A trip to Paris in January is an opportunity to see the city in a festive design, beautiful and elegant: light elegant touches in the everyday picture - several bright balls on evergreen Christmas trees, flower arrangements on the parapets of bridges, in shops, cafes. But in the evening and at night, Paris seemed to explode with fantastic highlights and illuminations, acquiring a fabulous look.
January in Paris is unpredictable - forecasters say so
What is the weather like in Paris in January? Unpredictable. It can be warm - up to +12 degrees and above. Those who watched the beautiful film “Man and Woman” remember that the heroine walked to the amazing music of Francis Ley through winter Paris past green lawns and a small pond with floating white swans. If you are lucky with the weather, you can see the city just like this: sunny, in the green of trees and with smiles of flowers.
But most often Paris meets rains, cloudy skies and sometimes a real snowy winter. The average temperature in January: -4 ° C during the day, -3 ° C at night. But this is average statistics. Therefore, going to Paris in January, do not forget to put in your luggage things designed for any weather: warm windproof, hats, gloves, umbrellas and, of course, comfortable waterproof shoes with non-slip soles.
Winter Paris walks
Having fallen into snowy Paris and being upset that it is not visible due to the overhanging clouds of the main landmark of the city - the Eiffel Tower, you will suddenly see the top of the tower above a dense layer of clouds - this sun peeking out for several minutes gives unforgettable minutes for which the weather can be forgiven all the inconvenience.
Tired of walking in a snowy city? Sit down with a cup of hot coffee at a table of an outdoor cafe (in the winter they warm up in Paris), admire fresh flowers or bright balls in a white hat of snow.
Paris will also be presented many surprises in January - tourists' photos and photographs were captured and jets of fountains against the backdrop of snow-covered pyramids at the Louvre, and birds gliding in perplexity over a frozen pond.
Paris gives Russian tourists discoveries that cause pride in our country and its culture: the most beautiful bridge of the French capital is the Alexander III bridge. There is Stravinsky Square, Sevastopol Boulevard, Leo Tolstoy Square, the impasse of Rimsky-Korsakov, many streets in honor of the great people: Peter the Great, Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, and cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Peterhof, Kronshtadt, Odessa.
We buy tickets Moscow-Paris
Faster and easier to fly to Paris by direct flight from Moscow airport in just 4 hours. But we must be prepared for the fact that due to bad weather flights to Paris in January may be delayed. In addition, a direct flight is the most expensive. Tourists give tips on bargain buying tickets:
- to take tickets for flights with transfers, which will cost almost two times cheaper than for a direct flight;
- to purchase tickets of one airline for both flights. If you are late due to weather conditions for a connecting flight, the airline takes care of all further flights to Paris;
- immediately order round-trip tickets.
Tickets are best purchased in advance by tracking possible discounts and last-minute tours. The cost of tickets depends on the number when the departure is planned:
- the most expensive tickets to Paris in January - January 2 and 3, the cheapest - January 13 and at the end of the month;
- from Paris the most expensive - January 5-8, the cheapest - from the middle to the end of the month.
How else can I get to Paris?
Another way to get to Paris is to fly to some European city and transfer there by high-speed train to Paris. Or vice versa: first by train, and then by plane. You can spend the whole journey from Moscow to Paris by train, it will take 37 hours. Tickets: coupe - 20 470 rubles, luxury - 28 398 rubles.
Another ground transport that will deliver from Moscow to Paris is a bus: a comfortable bus leaves twice a week from the Varshavskaya bus station, the journey takes about 48 hours, the ticket costs 7,840 rubles, and round-trip costs 14,900 rubles.
Tours to Paris to choose from
January is considered a low tourist season, offering cheaper plane tickets and discounts on hotel accommodation. All travel agencies make significant discounts on tours. So, tours to Paris in January (with a round-trip flight and accommodation at the hotel) cost: for 5 nights - from 30,000 rubles, for 7 nights - from 33,000 rubles.
You can purchase sightseeing tours, the cost of which in addition to flight, transfer and hotel accommodation includes bus and walking tours in Paris and the surrounding area, visiting museums. The cost of 8-day tours costs from 35,000 to 60,000 rubles. Subjects are very different:
- "Paris for everyone!".
- "A walk in Paris."
- "Paris is classic."
- "Royal Paris."
- "Paris and the castles of the Loire."
- Fontainebleau plus Versailles.
Several tours are also offered for trips with children:
- "Paris vacation."
- "Paris to the children."
- "Paris + Disneyland."
Business cards of the French capital
If you get to know the city on your own, the question arises as to what to see in Paris in January. There are five places according to the reviews of tourists with whom the French capital is associated:
- The Eiffel Tower.
- The Louvre.
- Notre Dame Cathedral.
- Triumphal Arch.
- Elysian Fields.
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower, which received the second name almost immediately after construction - “Iron Lady”, amazes with festive illumination in the first month of the year, and those who celebrated the New Year in the capital are remembered against the backdrop of a stunning fireworks display. The weather in Paris in January does not always allow you to see the entire 324-meter tower and take the elevator or foot to the observation deck, from where the whole city is in full view. But there is an opportunity to see the openwork structure near it, to skate on the rink (free, round-the-clock), flooded on the site of the tower, located at an altitude of 50 meters from the ground.
The louvre museum
Paris in January is attractive due to the absence or short bursts of museums, the ability to calmly contemplate masterpieces, moving, without rushing, from one exhibit to another. The exception is the Louvre: even in January, you will have to stand in line to get to this museum. But the smile of Mona Lisa and the wings of Nika of Samothrace will reward your expectation.
Notre Dame de Paris
Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral (Notre-Dame-de-Paris) is a Gothic cathedral, striking with the architecture of the building, and stained-glass windows, and interior design. This is an active Catholic church, services are held here, accompanied by the sounds of an ancient organ. The cathedral houses a Christian shrine - the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ.
The main street of the city
The 50-meter Arc de Triomphe was erected by order of Napoleon, and the bas-reliefs decorating it tell of his victories, and the arch itself is one of the most beautiful decorations of Paris. From the Arc de Triomphe, the 2-km Champs Elysees begins, surrounded by parks, shops, cafes. On the Champs Elysees, Parisians traditionally celebrate the New Year, and in January festive illumination still colors the main street of Paris.
Disneyland - a journey to a magical land
A trip to Disneyland in Paris in January, according to tourists, is not the best time, but delight and pleasure are guaranteed. There are 5 parks:
- The main road.
- Borderland.
- Adventure country.
- The country of discovery.
- Fantasy land.
In the evening, a real fairy tale begins at Disneyland: fireworks and a light show near the Sleeping Beauty castle, which projects the characters of Disney cartoons, the castle’s illumination is constantly changing, and if it snows at this time, it’s incredible magic!
Travelers should consider that the Amusement Park is not in Paris itself, but in the town of Marne-la-Vallee Chessy. You can buy a single ticket to Disneyland, which includes the fare on special buses: Disneyland Paris Express (Disneyland Paris Express) or Citirama (Cityrama). You can get to the park by RER (high-speed train). This type of transport, according to tourists, is the fastest and cheapest.
Disneyland is not only a huge amusement park, but also related infrastructure: shops, restaurants, cafes, eateries, hotels, even ranches and wigwams. All buildings are unique not only in architecture, but also in interior, each is a continuation of a fairy tale.
January is the month of sales and high fashion.
Twice a year, seasonal monthly sales take place in Paris, when clothes, shoes, accessories, including brand ones, can be bought in almost all stores with significant discounts.
Winter sales begin on the second Wednesday of January, in 2018 they will be held from January 10 to February 13. Traveling tips in Paris in January will help tourists:
- So, at the beginning of sales, discounts are minimal - 10-20%, next week - 35-50%, in the third - 70-75%, by the end they reach 80-90%.
- It is better to make purchases in the morning and at lunchtime, when there are fewer buyers in stores - after all, fashionistas from different countries purposefully come to sales.
- Do not devote weekend shopping to shopping.
- Ideal places for shopping, according to tourists' reviews - outlets (shopping centers for sales). The most popular: La Vallee Village (near Disneyland) and Usines Center Paris Nord (near Charles de Gaulle Airport).
In the midst of a winter sale in Paris, an event takes place at which film stars and pop stars come together - High Fashion Week. It shows the trends of the upcoming spring-summer season. But you can get to these shows only with special invitation cards.
Parismania
For some, Paris is a dream, and they go to the French capital, having absorbed all available information about this city from books, films, songs, the Internet. For others, a trip to Paris is a tick in the sequence of cities seen: here I was. There are those who were skeptical of all the usual epithets of the city: “Gray Rose” (M. Voloshin), “A Holiday That Is Always With You” (E. Hemingway), and many consider the phrase “See Paris and Die” by I. Ehrenburg vulgar . So you can classify the reviews of tourists who first visited Paris. The result is the same: many dream to see it again.