Heatwave - dreading holiday in Paris next week

[HotGrapefruit]

DH and I are booked to go to Paris next week. The average highs in June are around 23 degrees, which is about the max I can handle. But the forecast is up to 40 every day. This wasn't what we were expecting at all.

I'm dreading it. The metro doesn't have aircon and neither do any of the places I've booked to eat (I've now cancelled them all). We had an assortment of walking routes planned, but none are going to be realistic.

We've spent a fortune on a lovely hotel room and Eurostar travel, so I can't bear to cancel the whole thing.

Does anyone have advice or reassurance or am I just going to absolutely hate it?!

Versailles is actually lovely, the gardens have lots of shady spaces to sit with a cool drink. And the town is a more relaxed version of Paris, with pavement cafes etc. But if you're not up for it, perhaps a trip to Monet's garden at Giverney as an alternative?

Avoid walking anywhere in the heat of the day - either aim to be back in your hotel for a nap or in an air conditioned gallery or museum. Or go to the catacombs, they'll still be cold!

Rather than go up the eiffel tower find a cafe to sip a citron presse with a nice view of the tower.

Water really helps. In the summer heatwave I often have multiple lukewarm showers a day- in the morning, late afternoon before heading out for dinner, before bed.

Op I was exactly where you are this time last year. I have ME so I was absolutely dreading it. The temperature was 42 daily. My advice is take some water cloths that you can get from Amazon. I forgot what they are called but soaking them and putting them around my neck helped in the evenings.
Your right about cancelling any long walks. It ain't going to happen.
Freeze water bottles overnight in the freezer and take them and keep them with you through the day
Buy the ice cream whenever you see a stand!
Take a sun umbrella.
If your realistic about what you can and can't do you will be fine. I enjoyed it despite the heatwave.

I'm 45. I was in Paris a couple of weeks ago. There was a heatwave. I thought it was fine! I walked around. Everywhere has shade. Most cafes have spots to sit in the shade

Thank you! I have long covid which I think is basically the same in terms of messing up your ability to cool your body. I've ordered some cooling cloths...

I remember being in Paris when it broke a record for over 42 in July, adjusted our trip as we arrived and it just got steadily hotter.

We went out for coffee and a walk at 7am, spent the morning doing outdoor activities like sightseeing , shopping, boat tour (not the glass top!), Versailles, Montmartre etc. Early lunch then the Museums (Louvre, Police, D’Orsay were great). Afternoon nap (left hotel room windows open but curtains drawn), cool shower abs out for late dinner, see the Eiffel Tower light up, 9pm tour on a vintage motorcycle side car with a glass of champagne (highly recommend).

Sympathies OP - I’m off to Lyon this weekend and it looks similar. Having to be flexible and change plans. So was going to to a bike ride - probably not pleasant in the heat.

My hotel has aircon so very grateful for that. It is fine wandering around in the evening. I suspect siestas and gentle pootling with lots of stops in air con cafes. Just book some restaurants closer to your hotel and enjoy the evenings and early mornings.

What I will say is I went this time last year and it was exactly the same - in fact even hotter at 40 degrees.

So due to climate change I’d probably only visit European cities in May or earlier to avoid these heatwaves. We are going to an event that is the same date every year so had to go this weekend!

I’ve been in Paris in 30 plus degrees. It was honestly ok. There is a lot of shade to be had and plenty of outdoor dining options. We spent lots of time in the parks under the shade of trees and it’s a great opportunity to explore the churches. I think you will be fine OP.

Agree. I use them when in Florida and they are fantastic.

I was going to say the same: you will just have to work with the heat and maybe adjust plans - as you have already, cancelling restaurants.

Some of my loveliest days in Paris have been spent in the huge selection of leafy and beautiful parks. There are some lovely ones on the edges like the Bois de Vincennes and Boulogne, though you would want to arrive early as you do need to travel to get there. Plenty of places to eat in the Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne, and of course in Paris it is so easy to pick up something delicious from a boulangerie or patisserie and picnic in the shade and just people watch. There are lots of great places in and around the (very beautiful very Parisian) Luxembourg gardens to do this.

If you did want to see the sights, my tip would be to spend the days like this then for sightseeing stump up the cost of a taxi (with the windows down in the cool of the evening) to show you the sights at night. I have done this a lot with guests if I cannot spare the time to walk them round, and it isn't so massively expensive as central Paris is relatively compact - and tour bus type things are costly too. This will be comfortable and efficient.

The big museums will be air conditioned.

Oh also the Place des Vosges is very leafy, very beautiful and has a couple of cafes under the arches which are cool and shady and you can enjoy the fountains. Pantheon is right near the Luxembourg Garden and even in heat you could stagger the distance between the two (there are a few helpful ice cream parlours in that short strip too!)

Just go OP! Even just typing those suggestions makes me feel like going!

You have my sympathies.
I'm extremely heat intolerant.
I can't handle it at all and I'm a ball of sweat.

I went to Tokyo in February and it was lovely. Cool but not cold.
I don't go anywhere where it's a sniff over temps of 25 degrees, unless I'm going on a beach holiday.
I think Southern Europe, Central Europe and most of Western European countries except Ireland, Scotland and Scandinavia are out for summer. It's gone too hot with global warming.

I’m going to be flying out to Paris on Sunday for the Iron Maiden gig on Monday in La Defense - look out for the Maiden shirts - many people are amending plans re queuing, what they’re wearing, what time they’ll enter the venue etc because of the heat. I’m dreading it (the weather not the gig) but anyone who doesn’t take that kind of heat seriously is a fool, temperatures like this can kill. Keep hydrated, wet the back of your neck, wear a hat and find shade where you can. Carry a fan and listen to your body.

I know several people who have changed hotels because they had no air con

That's why those Pariseins that can leave the city in the summer do. Never understood why anyone would book to visit an European city in the height of summer.

OK, you definitely should have bought Interrail passes- your journey wouldn't have been more than £310 all in, including UK train travel. Sorry, a bit late, but you'll know for next time.

I've been to Paris with the DC (youngest 8 at the time) in a 38 degree heatwave. Our day included spending a lot of time by the Seine, ice creams from Berthillon on the Isle St Louis, jumping around in the fountains at Trocadero (great views of the Eiffel Tower), lunch outside in the Marais, relaxing in the gardens of the Musee du Quai Branly next to the Eiffel Tower (which they insisted on seeing), and lots of marvelling over the green naked lady water fountains. Astoundingly, we didn't get hot and grumpy, I think because we took things slowly.

Went back last August- it was hot but not too hot, and we enjoyed the free outdoor swimming put on by Paris Plage. You can swim in loads of spots, including the Seine and Canal St Martin, but check whether they're all open yet- I know the Canal St Martin is.

Same. I visited Rome last January and even then it was crowded. Of course I get that some people have no choice but to travel in summer but if you have options, why would you go at the hottest, most expensive and busiest time of the year?

Surely, always a decent chance of this in Paris in June? You were gambling.

Just rearrange the trip. Surely all the dates are changeable even if for a fee? Travel in October- April.
Life is too short to do the things you really don't want to do imo. Paris will be much more enjoyable for you another time.

Maybe instead of "dreading it"..you could think how lucky you are to have a holiday in Paris? I'd love to see Paris this year. I can't afford it at the moment

Given the extreme temperatures we’ve had in the last few years, combined with my ability to tolerate heat reducing as I’ve got
older, I’ve now moved June to ‘UK beach or countryside’ holiday status. Sometimes I think it can be hotter in June than August.

If you decide to plan a return trip, we found that April was perfect. But then again we could have been unlucky and found it cold and raining !

Yes but the OP is going at a time when the weather is dangerously hot and she will have to change what’s she’s doing. I’m also going to Paris in during this heat wave and I too am having to amend plans.

Being There in 40c is no joke. Last year, what made it worse was warm air coming out from basements of building that had air con. Lots of things inc the Eiffel Tower were closed. Even in air conditioned restaurants, I didn’t eat much as it was too hot to have much of an appetite.
A cheap flannel and a separate bottle of water was a godsend esp when waiting in the queue for the Eurostar home. I dabbed my damp flannel constantly

I’m the same as you. Unfortunately any kind of heat ruins things for me and the risk of heat stroke isn’t worth it. I cannot regulate my body temperature at all and have no intention of “embracing “ the heat as bitter experience has taught me.

Only seen OP’s responses so not sure if it has been said yet, but Eurostar tickets are movable up to AN HOUR before departure - for free.

we have done it before and just shifted the dates/times, you just pay the difference if the fare is higher.

If the hotel will do the same, then I would go for that. Paris in a heatwave is nowhere near as fun as usual…..

However, if I couldn’t change it, I’d still go and just be up and out early, then inside for the afternoon and out again in the evening.

It's not 'dangerously' hot. I have a friend who lives in Paris. I face timed him yesterday. He said it is pleasant weather

Museums are cool, but remember to book your entry ahead of time, especially the big ones, Louvre and Orsay, otherwise you risk not getting in at all.