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

Paris weather in July: normals and heatwaves

According to Météo-France's 1991-2020 normals for the Paris-Montsouris station, July is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 25.7°C and an average low of 16.2°C. An average of 59.4 mm of rain falls, mostly during late-afternoon thunderstorms, and average sunshine reaches 222.4 hours. The station's all-time record dates from 25 July 2019: 42.6°C.

The days are long: the sun sets at about 10pm in early July and about 9.30pm at the end of the month. These averages hide increasingly frequent hot spells, with nights that stay above 20°C in the stone-paved streets of the centre.

Heatwave plan and cool places

When a heatwave alert is issued, the City of Paris activates its extreme heat plan. In summer 2026, 14 parks and gardens stayed open until midnight from 4 July to 6 September, including the Buttes-Chaumont park and parc Montsouris, and others were added during heat peaks. The City publishes a map of « îlots de fraîcheur » (cool islands): gardens, swimming pools, fountains, misters and cooled rooms in the district town halls. The 3975 number gives information on these services; elderly, disabled or vulnerable people can sign up to the REFLEX register there so that they are called during a hot spell.

In practice, visit outdoor sites early in the morning, keep museums for the afternoon and carry a water bottle: water from public fountains is safe to drink (see our guide to tap water in Paris). The Catacombs, where the temperature stays cool all year round, are in high demand in summer: book your time slot in advance.

Crowds, prices and summer closures

The summer school holidays begin on Saturday 3 July 2027 in all zones, including zone C (Paris, Créteil, Versailles). Parisians' departures are concentrated on the weekends at the start and end of the month: stations and motorways are busy, but the city gradually empties of its residents. Foreign visitors, on the other hand, remain numerous, and the major monuments have long queues all month.

For accommodation, July is part of the high season: prices rise around 14 July and the concerts at the Stade de France. Compare neighbourhoods in our guide to Paris hotels by budget. A single Métro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55 (price checked in September 2026).

Many independent restaurants, bakeries and small shops close for several weeks for the summer holidays, especially in August but sometimes from the end of July. Closures are usually posted in the window a few days beforehand: check before crossing the city for a specific address.

Wednesday 14 July 2027 is the only public holiday of the month. Government offices and banks are closed; opening hours for shops and museums vary: check the venue's website before going that day.

Events in July 2027

14 July: parade, fireworks and firefighters' balls

Bastille Day begins in the morning with the military parade, traditionally on the Champs-Élysées, and ends in the evening with the concert and the fireworks launched from the Eiffel Tower, visible for free from the Champ-de-Mars and the Trocadéro. The bals des pompiers (firefighters' balls) take place in fire stations on the evenings of 13 and 14 July, with free entry and paid drinks. In 2026, the evening festivities had exceptionally been brought forward to 13 July; the 2027 programme had not been published in September 2026. Times, viewpoints and access: see our guide to 14 July in Paris.

Paris Plages: early July to late August

The dates of the 2027 edition had not been announced in September 2026. The 2026 edition was held from 4 July to 30 August on the banks of the Rives de Seine park (central Paris) and around the bassin de la Villette (19th), with deckchairs, games, and sports and water activities, open to all and free of charge. Expect a similar period in 2027.

Swimming in the Seine

In summer 2026, three free, supervised sites were open from 4 July to 30 August: Bras Marie (between pont Marie and pont Louis-Philippe, 4th, 8am to 6pm), Bercy (quai de Bercy, near the Simone-de-Beauvoir footbridge, 12th, 11am to 9pm) and Bras de Grenelle (opposite the île aux Cygnes, 15th). You must be able to swim and be at least 1.20 m tall; under-14s must be accompanied. Swimming may be suspended after heavy rain. Conditions and safety rules: see our guide to swimming in the Seine.

Summer sales: until Tuesday 20 July

The 2027 summer sales run from Wednesday 23 June at 8am to Tuesday 20 July, across mainland France except for departments with special dates. The first three weeks of July therefore correspond to the second and third markdowns. Rules and addresses: see our guide to the sales in Paris.

Oasis at the Stade de France: 20 and 23 July

Oasis play the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, on Tuesday 20 and Friday 23 July 2027. There was no general public sale: tickets were allocated in September 2026 to registrants drawn by ballot. If you do not have a ticket, the main thing to remember is that these two evenings push up hotel prices and crowd metro line 13 and RER lines B and D in the evening.

Tour de France finish: Sunday 25 July

The 2027 Tour de France starts in Edinburgh on Friday 2 July and finishes on Sunday 25 July in Paris. The full route, including that of the final stage, is due to be presented on 22 October 2026. Spectators watch the finish for free along the route; the approaches to the Champs-Élysées fill up from midday.

Open-air cinema at La Villette

Every summer, the parc de la Villette screens free films on the Prairie du Triangle. The 2026 edition ran from 22 July to 16 August, Wednesday to Sunday, with a children's screening at 6pm and a main screening at 9pm; renting a deckchair and a blanket cost €6 (price checked in September 2026). The 2027 dates had not been published. All our tips are in our guide to open-air cinema at La Villette.

Exhibitions to see in July 2027

Several exhibitions announced by the City of Paris museums in their 2026-2027 programme are open in July:

• Leonor Fini at the Musée d'Art moderne de Paris, from 26 March to 15 August 2027, and Józef Czapski, at the same museum on the same dates.
• Donation Kamel Mennour, at the Musée d'Art moderne, until 25 July 2027.
• André Derain, l'art est un jeu (André Derain, art is a game) at the musée Bourdelle, from 1 April to 1 August 2027: paintings, sculptures, ceramics and theatre sets.
• An exhibition on the environmental history of Paris at the musée Carnavalet, from 7 April to 22 August 2027 (provisional title « Paris, histoire environnementale » (Paris, an environmental history)).

The permanent collections of the City of Paris museums are free; temporary exhibitions are ticketed.

What to pack

• Light, loose clothing, in cotton or linen, and a thin layer for the evenings.
• Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• A reusable water bottle, to refill at public fountains.
• A compact umbrella: late-afternoon thunderstorms are short but sometimes violent.
• A swimsuit and towel if you plan to swim in the Seine.
• Comfortable, breathable shoes, already broken in.
• A light blanket for open-air cinema and picnics.

July 2027 at a glance

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

Further reading

Our guide to Paris in summer brings together the terraces, gardens and open-air outings that apply all summer long. If you are still torn between July and another season, compare with the best time to visit Paris. And for a stay on a tight budget, our list of free things to do in Paris rounds out this programme.