9 Things to Do in Paris When It Rains

If you’re headed to Paris or already in Paris and there’s rain in your forecast, you don’t have to feel that you’re going to miss out on what Paris has to offer. In fact, rain in Paris is pretty normal. According to weatheratlas.com during the entire year, the rain falls for 154.8 days. That’s nearly half the days of the year that rain is falling in Paris!

The amount of rainfall in Paris is one of the things that makes Paris what she is, so if rain is in your forecast, rather than feeling discouraged, consider yourself lucky that you will get to experience the city as she is for almost half of the year.

There is also no shortage of things to do in Paris when it’s raining and our list of rainy day activities in Paris below is enough to fill up your itinerary, even if it’s forecasted to rain every day!

1) Soak up history and art at one of Paris’ 130 museums

There’s no better rainy day pastime in Paris than strolling through a museum. Paris boasts over 130 museums within the city limits, so even if you’ve already checked off the more famous ones, there are plenty left to explore if the weather looks less than desirable.

If you’ve never been to Paris, I’d recommend using your rainy day to stroll through The Louvre (the most visited art musuem in the world), Musée d’Orsay (check out the fourth floor for all things Impressionism) or Musée de l'Orangerie (meditate amongst the famous Monet water lilies).

If you’ve already visited the prior museums, spend your rainy day in Paris learning about the life and work of Pablo Picasso at the Musée national Picasso-Paris, observing sculpture at the Musée Rodin, or cozying up in the secret café hidden in the back of Musée de la Vie romantique.

A Rodin sculpture at Musée Rodin

Lefuel Staircase in The Louvre

A Monet painting at Musée d’Orsay

2) watch the rain from the windows of a parisian coffee shop

Paris lacks no cozy café, and there’s truly no better way to spend a rainy day in Paris than with a good cup of coffee in a cute French atmosphere. Scattered through every arrondissement of Paris are locally-owned coffee shops brewing up the latest and greatest in coffee.

Most cafés in Paris aren’t laptop friendly, and if you’re coming as a tourist, I wouldn’t recommend spending your rainy day in Paris on your laptop. Instead opt to sip on your coffee while reading a book, journaling or simply watching the rain fall on the Parisian streets outside.

Parisian coffee shops are a great spot to soak up all the French culture around you and you can use the rain as a way to people watch and improve your French listening skills.

A few of my favorite coffee shops to head to on a rainy day in Paris are:

• Maison Fleuret (6ᵉ arrondissement) - cozy interior seating

• Clove Coffee Shop (Montmartre) - cozy interior seating

• Noir Coffee (Various locations, I prefer the location on Ile Saint-Louis) - cozy interior seating

• Partisan Café (3eme arrondissement) - interior seating

• Café Kitsuné (Palais Royal) - no interior seating, but exterior seating under umbrellas - perfect for watching the rain in Palais Royal!

• Certified Cafe (Beaupassage) - interior seating

You can find a complete list of my favorite coffee shops in Paris in this post.

Cappuccinos from Noir Coffee on Ile Saint-Louis

The interior of Arabica Coffee Shop in Beaupassage

Exterior of Café Kitsuné in Palais Royal

3) Go shopping at a grand magasin

You’re in Paris after all, so you might as well use your rainy Parisian forecast to do some shopping. Paris is home to a handful of famous and beautiful grand magasins (department stores) that are the ideal places to explore on a rainy day in Paris.

Even if you’re not looking to spend a lot of money, the buildings home to these famous Parisian department stores are works of architecture and beauty in and of themselves.

Spend your rainy day in Paris walking through the floors of Galeries LaFayette, Printemps, Le Bon Marché, La Grande Épicerie de Paris, and Samaritaine.

4) Explore the covered passages of Paris

Another great thing to do in Paris when it’s raining is to stroll through the historic covered passages (also known as arcades) scattered throughout the city. The covered passages are short, covered walkways that connect two streets to one another and are lined with hotels, restaurants and shops.

Most of the covered passages in Paris can be found on the Rive Droite (right bank) and are good areas to find vintage books, postcards and stamps. A few of my favorite covered passages in Paris are Passage Jouffroy, Galerie Vivienne, Passage du Grand-Cerf, and Passage des Panoramas.

A corner of Passage des Panoramas - a covered passage of Paris

Antique books for sale in Passage Jouffroy

Entrance to Passage du Grand Cerf - a covered passage of Paris

5) learn french cuisine at a cooking class

If the rain forces you indoors during your time in Paris, you can maximize your time by expanding a skill and taking a cooking class. The French take massive pride in their nation’s cuisine (the French baguette was added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2022), and there’s no better place to learn the ins and outs of French cuisine than in the city of Paris.

If you take yourself more seriously in the kitchen, you can sign up to take an intensive short course at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Their short courses are half-day, full-day and sometimes two day courses, and includes cooking categories such as the art of sauces and juices, the pastry school workshop, and the art of french cuisine. You can find their full list of short courses here.

If you’re more casual in the kitchen or are just looking for a fun experience with family and friends, you can find endless cooking and baking classes in Paris that are beginner friendly. I personally enjoyed learning how to make croissants at this baking class, which would be a great and tasty thing to do in Paris when it’s raining.

Croissant making class with Maison Fleuret in Paris

Croissant making class with Maison Fleuret in Paris

Croissant making class with Maison Fleuret in Paris

6) Surround yourself with historic literature in a library (bibliothèque)

If you’re a lover of books or breathtaking libraries, when it rains in Paris, head inside one of the cities stunning libraries.

In the 2nd arrondissement of Paris you’ll find Bibliothèque Nationale de France (Richelieu) which was recently renovated and displays books wrapping around an oval room with a oversized oval glass ceiling.

On the other side of the river (rive gauche) you’ll discover Bibliothèque Mazarine near Pont des Arts. The library is free to access and is home to a magnificent display of ancient books. If you want to work from the library, you can register for a card with one of the librarians in the room.

7) Discover the beautiful churches of Paris

If you get caught in unexpected rain in Paris, you’re bound to be near one of the 197 churches and cathedrals in the city. Most of the churches are open to the public, making them a great spot to get out of the rain while discovering the many years of history, religion and art often found inside.

There are many beautiful cathedrals to discover beyond Notre-Dame (which is closed for renovations until 2024), such as the gothic cathedral of Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité (tickets needed), Saint Germain Églisein the 6eme arrondissement (free to enter), Église Saint-Eustache near Les Halles (free to enter), and Église Saint-Severin near Saint-Michel (free to enter).

Interior of Saint Germain Église

Interior of Église Saint-Eustache in Paris, France

Interior window of Église Saint-Severin in Paris, France

8) sip a cup of hot chocolate

If you happen to be in Paris when it’s both cold and rainy, there’s no better way to warm up than by grabbing a cup of creamy Parisian hot chocolate.

You can get your hot chocolate fix at most cafes in Paris, but if you want the full French ambience, order the chocolat viennois (hot chocolate with cream) from Café de Flore in the 6eme arrondissement of Paris.

You can also find noteworthy hot chocolate at Angelina Paris. My favorite (semi-secret) spot is the Mademoiselle Angelina location on the edge of Luxembourg Gardens. There is rarely a wait and I’ve never had to make a reservation! This is also a great spot to grab an edible souvenir.

If you happen to be in Montmartre when the rain starts falling over Paris, pop into Clove Coffee Shop on Rue Chappe for a cup of one of their three types of hot chocolate on the menu. They make their hot chocolates similar to a cappuccino, but with chocolate instead of coffee.

9) immerse yourself in french fashion at la galerie dior

If you are an appreciator of fashion or of well made things, a visit to La Galerie Dior is perfect to do on a rainy day in Paris. La Galerie Dior is an exhibition dedicated to Christian Dior in the building that housed his works for the past 70 years. The building is now open to the public and offers a unique and beautiful display of Dior’s most famous pieces set against breathtaking displays.

To visit La Galerie Dior, you can book tickets in advance here. At the end of the exhibit is Le Café Dior, where you can grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee if the weather hasn’t improved by the end of your visit.

La Galerie Dior Fashion Sketches by Christian Dior

Entrance to La Galerie Dior

La Galerie Dior Experience in Paris

brave the rainy paris weather

Hopefully this post has given you a few ideas of things to do when it rains in Paris, but if you’re at the end of this list and still looking for more rainy day activities in Paris, my encouragement is to purchase an umbrella, put on your most water-resistant clothing, and brave the Parisian rain. I guarantee if you head out in the rain in Paris, you’ll discover something unexpected that you would never find on a sunny day.

STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE

Looking for more Paris tips and tricks?

Don’t miss our Complete Guide to Paris, see our roundup of the best coffee shops in Paris, or our list of the best boutique hotels in Paris.

Exploring more of France?

From Paris, take a day trip to Giverny to see Monet’s Home & Gardens, catch the train and head south to the beautiful region of Provence, or hop in the car and take a road trip through Normandy.

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