Paris events & things to do in May 2027
Start with Eiffel Tower, Père Lachaise Cemetery, plus Seine river walk. May in Paris averages 20°C / 69°F highs, 10°C / 49°F nights, and about 10 rainy days.
Expect 20°C/69°F days and about 10 rainy ones in May. Start with these:
- Eiffel Tower★ 4.7 · 486.7k reviewsGustave Eiffel tower from the 1889 Exposition Universelle, standing above Champ de Mars in the 7th arrondissement.
- Père Lachaise Cemetery★ 4.6 · 4.5k reviewsLarge cemetery in the 20th arrondissement with cobbled lanes and famous graves from Oscar Wilde to Edith Piaf.
30% off a Going membership when you plan your trip.
By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
Paris in May 2027
Weather
TempTemperature
69°F / 49°F
20.3°C / 9.6°C
RainPrecipitation
10d
2.6in · 65mm
LightDaylight
15.1h
May is warm but the rain total rises to 65mm, so pair Versailles gardens with a flexible indoor backup.
Events & festivals
Event calendar- May 1
Associated occasion: International Workers' Day.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival calendar
- May 1 – May 31
Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés 2027
A month-long jazz festival featuring concerts in various venues around the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- May 1 – May 10
Foire de Paris 2027
One of the largest general public fairs in Paris, showcasing innovations, gastronomy, and cultural exhibitions.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
Show all 6 events for May
- May 15
Nuit des Musées 2027
Annual event where museums across Paris open late with free admission and special programming.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- May 20 – May 23
Festival de l'Imaginaire 2027
A festival celebrating fantasy literature, art, and culture with workshops, talks, and exhibitions.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
- May 24 – May 31
Roland Garros 2027 (French Open) - Final Rounds
The final week of the French Open tennis tournament held at Stade Roland Garros in Paris.
Planning lead · dates set closer in · Source: festival research
Holidays, observances & long weekends
Holiday and observance schedules can affect services and venue hours; confirm each place directly.
- May 1Labour DayPublic holiday
- May 6Ascension DayPublic holiday
- May 8Victory DayPublic holiday
- May 17Whit MondayPublic holiday
- May 6-May 9Long weekend with bridge day
- May 15-May 17Long weekend
About Paris
City overview
Paris is arranged by the Seine, the two river islands, and a spiral of 20 arrondissements that starts near Notre-Dame's Kilometre Zero. The Louvre-Tuileries axis, the Latin Quarter around the Sorbonne, the Marais around Rue des Rosiers, and Montmartre above Pigalle give first-time visitors a practical mental map.
Food & drink
Paris food ranges from croissants, steak frites, onion soup, crepes, and macarons to falafel on Rue des Rosiers and Vietnamese banh mi around Rue Mouffetard. Budget travellers can use bakery sandwiches, street crepes, and EUR20-40 prix-fixe menus away from the Champs-Elysees. Wikivoyage notes Paris has Europe's deepest Michelin field and the world's second-highest Michelin-star count after Tokyo.
Top sights
Ranked for May suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Seine river walk
- 2Centre Pompidou
- 3Musée d'Orsay
- 4Louvre Museum
- 5Notre-Dame de Paris
- 6Arc de Triomphe
- 7Basilique du Sacré-Coeur
- 8Sainte-Chapelle
1Seine river walk
5★ · 9outdoorOpen dailyThe UNESCO-listed riverbanks connect the Eiffel Tower, Musée d'Orsay, Louvre, Ile de la Cite, and Notre-Dame. Walking the quais is often faster and clearer than making short Metro hops through Chatelet.
2Centre Pompidou
4.4★ · 123outdoorInside-out Beaubourg arts centre in the 4th arrondissement, next to the Marais and Hotel de Ville. Escalators climb the exterior for broad views over Notre-Dame, the rooftops, and Montmartre.
Wikipedia
3Musée d'Orsay
4.8★ · 113,561indoorClosed MonImpressionist museum inside the former Gare d'Orsay railway station on the Left Bank. The 1900 station clock and the upper gallery view over the Seine are as memorable as the Monet, Degas, and Van Gogh rooms.
Show 3 more sights
- 4Louvre Museum
- 5Notre-Dame de Paris
- 6Arc de Triomphe
Neighborhoods
1Louvre, Les Halles, and the 1st arrondissement
The geographic centre: Louvre, Tuileries, Palais Royal, Place Vendôme, and the Les Halles transport hub. It is monument-dense and useful for short stays, but crowded around the Pyramid and Chatelet.
2Le Marais (3rd and 4th arrondissements)
Former marsh district of Rue des Rosiers, Place des Vosges, Musee Carnavalet, Hotel de Ville, and Centre Pompidou. It has small streets, Jewish bakeries, boutiques, and busy bars without the Champs-Elysees scale.
3Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Left Bank university-and-cafe territory around the Sorbonne, Panthéon, Jardin du Luxembourg, Saint-Sulpice, and Boulevard Saint-Germain. Rue Mouffetard and Place de la Contrescarpe keep the student-food angle visible.
Day trips
22km / 20-40min by RER C from central Paris
Versailles
Louis XIV palace and gardens on the southwest edge of the region. Reserve palace entry and leave time for the gardens, Grand Trianon, and the walk from Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche station.
75km / 45min train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Vernon plus shuttle
Giverny
Claude Monet's house and water-lily garden are strongest from late spring through early autumn. Avoid rainy days because the garden is the point of the trip.
32km / 40min by RER A to Marne-la-Vallee-Chessy
Disneyland Paris
Two-park resort east of Paris. It is an easy rail day trip, but weekend and school-holiday lines make dated tickets and early arrival important.
Getting around
Paris Metro and RER cover the city, with RER B linking Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, and Denfert-Rochereau for EUR13. Metro Line 14 now serves Orly for EUR13, and the Seine quays are often the clearest route between Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and Musée d'Orsay.
Planning a Paris trip?
Add your dates and we'll check every place for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in May.
Common questions about Paris in May
- What to pack for Paris in May
Pack for May's weather, not a generic Paris checklist.
- Layerable daytime clothes for average highs around 20°C / 69°F.
- A light evening layer because nights average 10°C / 49°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 10 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Paris
- 4 days covers the main Paris highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Paris worth visiting in May
- Yes. May in Paris averages 20°C / 69°F highs, 10°C / 49°F nights, and about 10 rainy days.
Ready to plan Paris?
You've seen what's on — now get a day-by-day Paris plan for May 2027, every place checked for your exact dates.