The new boulangerie I'd bookmarked on Instagram back in March had a handwritten sign taped to the door when I finally showed up: fermeture annuelle, annual closure, back September 1st. No warning post, nothing in their bio, just a note in blue ink and a shutter pulled all the way down. C'est le mois d’août ! It’s the month of August.
If you're planning a summer trip there, especially during August, get used to that sign. It shows up everywhere: cafés, pharmacies, that cute little boutique your friend visited in May… sometimes for two weeks, sometimes for one entire month. It isn't personal, and it isn't a fluke. It's just how l'été français, French summer, works, and once you understand le pourquoi, the why, you can plan around it instead of standing on the sidewalk feeling betrayed by a bakery.
Why the city empties out
In France, full-time employees get five weeks of paid vacation a year, and bien sûr, of course, most of it gets used during the summer. That means a big percentage of the population, and the businesses they run, take time off all at once. Email someone between July 1st and the last day of August and a variation of this OOO message will immediately pop back into your inbox:
When the city empties out
Choosing your holiday month is no joke. In France there are two camps: les juillettistes : their name comes from Juillet, July in French. They disappear around the first week of July to take advantage of the longer days and the fact that the beaches are not as crowded as they get in August. The other camp is les aoûtiens, and you guessed it, this term comes from Août, which means August. Aoûtiens go to places that come alive during this time of year, and many will do a big family trip or send their kids to a colonie de vacances, the French version of summer camp.
Particularly around August 15th, you can expect to find a very empty Paris. This is seen by locals as peak vacation time: you only have two weeks before la rentrée, that moment when kids go back to school and adults go back to the 100+ emails they've accumulated in their inbox. After that, the days start getting shorter and, slowly, Paris fills back up.
What this could mean for your trip:
None of this should stop you from going to Paris, but it should absolutely change how you pack your days. Here are my summer survival rules:
-
Check before you go. Go over the list of places you want to go to and look them up on Instagram, they will typically/hopefully indicate if they’re fermé, closed, for part of the summer. I wouldn't really trust their status on Google Maps, as sometimes they forget to change it, and then it’s you face to face with that fermeture annuelle sign.
-
Plan B everytime. Have a back-up plan, in case they didn’t post it anywhere and you went all the way to the bakery/café/restaurant only to find it closed. My Paris Guide is a good place to start.
-
It really does get super hot. The places with la climatisation, AC, are few and far between, and to be perfectly honest, the AC is rarely working at its full potential, so try carrying a fan (manual or automatic, peu importe, doesn't matter). Trust me, you’ll be glad you have it. If you booked an apartment or an Airbnb, make sure you ask if they have la clim.
-
Outfits that can breathe. I’m sure your outfits are really cute, but try to make sure they’re mostly made from natural fabrics like cotton and linen. It really does make a difference to wear breathable fabrics when it’s 100 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re unsure what to pack, you can check out my fool-proof packing list.
-
Staying cool and cultured. Museums are my go-to for absorbing the culture while cooling off. Since the hottest part of the day runs from around 1pm to 6pm, I'd suggest you book your visits in the afternoon. It’s truly the best of both worlds, since you will be escaping la chaleur while absorbing art, music, fashion, French history and civilization, and so many other themes that will enrich your general knowledge.
-
Politesse, politeness, matters. Say bonjour the second you enter an establishment. It doesn't matter if you mispronounce it or if you’re too shy to speak at this point. It’s basic politesse and French people will appreciate it. If you want to go beyond bonjour and learn French with me, join one of my group or private classes. To learn at your own pace, my digital books are parfait.
What a perfect summer itinerary looks like for me:
Once you've planned around the closures and the heat, summer here has a rhythm worth stealing.
Start at le marché, the market. The best place to find fresh ingredients for lunch and dinner. A few summer classics we make non-stop as the temperatures rise:
-
A tian de légumes, a typical dish from Provence made with courgettes, aubergines, and tomates.
-
A simple tomates-mozza salad, for those days we don't feel like cooking
-
Lots of perfectly sweet melon de Cavaillon from the South of France
-
And, my personal favorite, la tarte aux abricots.
Also, if you’re feeling confident and want to practice your French, you should engage in conversation with les maraîchers, the vendors from the market, or even une mamie, a grandmother, shopping nearby. They always have the best recipes and are patient and willing to share their culinary secrets. A good opener can be sparked by an item they just picked out:
"Bonjour madame, comment je peux préparer l'aubergine ?" – Hello, how can I prepare the eggplant?
...and brace yourself because she’ll give you the best eggplant recipe of your life.
Drop everything at the Airbnb and when you know your next destination, make time for a detour. You can stroll through Le Jardin des Tuileries, or maybe heading down to les quais de la Seine, the banks bordering Paris's main river, to take a break from the sounds of traffic and watch the Bateaux Mouches instead. Don’t just go straight to the list of places you saved on Google Maps. Take your time, and if the mood is right, maybe sit down en terrasse with un Perrier or un citron pressé before heading to your next destination.
In the evening, look for music. Summer here means outdoor concerts, starting with la fête de la musique on June 21st, when the entire city basically turns into one giant, informal concert. From there, festivals like We Love Green, Solidays, and Rock en Seine keep the energy up all the way through September. For me, summer feels like the classics, revisited by contemporary DJs like Bon Entendeur and Montmartre. For a taste of French Riviera Summer, check out the playlist that stays on repeat from now until la rentrée.
I hope this gave you a taste of how the French make the most of l'été. If you visit Paris during this time, I hope you enjoy it, and if you’re reading from the comfort of your own home, I hope it inspires you to flâner in your own city, slow down, and enjoy the season à la française.
Planning Paris this summer?
If you want help deciding where to eat, what to book, what to skip, and how to organize your days without overloading them, I created the Hello Paris Guide with my favorite restaurants, cafés, shops, museums, walks, and neighborhood finds. It also includes my personal Google Maps list, practical travel notes, and seasonal recommendations to help you experience Paris with more confidence and less overthinking.
And if you want something more personal, I also offer 1:1 tailored recommendations based on your dates, your neighborhood, your pace, and your energy.
The best Paris trips are not the ones where you do everything. They are the ones where you feel present enough to enjoy where you are.
