Paris in February: the calm of winter, Monet's centenary and warm evenings on the Seine

Paris in February is cold, about 8°C by day on average, but calmer: the city's tourist office says the pace slows in winter, which suits anyone who prefers museums and cafés to crowds. Spice Escapes runs All Inclusive Perfect Paris that month, 3 nights for a small hosted group whose hotel is a boat on the Seine, with dinner and drinks on board, so the cold evenings are already arranged.

Below: the weather, which museums to book, what is on for Monet's centenary, and how the break runs.

February weather in Paris: about 8°C by day and 3°C at night

The World Meteorological Organization's weather service, using Météo-France figures, gives Paris an average February high of about 8°C and a low of about 3°C. That is a little milder than January, and March climbs to about 12°C. These are thirty-year averages, not a forecast.

The rain is the pleasant surprise: about 44 millimetres over around nine days with a millimetre or more, and on those figures only August is drier. Pack for cold rather than wet, with a warm coat, gloves and shoes you can walk in all afternoon.

The calm of winter, but still book the big museums

The tourist office suggests using "the calm of winter" to see the city in a new light. On the current dates the break also falls in Paris term time, ending as the city's winter school holidays begin, says the French education ministry's calendar.

Nobody promises short queues, though, so book the big museums:

• Musée de l'Orangerie, by the Tuileries, where Monet's Water Lilies fill two oval rooms. Book a free time slot on the museum's own website. Closed on Tuesdays.
• Musée d'Orsay, a former railway station hung with Monet, Renoir, Degas and Van Gogh. Book online to avoid queues. Closed on Mondays, open late on Thursdays.
• Sainte-Chapelle, built by Saint Louis in the thirteenth century, with fifteen huge stained-glass windows. It closes at 0°C or below, so keep a second plan for a frosty morning.

What is on: Monet's centenary, crêpes and new exhibitions

A hundred years after Claude Monet died, museums in and around Paris are marking the centenary, the tourist office says, at the Orsay, the Orangerie, the Musée Marmottan Monet and his house at Giverny. At the Orangerie, a Monet virtual reality experience, Along the Water's Edge, runs until the middle of February.

Between January and February, the tourist office adds, you catch "the last days of some exhibitions and the first days of others", so check your week.

Then there is the food. February starts with Chandeleur, Candlemas, and the tourist office's advice for it is crêpes. Its winter list runs to bistro classics, fondue and hot chocolate at Angelina on the rue de Rivoli. For a wet afternoon, it suggests the covered passages.

A hosted February break, with dinner on a Seine boat each evening

February's real question is the evening. On All Inclusive Perfect Paris the group comes back to the boat, moored a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, for dinner with drinks included. On the current, provisional itinerary, each evening has a plan:

• The first night is a "Titi Parisien" themed evening of French flair.
• Day two: a guided coach tour, about two hours, a free afternoon, then a gala dinner, perhaps with a cruise to La Défense, water levels allowing.
• Day three: a guided walk round Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur, about three hours, a free afternoon, then a night cruise through Paris, subject to river conditions.

The free afternoons are for the Orangerie, the Orsay or a long lunch. Groups are around fifteen people, and some reach twenty. Most book on their own, and Samantha Pike travels as host. A cabin to yourself carries a single supplement or room-to-yourself cost, as on every Spice Escapes holiday, and our single supplement page explains it.

If February suits you, see the dates and book online on All Inclusive Perfect Paris. It runs on 3 Feb 2027 – 6 Feb 2027, from £679.

If February does not work: Prague before Christmas or Seville in March

Prague Christmas Magic comes earlier in the winter, with the Old Town Square market minutes from the hotel and Prague Castle and St Vitus on the itinerary. It is 3 nights with Sally Wiltshire, on 4 Dec 2026 – 7 Dec 2026, from £675.

Surprising Seville trades the cold for spring, and Spice's own notes put typical days at 17°C to 22°C. A 48-hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket is included. It is 4 nights with Jackie Whyte, on 4 Mar 2027 – 8 Mar 2027, from £549.

More from us: city breaks, hosted winter holidays, holidays in France and seeing Paris from the Seine.

Questions people ask

Is Paris worth visiting in February?

Yes, if you would rather have museums and cafés at the slower winter pace than sunshine. Plan your days around indoor sights, and Monet's centenary gives you plenty.

How cold is Paris in February?

On long-term averages from Météo-France, a typical February day reaches about 8°C and the night falls to about 3°C. These are averages, so pack for colder.

Does it rain much in Paris in February?

Less than you might think. On the same averages only August is drier, with around nine rainy days in February.

Will I spend the evenings on my own?

Not on this break. Dinner and drinks are on board with the group each evening, and most people book on their own, so everyone arrives in the same position.

See the dates and book your February in Paris online

For Paris in February with the evenings arranged, see the dates and book online on All Inclusive Perfect Paris. Availability right now: 13 places left.

Questions before you book? Ask Rosie, the chat on the holiday page, or contact the team, who can put them to Samantha Pike, the host on this break. New to group travel? Our notes for first-time solo travellers and on over 50s solo holidays cover the rest.