1. Unpopular opinion alert: summer is one of my favorite times to be in Paris. Yes, it gets hot. No, we don’t have air conditioning. But most of the time, I have to be honest, I don’t miss it. The warm weather forces people out of their oven-like apartments, and the city is filled with activity. One of the most popular pastimes? Enjoying a coffee (or a glass of chilled rosé) on a café terrace.
2. Of course, that’s far from the only way to enjoy the nice weather. Many will opt to stroll along the quais de Seine: the Left Bank above has been transformed into a giant playground of sorts, with hopscotch, outdoor workout equipment, picnic benches, and more. You’ll often see whole families walking, skating, or biking along this area.
The Right Bank, meanwhile, has long been home to Paris Plages, a “beach” installation of chaise-lounges and sand. The sand has been abandoned this year, so it’s just chaise-lounges on concrete (and a few misters, which are quite welcome on a hot day.) But for this reason, many Parisians have set their sights north, on the canals, for their summertime respite.
3. The Canal Saint-Martin is certainly a popular destination for Parisians, who use it as a picnic spot, especially in the evening, when parks are closed and open bottle policies are ignored. But the Canal de l’Ourcq, just a few minutes away, has also become popular this summer, with its pétanque courts, paddle boats, and even an outdoor public pool, cordoned off in a section of the canal itself.
4. For some, the parks are the places to be in the summer. In the Luxembourg Gardens, you can have a picnic, pull up a chair (or chaise-lounge) and read a book, or enjoy the centuries-old push boats on the pond. And the view of the Pantheon isn’t too shabby either.
5. But even if you’re not within reach of a park, Parisians will make do with whatever scrap of ground is in the sunshine. Here, many have assembled in front of the Pompidou modern art museum for a bit of sunshine before heading back to work.