France
Paris in December
🧥 WinterCold and some showers.
🎒 Pack: warm jacket for evenings
Why December scores 8.2What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort7.4
- !Cold (9°C highs / 4°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 4°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~67 mm rain)
- Air quality8.7
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~13 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Jul | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.2 Very good | 9.6 Excellent |
| Season | 🧥 Winter | ☀️ Summer |
| High / low | 9° / 4° | 27° / 16° |
| Rain | 67 mm | 57 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 4° | dew pt 14° |
| PM2.5 | 13 µg/m³ | 7 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Paris weather-station normals. Rainfall: Paris weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Christmas Day 25–27 Dec · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore ParisEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyFrance's capital, known for its art museums, monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame, cafe culture, food and fashion.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Paris MarathonDate variesUsually early April
One of Europe's largest marathons.
Why go: Many central roads close on race morning.
Where: From the Champs-Élysées through the city
Roland-Garros (French Open)Date variesUsually late May to early June
The clay-court tennis Grand Slam.
Why go: Tickets go on sale months ahead and sell out quickly.
Where: Stade Roland-Garros
Fête de la MusiqueEvery year21 June every year
Free music performances by amateurs and professionals throughout the city.
Why go: Very lively until late; the metro is crowded.
Where: Streets and squares citywide
Louvre
The world's most visited art museum, home to the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.
💡 Book a timed ticket in advance.
Eiffel Tower
The iron tower with viewing levels over the city.
💡 Book ahead to reduce queuing.
Musée d'Orsay
Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in a former railway station.
Notre-Dame de Paris
The Gothic cathedral on Île de la Cité, reopened in December 2024 after restoration following the 2019 fire.
Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur
A hilltop neighbourhood with a white-domed basilica and city views.
Palace of Versailles
The royal palace and gardens southwest of Paris, reached by RER train.
💡 Avoid Tuesdays and weekends if possible; it is closed on Mondays.
Croissants and viennoiseries
Buttery pastries from neighbourhood bakeries.
💡 Boulangeries across the city
Baguette
The long French bread, judged each year in a city competition.
Steak frites
Steak with fries, a bistro classic.
Macarons
Almond meringue cookies with flavoured fillings.
💡 Pâtisseries
French cheese
Hundreds of cheeses from across France.
💡 Fromageries and street markets
Macarons
Boxed macarons, best eaten within a few days.
💡 Pâtisseries
Perfume
French fragrances.
💡 Department stores on Boulevard Haussmann
Prints and old books
Vintage posters, prints and books.
💡 Bouquinistes stalls along the Seine
Kitchenware
French cookware and utensils.
💡 Specialist cookware shops near Les Halles