Paris · Month comparison
September vs May
September ranks #1 overall vs May at #2. The Parisian's favourite month — the city returns to itself, culturally alive and beautifully lit.
September
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The Parisian's favourite month — the city returns to itself, culturally alive and beautifully lit.
- ↑La Rentrée: Paris re-awakens as residents return — restaurants reopen, markets resume, city feels authentic
- ↑Journées du Patrimoine: hundreds of private buildings, embassies, and palaces open to the public for free
May
#2 of 12 months
Best match
One of Paris's finest months — warm, green, and culturally alive.
- ↑Roland Garros French Open (late May): the world's best clay-court tennis in a genuinely Parisian setting
- ↑Consistent warmth (18°C) with long evenings — outdoor dining from lunch to midnight
| Factor | September | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 9 | 8 |
| Value score | 5 | 6 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 5 |
| Events score | 8 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 9 | 8 |
| Avg high temp | 21.6°C | 18.1°C |
| Monthly rain | 51mm | 66mm |
| Daily sunshine | 6.8hrs | 7.6hrs |
September trade-offs
- ↓Still moderately priced — not cheap, but beginning to ease from summer
- ↓International tourism still high in September, especially in the first two weeks
- ↓Paris Fashion Week (late September) raises hotel prices sharply for the industry crowd
May trade-offs
- ↓Bank holidays (1 May, 8 May, Ascension, Whit Monday) mean sudden domestic tourism surges
- ↓Hotel prices rising — May is no longer the affordable spring of March
- ↓Paris Marathon (if in April trailing to May) disrupts central transport
Scores compare months within Paris. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →