Paris in autumn

Your guide to Paris in autumn

Paris is a great place to visit anytime of the year but there is something special about autumn. As the pulse of the city slows down and the autumn leaves break out, it is a refreshing way to view the city in a different light.

Take a walk in one of Paris's many parks, and check out some of the exhibitions on offer. Go down history lane with a stop at the Catacombs to see the bones of over six million Parisians under the city.

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Things to do in Paris in autumn

Visit the catacombs

A vast memento mori, Paris’s labyrinth of catacombs was built in the 18th century to relieve overflowing cemeteries. They meander for around 200 miles underground, some parts unexplored. The catacombs are the final resting place of revolutionaries Robespierre and Jean-Paul Marat; the French Resistance bunkered down there, too. ‘Cataphiles’ have held raves and movie screenings there, illegally. Book a guided tour to see his carvings of the Cazerne Quarter and Ports Phillipe and Mahon – a glimpse of life in a place of death.

Enjoy the great outdoors

Enjoy glorious Paris autumn walks in some of the capitals most beautiful outdoor spaces. Jardin des Plantes, the Seine-skimming botanical garden houses one of the oldest zoos in the world. Bois de Vincennes, with a significant stretch of green is a slice of French countryside in the city. Racing a wooden sailboat on the gardens’ pond is a rite of passage for petits parisiens in Jardin du Luxembourg. Parc des Buttes Chaumont is particularly attractive with its classical gazebo, cascading waterfall and fun suspension bridge.

Explore the Louvre museum

What better place to hang out when the days begin to turn colder and darker. There’s so much more to the Louvre than that Mona Lisa enigmatic smile. Turned over to culture vultures during the French Revolution, this palace of kings is a jumble of venerable galleries, underground chambers and gilded ballrooms. You won’t see it all in one day, so pace yourself – this is one must-see sight in Paris worth coming back for.