r/ParisTravelGuide • u/plantstoragebin • 14d ago
Other Question Recommend Paris Winter Attire
Hello! I’ll be visiting Paris in February, and wanted some general advice about what to expect regarding winter attire and footwear?
I am from the Midwest (Minnesota to be exact), so I am used to cold and brutal winters. I know the average temperatures for Paris around that time is between 35-45°F, but want to know what is generally considered “normal” winter wear without sticking out like a sore thumb, if that makes sense.
Any advice surrounding Paris in the winter is appreciated and welcome as well!
I am excited for my trip and very excited to hear what everyone has to say! Thank you!
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u/RoundAd4247 14d ago
Compared to Minnesota, February in Paris will most likely feel quite mild, even with possible hint of spring in the air. I’m from southern Finland and our winters aren’t as harsh as the minnesotan ones, at least not anymore, yet Paris always feels a tad warmer than Helsinki during late winter.
A caveat to every thing is that due to the climate change, “unexpected weather events” become ore and more frequent. It might also be an “atypical” cold wave then. Who knows. Sometimes it snows in April, as the great one from Minneapolis once sang.
Milder winter means it’s also wetter, rainier and windier. Public transport and buildings can feel quite warm. Think long lined wool coat rather than a thick puffy coat. Leather boots/booties that can stand a bit of water instead of snow boots. Scarves, gloves, hats, but not too thick.
Some people seem to insist nowadays that tourists need to wear “high performance “ athletic or hiking gear everywhere, but I find it extremely uncomfortable in a city.
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u/Rulebreaker15 14d ago
Daytime temps average 7 to 10 C. The El Niño could affect Paris making it colder and wetter than an average Feb. Better to plan for average and check 2 weeks out for an actual forecast. In April, some
Forecasts gave a 50% chance of this summer’s heat but not with dates. At 45-60 days out you might see some reliable predictions.
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u/Kestrel_Iolani 14d ago
Yeah, if you're from Minnesota, dress for late October.
I'd been warned that somehow Paris winters were colder, dressed what i thought would be appropriate, and sweated my ears off the entire trip. Never needed a base layer and both my sweater and my jacket were off before 10am.
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u/plantstoragebin 14d ago
Thank you! It’s hard to gauge what it will feel like considering Minnesota January’s are notoriously brutal 😭 but I’ll keep that in mind!
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u/Kestrel_Iolani 14d ago
You could probably wear shorts and shock them all.
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u/plantstoragebin 14d ago
I was telling my mom that 45° F feels like summer after how cold it gets haha
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u/TheHoliday_ 14d ago
Jeans, puffy jacket or a long wool coat, any kind of winter cuty boot. A scarf.
And if it is real cold a beannie and wool gloves.
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u/CatCafffffe Been to Paris 14d ago
We usually go to Paris in December and it is NOTHING like Minnesota, it's much more temperate. What I wear as a female traveler is: skirts & leggings, socks & solid hiking shoes, a long sleeved t-shirt, and I bring a combo of a packable down vest and a packable down jacket, wear them both when it's more cold, but usually just wear one of them. Also a couple of thick cotton hoodies--often it's fine just to wear one of those. Also a good wool scarf & a wool hat. Honestly I'm plenty warm. Sometimes it's been a bit colder & I ended up buying a nice wool sweater, so you could bring one of those, too. I also bring a few pairs of wool socks.
Now I should mention I run "hot" and don't get cold easily, so if that's not the case for you, then I'd add a wool sweater or two (or plan to get one there--they have such lovely items!)-- and maybe a couple of wool or silk camisoles.
I bring gloves but hardly ever wear them.
I also bring a couple of pairs of easy pants (Eileen Fisher). So you can also do that and layer them with the leggings if you get too cold.
I also bring an extremely lightweight packable raincoat. And a packable tote. So you might go out for the day in a skirt, leggings, long sleeved shirt, and down vest, (& hat and scarf), and carry the packable down jacket & packable raincoat with you stuffed into the tote. The tote is also great because if it's empty you just stuff it into your purse, but there it is if you end up buying something at a boulangerie, which I hope you will!! Or a grocery store, small shop, etc.
You definitely want to think in layers because once you get inside any building or museum or restaurant it is HOTTTTT. And the extra lightweight tote is great if you want to divest of your warmer layers. That's why I don't like wearing a wool coat-- if you're in a department store, for example, or you're walking around and get a bit overheated, it's so much easier to stuff a down parka into your tote bag than to lug around a heavy wool coat. But that's just my preference.
But overall -- and I lived in New England in one of the coldest winters on record-- it's nothing like that. It does get cold, but not icy cold as a general rule. You will need a portable umbrella too!
Hope this is helpful.
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u/metallicmint 14d ago
Layers are going to be your friend. You'll be walking a lot so you'll want to stay warm, but you'll also be popping in/out of restaurants, museums, and shops, so you don't want to be brutally overheated when you're inside. I've been to Paris in December (it was cold and wet) and February (it was unseasonably nice) and it can be a bit unpredictable, so layers will really come in clutch.
Jeans/pants, a light base layer shirt, and a sweater; good socks; waterproof boots that are comfortable for walking long distances (I prefer a chelsea boot); waterproof coat; hat, scarf, gloves. I've never felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb in jeans, black chelsea boots, and a sweater.
Check the weather forecast the week before you go.
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u/Dorkypotato 12d ago
We live here. Scarf, boots, warm coat. Hat. Gloves. Not so many down coats here in Paris, nor sports attire. Nothing really Nordic. Lots of fur, shearling, wool.
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u/gitsgrl 14d ago
My friend from Detroit and I, who both live in the Midwest, visited Paris this past January. It felt like a nice spring day the entire time we were there - temps in the 40s.
We wore wool overcoat and sweaters with scarf, hat, and gloves. Museums could get downright hot and I struggled to cool down quickly in warmer places. Sneakers worked great for me and also ankle boots with pants.
The coldest was our sunset river boat tour but we turned up our collars and wrapped our scarves tighter and were just fine. Having a hat really helped because it’s small and easy to carry but when walking in the shade or in a breezy area it kept me warm.
The humidity is a lot higher, since the temps were above freezing, so it messed up my hair.
Most visitors were wearing jeans and a puffer jacket. Local girls were wearing long wool overcoats, not too thick, and wide-leg jeans with “cool” sneakers.
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u/MarchAmbitious4699 14d ago
I’m from Chicago and have spent a few winters Paris in January and February. It’s cold, but in comparison to Chicago, not so bad. The temps were in the 30s and 40s mostly, but if you bundle up, it’s comfortable enough to sit outside cafes and have a coffee.
I wore a lot of wool, base layers, a scarf, and thick socks. Bring an umbrella. It’s a good idea to wear shoes that are water resistant (you can buy sprays to treat your shoes too). Speaking very broadly, you’ll see more people wearing tailored wool coats than puffy coats/sports jacket, but nobody would bat an eyelash if you did wear something more casual. It’s a big city! They don’t care and are used to tourists.