Paris began as Lutetia, a settlement of the Celtic Parisii on the Île de la Cité, and grew into the Capetian dynasty's power base after Hugh Capet's coronation in 987. Baron Haussmann's 1853-1870 rebuilding cut the wide boulevards and uniform stone facades that still define the centre, packing roughly 19,400 people into every square kilometre of its 105 km² footprint — a density exceeded among major Western cities by few besides Manhattan. Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024 after a five-year rebuild following the 2019 fire. Station F, a former rail depot turned into the world's largest startup campus, anchors a tech and venture-capital scene now rivalling London's.
Nights sit around 13°C and afternoons around 23°C, though some days reach 29°C.
Paris has real seasons: summer afternoons sit around 26°C, winter ones around 9°C.
Some summer days reach 32°C, and some winter nights drop below freezing.
Rain is spread through the year — about 634 mm in total, from 69 mm in May down to 42 mm in February — so no single month is a washout.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: February averages an AQI of 65, while July clears to 38.
Days stretch to about 15.9 hours of light in June and shrink to 8.1 in December — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
No month in Paris matches what you're after, so come for the place rather than the weather. Expect fast internet (443 Mbps) and a high cost of living (about €2350 a month).
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