Is it hot in Paris? From shady parks and open-air swimming pools to hidden gardens and inventive restaurants, the capital is brimming with great spots to cool off whenever the temperature rises. Paris je t’aime has put together a selection of cool tips for you - from the all-time classics to unexpected discoveries - so you can keep enjoying the city without feeling stifled.
Two large green spaces to escape the heat: cliffs and an artificial waterfall at the Buttes-Chaumont, or a boat trip on Lake Daumesnil in the Bois de Vincennes, in the shade of centuries-old trees.
📍Parc des Buttes-Chaumont - 1-7 rue Botzaris, Paris 19th
📍Bois de Vincennes, Paris 12th
From the sculptures at the Rodin Museum to the collections at the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris, via the Impressionist masterpieces at the Musée d’Orsay… treat yourself to a cultural getaway in the air-conditioned galleries of Paris’s great museums.
📍Musée Rodin Paris - 77 rue de Varenne, Paris 7th
📍Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris - 11 avenue du Président Wilson, Paris 16th
📍Musée d'Orsay - Musée d'Orsay - Esplanade Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, Paris 7th
Moored on the Seine opposite the Bibliothèque nationale de France - François Mitterrand site, the floating Joséphine Baker swimming pool features a retractable roof and a sun deck, offering a unique swimming experience with views of the river and the barges passing by. The Art Deco-style Molitor Swimming Pool, an icon of Parisian heritage, provides the ideal setting for a swim whilst enjoying the architectural charm of the Hôtel Molitor.
📍Piscine Joséphine Baker - quai François Mauriac, Paris 13th
📍Piscine Molitor - Molitor, MGallery Hotel Collection - 16 Avenue de la Porte Molitor, Paris 16th
For a more original gourmet treat, head for Alain Ducasse’s frozen chocolate creations, Rayonnance’s artisanal and inventive ice creams, or Bachir’s unmissable Lebanese ice creams, fresh from Beirut. A different way to discover the art of Parisian ice-cream making, blending tradition with innovation.
📍Manufacture Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse - 38 rue de la Roquette, Paris 11th
📍Pâtisserie Rayonnance - 17 Rue de Maubeuge, Paris 9th
📍Glace Bachir - 58 rue Rambuteau, Paris 3rd
During the summer, the city comes alive with Paris Plages, stretching along the quays from the Rives de Seine park to the Bassin de la Villette, via the Canal Saint-Martin. With its deckchairs, shaded terraces, water-based entertainment and sporting activities, this laid-back, urban open-air café atmosphere appeals to Parisians and visitors alike, all seeking a bit of cool by the water’s edge.
📍Parc Rives de Seine - Left Bank: from the Pont d’Iéna to the Pont des Arts. Right Bank: from the Pont Neuf to the Port de l’Arsenal
📍Bassin de la Villette - Quai de la Seine, Paris 19th
📍Canal Saint-Martin - Quai de Jemmapes, Paris 10th
Air-conditioning guaranteed, but that’s not all: the Art Nouveau dome at Galeries Lafayette, a panoramic terrace overlooking Paris, the fine food shops and concept stores at Le Bon Marché… A chic way to discover the capital in a different light, sheltered from the sun.
📍Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann - 40 boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9th
📍Bon Marché Rive Gauche - 24 rue de Sèvres, Paris 7th
Tucked away in the Passage des Panoramas, in the former workshop of the engraver Stern - a listed historic monument redesigned by Philippe Starck – the Italian restaurant Stern Ristorante is offering its ‘Estate Gelata’ (‘icy summer’) menu this summer: a four- or six-course menu where every dish, from starter to dessert, features an ice-cream element or a sorbet – available from Tuesday to Saturday until the start of the new school term in September.
📍Stern Ristorante - 47 passages des Panoramas, Paris 2nd
Head to Parc de la Villette, the gardens of the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, or the Petite Ceinture at dusk for a screening under the stars whilst enjoying the cool of the evening.
📍Parc de la Villette - 211 avenue Jean Jaurès Paris 19th
📍Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac - 37 quai Jacques Chirac, Paris 7th
📍Petite Ceinture - La REcyclerie - 83 boulevard Ornano Paris 18th
Swim and relax in one of the designated, supervised swimming areas in the Seine. The Bras Marie, the Bras de Grenelle or the Bercy quays - the choice is yours!
The vaulted ceilings of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral or the Basilica of Saint-Denis are true sanctuaries of coolness, where it’s lovely to wander whilst soaking up some culture.
📍Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris - 6 parvis Notre-Dame - Place Jean-Paul II, Paris 4th
📍Basilique cathédrale Saint-Denis - 1 rue de la Légion d'Honneur, 93200 Saint-Denis
