What to do in Paris in February

There’s more to February in Paris than Valentine’s Day. In the post-festive wintertime you’ll see a more authentic, intimate side of the city: wander around iconic sights free from spring and summer crowds. Join locals crammed into cosy bars and shrouded cinemas. Discover hidden gems you might normally walk right past. Take it from us: the City of Lights looks even prettier and twinklier when it’s darker for longer.

Be warned: February in Paris is cold – with average highs of around 7°C (45°F) and lows of around 2°C (35°F) – and often rainy. We think chilliness is part of its charm, but make sure you pack layers, sensible shoes, and an umbrella.

1. Dodge the worst crowds at the best museums

We’ve all seen photos of the Mona Lisa peeking out from behind manic crowds… One of the best things about visiting Paris in February is it’s easier to get into, and move around, the city’s best museums. (The obvious bonus being you’ll stay warm and dry, too.) Some of our favourite spots to visit while the city is a little quieter include Musée du Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, and Foundation Louis Vuitton.

Top tip: If you’re visiting a few museums, it might be worth buying a Paris Museum Pass, which covers more than 50 of the top museums and monuments in and around the city. (Heads up: you may still need to book time slots.)

2. Explore the city’s charming covered passages

These elegant nineteenth-century covered walkways are dotted around Paris – mostly on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 2nd, 8th and 9th arrondissements. While some are a little worse-for-wear, many are home to unique shops and cafés, boasting beautiful original features like ornate wrought iron and glass ceilings, traditional wood shop fronts, and decorative tiled floors. 

Some of our favourites include: Passage Verdeau, Passage Jouffroy and Passage des Panoramas (which run on from one another); Galerie Vivienne, which leads to Palais Royal; Passage Choiseul, Paris’ longest covered passage; and Passage du Grand Cerf, whose red carpet really 

3. Take yourself on a cocktail-bar tour of Paris

When it’s cold outside, what better way to warm up than with an artfully strong cocktail (or several)? You’ll get to see the city between stops, always knowing you have a snug destination to aim for. Riff on this route to travel in a loop from Le Jardin de Verre by Locke and back home again: Bar Nouveau → Frequence →Combat → Classique → Danico → Craven → Castor Club. (We won’t judge you if you skip a few.)

4. Indulge your inner cinephile

It’s not often when travelling that you have an excuse to duck into a cinema and enjoy a good film, but faced with the cold and rain of Paris in February, it’s totally legit. The 5th and 6th arrondissements are packed with independent cinemas offering cheap tickets to obscure screenings. Our favourites include Le Champo on Rue des Écoles, the famous ‘50s and ‘60s hangout of the Nouvelle Vague directors; Studio 28, an Art Deco-style building featured in the movie Amelie; and the Latin Quarter’s Filmothèque, rumoured to be one of Quentin Tarantino’s favourite spots in Paris.

A little further out of town is Cinémathèque Française, a haven for film lovers – complete with screening rooms, a bookstore, a video library, exhibitions, retrospectives and masterclasses – in another extraordinary Frank Gehry-designed building.

5. Explore the Latin Quarter

From fascinating museums where you can hide on rainy days and gorgeous gardens for frosty strolls, to cosy bookshops and atmospheric jazz bars and cabaret shows that are bound to warm you up, there’s plenty of winter entertainment within easy reach of Le Jardin de Verre by Locke. Check out our neighbourhood guide for a deep dive into this special district.

Where to stay in Paris in February

Whether you're in town for a weekend or a month, Le Jardin de Verre by Locke is the perfect base. Set in the heart of Paris’s Latin Quarter, this converted Baroque mansion house is now a chic boutique hotel featuring 145 serviced apartments, restaurant, cocktail bar, two stunning courtyards and a gym. What more could you need?