|
| Average temperatures | 3.3°C minimum, 8.8°C maximum (Paris-Montsouris averages 1991-2020) |
| Rain | 41.8 mm on average, about 9 days of precipitation |
| Day length | About 9h25 on 1 February, 10h55 on 28 February |
| Zone C winter holidays (Paris) | 6 to 22 February 2027 |
| Zones A and B holidays | Zone A 13 February to 1 March, zone B 20 February to 8 March |
| End of the winter sales | Tuesday 2 February 2027 |
| Chinese New Year | Saturday 6 February 2027 |
| Valentine's Day | Sunday 14 February 2027 |
| Six Nations at the Stade de France | France–Wales on 6 February, France–Scotland on 21 February |
| Agricultural Show | 27 February to 7 March 2027, Porte de Versailles |
| Women's Fashion Week | 1 to 9 March 2027 (not in February) |
| Hotels | Among the cheapest months, outside holidays and the end of the month |
Prices observed in September 2026; event dates confirmed by their organisers at that date.
Further reading
To place February within the year, reread our guide to the best time to visit Paris. If you are travelling as a couple, Paris for couples complements the Valentine's Day section, and if the weather turns, Paris on a rainy day will help you reorganise your day.
