May in Paris averages highs of 19 °C (66 °F) and lows of 9 °C (49 °F), with about 10 rainy days and 15 h 15 min of daylight.
May weather in Paris at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is May a good time to visit Paris?
Good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain. May is usually high season in Paris: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in May 2026
- Fri 1 May: Labour Day (Fête du Travail) public holiday
- Fri 8 May: Victory in Europe Day (Victoire 1945) public holiday
- Thu 14 May: Ascension Day (Ascension) public holiday
- Mon 25 May: Whit Monday (Lundi de Pentecôte) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Paris in May
May's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars — go up at dusk outdoors
- Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur — views over the whole city outdoors
- Seine walk and Île de la Cité — Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle outdoors
- Le Marais — galleries, falafel and squares outdoors
- Louvre — book a timed slot indoors
- Musée d'Orsay — Impressionists in a railway station indoors
Where to stay: Le Marais or Saint-Germain for first-timers; Canal Saint-Martin and the 11th for better value.
What to pack for Paris in May
- Light layers for the day and a jumper for evenings, which cool to 9 °C (49 °F).
- An umbrella or a light waterproof: about 10 days this month see real rain.
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Paris costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €65–160 | €190–410 |
Excluding flights. May is usually high season in Paris: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest.
May in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 17° / 8° | 8 | Mixed weather |
| Amsterdam | 17° / 9° | 8 | Mixed weather |
| Munich | 18° / 8° | 14 | Tough month |
Plan your Paris trip
- Is Paris Expensive? Real Costs and a 2026 Budget Guide
- Romantic Weekend in Paris: A 2-Day Plan for Couples (2026)
- 3 Days in Paris — A First-Timer's Itinerary (Hour by Hour, With Costs)
- AI Trip Planner Prompts — How to Ask for a Trip and Get a Plan That Works
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is May a good time to visit Paris?
By the numbers, May is a good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain, with average highs of 19 °C (66 °F) and about 10 rainy days. May is usually high season in Paris: book rooms early, as prices are typically at their highest. The best months for weather are May, June, July, August, September.
How warm is Paris in May?
Average highs are 19 °C (66 °F) and lows 9 °C (49 °F) (2015–2024 averages).
Does it rain a lot in Paris in May?
Expect about 10 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 76 mm in total. It is the 2nd wettest month of the year in Paris.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.