A Time for Tightwads

For travelers on a tight budget, winter is the least expensive time to visit Paris. For one thing, airfares generally hit rock bottom. This year in Philadelphia and New York, for example, winter round-trip flights to the City of Light are averaging at only about $360. Since its low season, you will also save a few francs on hotel rooms. (Rates, by the way, must be clearly posted on the door of each room, broken down by season.) Shopoholics will want to visit Paris in January, when Parisian stores hold their traditional annual blockbuster winter sales. You can go home looking très chic, for pas très cher.

Peace and Quiet

Since fewer people vacation during winter, you’ll find that even the usual tourist traps seem less cliché; in fact, they can be downright romantic. You won’t soon forget, for example, the sight of a gentle winter snow wafting onto the Louvre’s stately courtyard as you stand inside its galleries, warmed by the energy of centuries of art. Visit the Louvre during winter, and you might actually get to – gosh! see La Joconde (the Mona Lisa) without having to elbow your way through a thick wall of camera-flashing tourists. You will find also enough tranquility and room to contemplate the canvases in the museum’s plethora of less frequented salons.

On that note, museum-hopping is certainly an enriching Parisian winter pastime. With over 100 to choose from, museum lovers will be wise to buy a Carte Musées et Monuments. For one low price, this card gets you into 65 museums and monuments in the greater Paris area. Options include 1, 3 or 5 consecutive days. (Buy the cards in major metro stations or at major museums.) A comforting post-museum cup of chocolat chaud will make winter memories even more delicious.

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année

Visit Paris before Christmas, and you will see the city at its cheerful best. Twinkling lights and festive holiday store displays, featuring ubiquitous Père Noëls and reindeer, cast a spell of good cheer on everyone. The city bustles with activity; everyone is busy with their Christmas shopping and preparing for the festivities. Don’t miss the huge nativity set in front of the Hôtel de Ville. Kids will also love sampling the merry-go-rounds that pop up around the city like flowers in the winter. You’ll want to ring in the New Year at Place de la Concorde, where a stunning contemporary light show contrasts against the ancient Egyptian obelisk – which aptly represents eternity.

A Variety of Events

Far from sleepy, January and February in Paris also offer a plethora of events, from the (ho-hum) touristy to the offbeat. If you plan on visiting during these months, however, book your hotel room well in advance. The International Ready-to-Wear Fashion shows (Information: 01-44-94-70-00) are held from mid -January to mid-February, and they quickly eat up many accommodations (at least in the mid-to-high end hotels). For the starstruck: keep your eyes opened: you might well catch glimpses of famous models, celebrities and designers in town.

Ice skaters can show off their skills in the temporary rink on the square in front of the Hôtel de Ville until Feb. 25. Rent skates for just 30 francs and don’t forget to wear warm socks.

Antique lovers will enjoy the Foire à la Feraille de Paris, an antiques fair held in the Parc Floral de Paris and the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th arrondissement. And soccer fans won’t want to miss several opportunities to see Paris Saint-Germain play. Fans can buy tickets at any FNAC store, or by visiting the stadium (Le Parc des Princes 24, rue du Commandant Guilbaud, M: Porte de Saint-Cloud), or by calling 825 075 078. (Call in advance or you might be sorry.) Bundle up and get ready to cheer.

The Ten Best Things about Winter in Paris

1. Holding hands and drinking hot cocoa with someone you love in an obscure neighborhood café.
2. Midnight mass on Christmas Eve at Notre-Dame.
3. The amazing Christmas displays that adorn the Champs-Elyssées and the Boulevard Haussmann.
4. Bargain hunting at Paris’ traditional January sales (les soldes d’hiver).
5. New Year’s Eve light show at the Place de la Concorde.
6. Cheering PSG onto victory at Parc des Princes.
7. Ice skating in front of the Hôtel de Ville.
8. Museum-hopping.
9. The absence of long lines at Paris tourist traps.
10. Saving big bucks on airfare and hotels.

As one of Europe’s most enduring romantic and historical cities, Paris has continued to capture the attention of travellers from around the world for centuries. British holiday-makers in particular have enjoyed a long relationship with Paris, partly as a result of its close proximity but also due to its sophisticated allure. But if you’ve been to Paris many times before and you’re looking for something new to enjoy in France’s spectacular capital city, make sure to visit in July when Bastille Day celebrations take over.

Bastille Day, or Fête Nationale, is held every year on July 14th and is France’s most important national holiday. In itself, Bastille Day doesn’t exist to remember the storming of the Bastille in 1789 – an event that’s long been held up as a symbol of the birth of the modern French nation – but rather is a commemoration of the Fête de la Fédération which took place a year later. The Fête de la Fédération was essentially a huge feast that was held to celebrate the uprising of the constitutional monarchy in France, which many people consider to be the mark of the end of the French Revolution.Today, Bastille Day sees celebrations take place all over France and in Paris in particular. One of Bastille Day’s primary features in Paris is a huge military parade that takes place on the Champs-Elysées. Here, you’ll find the President leading the parade, with jets flying overhead in formation, as the march moves from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde while the fire brigade brings up the rear.

In fact, the fire brigade plays a large part in Paris’ Bastille Day celebrations. The night before Bastille Day sees a range of balls and parties being held all across the capital, and firefighters are at the centre of these bals des pompiers. Bastille Square is also a popular venue for dancing on the eve of the Fête Nationale and there’s a big outdoor Gay Ball for people who fancy a slightly more ostentatious celebration.

After the Bastille Day military parade, the partying in Paris continues in thrilling style. Crowds of people congregate at the Champ-de-Mars to watch the fireworks at the Trocadéro; most bars and clubs will also stage their own celebrations, so if you don’t get a good view of the fireworks, you won’t feel left out. If you’re in France on Bastille Day but can’t make it through to Paris, there’s no need to fret, every town and village in France has its own unique way of celebrating Bastille Day.

Author and article credits and information

Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist

With so many regular flights to Paris departing from the UK everyday, you’ll find it easy to revel in the Bastille Day celebrations without having to leave your normal routine for too long. After all, you wouldn’t want to miss out on a memorable experience of modern France’s founding ideals – liberté, egalité and fraternité – would you?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Regan

Paris is the capital city of France and covers an area of 460 square miles. Situated on the banks of river Seine, at the center of the Ile -de- France, Paris is home to about 10 million people. The Ile-de-France region gets the least amount of rainfall in the whole of France. However, there can be unexpected showers in Paris at any time of the year.

The North Atlantic drift affects the climate of Paris. As a result Paris has a marine west coast climate. The city enjoys temperate climate throughout the year and does not have extremely high or low temperatures. Summer in Paris is generally warm with the mercury touching 24 °C (75 °F), and the temperature in winter tends to be around 1 °C (34 °F). The highest temperature recorded in Paris was in the year 1948 on the 28th of July. It was found to be 40.4 °C (104.7 °F), and the lowest was -23.9 °C (-11.0 °F) recorded in the year 1879 on the 10th of December.

Spring is a wonderful time to visit any place and Paris is no exception, though, it can turn wet sometimes. The magnificent avenues and shady trees enhance the charms of Paris. The average day time temperature is the highest from May to September with the mercury showing 25 °C (76 °F). Winters especially from December to February can be quite cold with the mercury falling to 3 °C (37 °F).The winter season is also accompanied by cold winds.

In Paris, rainfall can occur at any time of the year. The average yearly precipitation is around 641.6mm (25.2 inches). The months of September, October and November receive the least rainfall (about 2.7 inches), while the period ranging from April to July receives the highest rainfall (about 10 inches).

Paris is pleasant to visit all round the year and rarely receives any snowfall. Sometimes the coldest months may receive snowfall usually lasting only a day. There has been one unique instance of snowfall in April that may have been caused due to changes in the global weather patterns.

Author and article credits and copyright information

Paris provides detailed information on Paris, Paris Hotels, Discount Flights Paris, Paris Accommodations and more. Paris is affiliated with Paris Casino Hotels.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva

It’s getting cold. Really cold. And when the long cold nights start to draw in, thoughts start to turn to warmer climes…the turquoise sea of the Caribbean, the exotic beauty of Latin America. Holidays in Paris, with its northern European climate, are possibly not top of everyone’s wish list. But by ignoring the French capital during winter, we are ignoring a unique holiday opportunity.

Paris is the city of romance. And what could be more romantic than taking a stroll along the Champs Elysees, wrapped up warm against the elements, followed by a delicious chocolat chaud in a cosy café on the Boulevard St Germain? Or a day exploring the museums and art galleries for which Paris is so famous, followed by a romantic meal by candlelight in front of a roaring fire in the city that invented the restaurant?

Speaking of cultural outings, Paris in winter really doesn’t sleep. Operas, plays and special exhibitions that tail off in summer for the long French holidays are back in full swing during the winter months. How much nicer to visit the Louvre knowing that you don’t have to push through sweaty crowds and brave the firewall of screaming children and the venom of their exhausted parents to get your precious glimpse of the Mona Lisa. In fact, out of tourist season, you will be able to lap up the culture to your heart’s content. And the lack of tourists means stress free access to the gift shops, too!

If the idea of walking around Paris in the winter leaves you…well…cold, then how about hiring a car and exploring areas around the city which normally get forgotten in the rush to see the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame? A short drive out of the city centre will take you to the historical beauty of Versailles or Chartres. Or if oversized rodents and flying elephants are more your idea of fun, you could always drive to the magical world of Eurodisney – a sure fire way of keeping the kids happy whatever the weather.

There’s one other thing. It’s nearly Christmas, and not only is Paris a far better location for picking up presents for your nearest and dearest than a remote Caribbean beach but let’s face it, a trip to Paris will leave you with a lot more spending money as well.

Author, article and copyright information

Rebecca Lovecy is a freelance travel writer, writing articles for a range of online and offline resources. Although travel is her first love, she occasionally gets distracted by exciting ideas and theories, which more often than not lead to new writing outside the travel sector.

Article Source: www.iSnare.com