The month of July is when locals slow down, savor the summer months and prepare for les vacances. Expect lazy meals outside, and long, languid sunny days. The best things to do entail enjoying the outdoors. Roof top bars are filled to the brim with revelers enjoying hours of sunshine. Open-air film screenings, music festivals and other live music, street arts, or a Parisian-style picnic along the Seine river are just some of the ways to enjoy the warm weather. Here are some of our picks for what to do in Paris in July.

Events

Bastille Day Celebrations (French National Day), July 14

France’s National Day on July 14th is a tour de force with a military parade on the Champs-Elysées and air show. The national holiday concludes with classical music at the steps of the Eiffel Tower and of course, fireworks. A great way to enjoy the festivities is to grab a picnic and watch the show from the Champ de Mars or further afield like Montmartre.

Paris Plages – July 8- September 3

Paris transforms into a resort by the sea at this time of year. The banks of the River Seine and Canal de l’Ourcq (near the Parc de la Villette) are lined with palm trees and there are deck chairs which are a good spot to relax and unwind near the water. Activities at the Seine location include canoeing and kayaking, an open-air cinema between July 8-12 and pétanque. By the Bassin de la Villette there is a merry-go-round for kids, water activities, a beach club, trampoline, and more. Find out more information check out the Paris Tourist Office’s website.

The annual Paris Plages set up on the banks of the river Seine.
Top: photos by Gregoire Jeanneau & Yiwen / Above: Paris Plages, photo by Luiz Filipe Carneiro Macha

The Tour de France, July 1-July 23

This year’s Tour de France begins in early July in Bilbao and culminates in the triumphant arrival at the finish line along the Champs Élysées.

Exhibitions

Galerie Dior

Calling all fashion lovers! There is a new exhibition at Christian Dior’s historic mansion in the French capital. Here, at 30 Montaigne, visitors can enter the extravagant world of the House of Christian Dior. The space is dedicated to Parisian art de vivre. The museum portion delves deep into the iconic collections of the past 70 years. The latest exhibition looks at Miss Dior, the ready to wear line founded in 1967. There is a room devoted to “Artistic Affinities” which looks at the link between the fashion house and modern art. Finally, the last leg of the journey ventures back to the 18th century looking at Dior’s interest and inspiration from the era.

Titanic, Porte de Versaille, July 18-September 10

The story of the most famous shipwreck is told at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. Objects and relics from the ship, plus recreations of several areas of the liner are on display. Journey to another era in this moving and illuminating exhibit.

Over the Rainbow – a tribute to LGBTQIA+ artists, Centre Pompidou, June 28 – November 13

This exhibition honors great artists of 20th and 21st centuries with over 500 works and documents on display. Cinema, erotic photography, literature, poetry, theater mingle with leather culture and contemporary queer magazines. This exhibit is not to be missed!

The industrial architecture of the facade of the Pompidou Centre.
Centre Pompidou, photo by Denys Nevozhai

Degas in Black and White, BnF Richelieu, May 31- September 3

Drawings, photos, prints, paintings and sculptures trace the artist’s experiments in black and white. The exhibit devoted to Degas at the Bibliothèque Nationale includes scenes from dance, moments from the city’s iconic cafes and tableaus of the bourgeois houses of the time.

Catherine Deneuve, Rive droite, Rive gauche, Galerie de l’instant, June 22- October 1

This icon needs no introduction. Considered one of the greatest actresses of the second half of the 20th century, this photography retrospective explores the important milestones of her life – from her film debut to the most recent events. Significant figures in her life like Yves Saint-Laurent, Serge Gainsbourg, David Bowie and François Truffaut also appear in this touching exhibition. There is a complimentary exhibition taking place at the Hôtel Lutetia from June 21- September 8.

Gustave Eiffel’s Paris, Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine, July 26, 2023- January 9, 2024

The centenary of Eiffel’s death is the occasion for which this exhibition comes about. The museum, situated in the Palais de Chaillot, is across from the engineer’s most famous work. You will learn about his relationship with Paris, and the diverse legacy he leaves on the city, that goes beyond the Eiffel Tower.

A still shot of Catherine Deneuve in the 1960's and a black and white photo of the underside of the Eiffel Tour.
Catherine Deneuve, photo by Denis Denis; The Eiffel Tour, photo by Nicolas Bruant

And don’t miss some of the blockbuster exhibitions ending soon including:

Activities for Kids

Fête des Tuileries

Parks and gardens are the best places to enjoy the summer days. The Fête des Tuileries is a two-month event for kids and adults of all ages to enjoy a fun fair in the Tuileries garden. Bumper cars, ghost trains, a hall of mirrors, duck fishing, trampolines, and climbing are some of the fun activities on offer. Treats like candy floss, crepes, donuts, toffee apples and of course, ice cream will sweeten up your day.

Les Pestacles

This family festival offers musical shows and concerts for kids. From June until September the stage at the Delta in the Parc Floral de Paris is dedicated towards young audiences.

 MUSIC

Paris Jazz Festival, until September 7

This popular event combines melodies and nature. Held in the Parc Floral in Paris the event attracted 120,000 spectators in the last edition. Major players on the scene take part, along with a daring, eclectic line-up.

Opera en Plein Air, until September 24

Opera en Plein Air sees a well-known director stage a famous opera from the repertory. The work is then presented at beloved sites like Château de Vincennes, the Domaine de Sceaux, the Château de Fontainebleau and the Hôtel National des Invalides in the centre of Paris.

Lana Del Rey and two backing singers performing at the Grammys.
photo by Justin Higuchi

Other Shows Worth Catching:

  • Lana Del Rey, July 10-11, L’Olympia
  • Lollapalooza, July 21-23, Hippodrome Paris Longchamp
  • Branford Marsalis Quartet, July 17, Paris Jazz Club

RELATED LINKS

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WRITTEN BY

HiP Paris

HiP Paris is a lifestyle website about everything Paris and beyond. We enlighten and entertain our community, and share tips and recommendations. We believe in respect for French culture, timeless luxury, being comfortable in your skin, and the simple beauty of French life. Started in 2008, HIP Paris has evolved into a hub for expats and Francophiles. We have been featured in the New York Times, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Buzzfeed, Eater, Bon Appetit, Refinery29 and many other publications.

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