Paris in the Springtime

Paris is a popular year-round travel destination and a case can certainly be made for visiting during every season. But for those looking to experience the quintessential Parisian experience, spring is indeed a perfect time for a visit - when the weather begins to warm but before the rush of summer’s tourists and inflated airfares.

Spring Scenery
Springtime in Paris brings chestnut trees in full blossom and flat-topped plane trees pregnant with leaves, lining the Grand Boulevards, city parks carpeted in colorful flowers, verdant green lawns that beckon for bare feet, and iron balconies dripping with clusters of red geraniums. Anyone can find pleasure in simply strolling the ivy-draped banks of the Seine, admiring the French architecture and ornate bridges.

Parks aux Printemps
As soon as the blue skies and warmer weather hit, do as the locals do and head for one of the many city parks or green spaces in Paris. The Jardin des Tuilleries and Jardin Luxembourg, the two largest parks in Paris, make charming spots to enjoy the elaborate fountains, elegant sculptures, and ponds flanked by grand palaces with perfectly manicured landscapes.

Picnic at the Eiffel Tower
Put together a picnic lunch of fresh-baked baguette, fruit, and French cheeses before grabbing your patch of grass on the Champ du Mars facing the Eiffel Tower. Follow it up with a stroll around the lanes at its base, where every corner offers up a new perspective of the tower peering out from the trees - made even more picturesque by the graceful branches of spring's bloom. 

Square Delight
For something on a smaller scale, head across town to the Marais district where you'll find the oldest square in Paris, La Place des Vosges. Join the trendy and fashionable crowd who gather around the beautiful fountain in the center, which is surrounded by 39 red-brick and stone buildings plus decorative wrought iron street lights.

The Café Experience
Along with the temperate weather, you'll also find postage-stamp-sized tables spilling out onto the cobbled sidewalks of well-known cafés and restaurants. Enjoying a meal, or just a simple apéritif, on an outdoor terrace is a lovely way to watch life go by in Paris and soak up that delicious French atmosphere.

La Culture
Those looking for culture should opt for a visit to the Musée Rodin. The intimate museum houses some of Rodin's greatest works, but the treasure is the spectacular grounds, which include a shaded garden with larger-than-life sculptures mingling with park benches, fountains and an outdoor cafe. In the spring, visitors are greeted by a fragrant rose garden in the front courtyard.

One night a year, usually in mid-May the annual Paris Museum Night offers free admission to most of the city's museums late into the evening. 

A Time for Reflection
When you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the tourist-filled parts of the city, pay a visit to the Père Lachaise Cemetery, where you can wander for hours through the maze of tiny pathways to discover the tombs of noteworthy literary and musical greats. Edith Piaf, Rossini, Moliére, Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Chopin, and more lie at rest nestled among the trees in this quaint and serene spot.

Family-Friendly Amusements
Families flock to the Foire du Trône, a carnival that takes place every April and May in the Bois de Vincennes section of Paris. This temporary funfair with its flashing lights, loud music, freak shows and tons of rides, is the largest of its kind in Europe and can be enjoyed by children of all ages.

Springtime Events
Many annual events also take place in the springtime. Should you happen to be visiting Paris during Easter, Notre Dame Cathedral holds mass throughout the holiday - the most popular are offered on Easter Sunday and Good Friday. Thousands of runners take to the streets and clog the famous Champs-Élysées for the Paris Marathon every April.

No matter how you decide to spend your time in Paris, make sure you bring along your camera.  Part of the fun is capturing beautiful pictures that will serve as memories, allowing you to relive the trip for a lifetime. 

How would you spend your days during a springtime visit to Paris?