11 Best Things to Do in Paris in July

If you’re visiting Paris in July, you can enjoy exciting and interesting events such as the Tour de France, the huge (and free) Fnac Music Festival at the Hôtel de Ville, or the Bastille Day fireworks.

There are also parades, firemen’s balls, free open-air film festivals, concerts and art shows. Without a doubt, a month to enjoy this incredible city to the full.

Booking a day trip to Giverny and Monet’s gardens from Paris is a must in July if you’re a fan of Claude Monet, as the Impressionist artist spent the last half of his life in Giverny.

Giverny is a small village in Normandy, around 45 miles (approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes) outside Paris, where his famous water lily ponds are in full bloom during July.

Thanks to a meticulous restoration, you’ll see his house, gardens and water lily pond just as they were when he lived there. Places where he painted some of his finest masterpieces. And if you’re also interested in this artist and founder of Impressionism and your stay in Paris isn’t too short, you can book your ticket to the Louvre Museum and see some of his finest works in person.

And if you want to have fun like a child or are visiting Paris with your family, July is the ideal time to book your ticket to Aquaboulevard, the largest water park in Paris and one of the most popular in Europe, which boasts no fewer than 11 water slides, as well as many other water activities and attractions

. Furthermore, it also has a relaxation area with a sauna, jacuzzis and baths where you can recharge your batteries.

On your trip to Paris in July, don’t miss out on booking a day trip to Normandy from Paris, including a tour of Omaha Beach, a cider tasting and lunch. You’ll discover the region’s pivotal role in the Second World War alongside a professional guide who will accompany you throughout the tour and explain all the details about various sites such as:

• Omaha Beach, one of the beaches where American troops landed and where many of the soldiers are buried.
• The American Cemetery, which commemorates the nearly 10,000 Allied soldiers who fought on these beaches, where you’ll find graves, a memorial and the large Wall of the Missing.
• The Utah Beach Landing Museum, where you will learn, amongst other things, about the Allied soldiers’ preparations, what happened during the battle and how both sides advanced.

The trip will last 14 hours and includes return transport. You’ll also enjoy a lunch with an apple cider tasting.

Since 1990, the Paris Summer Festival has been organising artistic and cultural events across the city. This annual arts festival features dance, music and theatre events in various working-class neighbourhoods of Paris.

The festival runs from early July to early August and features theatre, dance, circus and music. You can also enjoy various art installations. Most are outdoors and away from traditional entertainment venues.

For more information, feel free to visit the festival’s official website. The events are free! You can also get involved in the art scene by booking a graffiti workshop in Paris.

Bastille Day marks the biggest summer festival in Paris, as well as across France. It takes place on 14 July to commemorate the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, which occurred on 14 July 1789 and was a turning point in the French Revolution.

The military ceremonies begin at 10 am and the parade at 11 am. Furthermore, the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower are a highlight of the day, so if you book your evening tickets for the Eiffel Tower in Paris, you’ll see it fully illuminated in keeping with Bastille Day. The tower’s light show will last approximately half an hour.

But the best place to watch the Bastille Day fireworks is from the River Seine. So, book a dinner cruise on the Seine in Paris whilst you enjoy the dazzling fireworks. It’s priceless!

Paris’s famous summer sales continue until mid-July. For many ‘savvy’ fashion lovers, July marks the prime time for shopping, when shops move on to their second and even third rounds of reductions, swapping ‘Sales’ signs in their windows for discounts of 70% or even 80%.

The best places to find bargains? Everywhere! Luxury brands such as Chanel, Valentino and Armani attract huge crowds, as do Galeries Lafayette, BHV, Bon Marché and Au Printemps, and, of course, smaller boutiques and even global mid-market chains.

Are you a fan of Japan and its culture? If so, you must attend Japan Expo. It’s an exclusive July event featuring martial arts, video games, music and more. The event takes place at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, which is just one RER stop from Charles de Gaulle Airport, so knowing how to get around Paris will be crucial, especially on the Paris Metro.

There will also be signings, talks, workshops and masterclasses, where famous artists (animators, illustrators, video game creators, film producers, musicians and composers) will reveal their secrets and tips. There’s plenty of room for music too, ranging from rock, RnB, J-pop, punk, electro, shamisen, koto and sanshin to traditional genres. There will also be hands-on workshops to teach the basics of drawing, modelling, ikebana, origami and calligraphy.

And, of course, there can be no Japanese culture festival without a trace of video games. Many video games will be available for free, where you can try out the latest releases and take part in tournaments. Video game creators will also be there to tell you about their work and offer expert advice. There will also be an area dedicated to martial arts where you can learn the basics of Ninjutsu, kendo, judo, aikido and karate.

Free open-air films return to Parc de la Villette every summer with Cinéma en Plein Air (Open-Air Cinema). Throughout July, from Wednesday to Sunday, you’ll see a great mix of classic films and recent hits shown in their original language with French subtitles as soon as night falls in Paris.

Bring a blanket to sit on, a picnic dinner and a bottle of wine. What’s more, the park is one of the most striking in Paris and one of the city’s largest at 55 hectares, surrounded by theatres, cafés, nurseries and various places to eat.

The Fête Foraine des Tuileries takes place in early July in the Tuileries Garden in Paris, located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde. For more information, visit the event website.

You can enjoy a giant Ferris wheel, carousels, bumper cars, ‘fun houses’, heart-stopping rides for thrill-seekers, children’s games and much more. This fair entertains families with children, teenagers and anyone else looking for fun. A perfect plan if you’re visiting Paris with children.

And, of course, you can also buy candyfloss, waffles, ice cream, doughnuts, barbecue dishes and drinks at the various stalls.

Don’t miss the free live concerts featuring up to 30 international artists in front of the Hôtel de Ville (Paris City Hall) from dusk until midnight. This music event is widely known in Paris, usually lasts around 3 days and typically takes place in early July.

The French company Fnac usually sponsors the concerts and musical performances at this event, which attracts up to 100,000 fans. The Town Hall is located very close to Paris’s museum district (between the Louvre Museum and the Carnavalet Museum).

For more information, visit the concert’s website. If you’re heading to Paris for three days in July and you love a festive atmosphere, rejoice— you’ve already got plans!

Attend one of the Firefighters’ Balls (Bals des Pompiers) held on 13 and/or 14 July each year, as the main fire station in each district of Paris opens its premises and courtyards to welcome the public to this all-night party featuring music, dancing and drinks. Whilst admission is free, food and drink must be paid for.

The Bals des Pompiers usually start at 9 pm and finish at 4 am. Depending on the fire station, the event may take place on 13 or 14 July and, in some cases, on both dates.

Visiting Paris in July means you’ll enjoy warm afternoons as well as cool evenings. As such, make sure you pack plenty of sun cream, a hat for the hottest days, and lots of light, comfortable clothing. Sandals and shorts are perfect for this kind of weather.

However, it’s also important to bear in mind that July is the summer month with the heaviest rainfall, so make sure to bring an umbrella just in case, as well as some waterproof and comfortable shoes.

Summer sales in shops across the city will make you want to save a little space in your suitcase to take home a few souvenirs. Known as ** ‘les soldes’**, sales in France are regulated by the state and can only take place twice a year; once at the end of July, and again during the Christmas period in Paris.

For those looking for a bargain whilst in France, now is the time to shop!

If you’re looking for summer accommodation in the city, it’s worth bearing in mind that prices may be a little higher than usual, as demand is typically high.

However, there are still plenty of places to stay in Paris, as well as options to suit all budgets. That said, the sooner you plan your trip to Paris in July, the cheaper it will be!

The summer months bring many long, hot days. As such, July offers the perfect weather to enjoy Parisian café culture, where bar stools and striped chairs spill out onto the wide boulevards, ensuring the aroma of coffee always wafts through the streets.

In July, the weather in Paris tends to fluctuate between 16 and 25 degrees Celsius, with an average of 20 degrees, providing the perfect climate for exploring everything the city has to offer. That said, the evenings can be a little cooler, so you’ll want to have a light jacket to hand for when you fancy exploring Paris at night.