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From September onwards, museums, theatres and leisure venues across Greater Paris will be rolling out a rich programme of events to mark the start of the new cultural season. Exhibitions, musicals, ballets, operas, concerts, festivals ... the choice is vast! Discover a selection of major events to look forward to this autumn.
Autumn is here with its seasonal abundance of great cultural outings and top events for a wonderful and memorable stay in the French capital. Highlights of course include the European Heritage Days, on 20 and 21 September 2025. On this occasion, some of the most secret, mysterious and unusual places open their doors to the public. Some are freely accessible; others require pre-booking. Think about booking online!
The calendar is also marked by the long-awaited reopening of the towers of Notre-Dame de Paris for Heritage Days on 20 and 21 September 2025. On this occasion, visitors will be offered a brand new tour route and spectacular panoramic views of Paris. For this exceptional reopening weekend, the towers will be open continuously from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and admission will be free upon registration (registration opens in early September).
Another leading event is Paris Fashion Week, the capital's fashion event from, presenting women's ready-to-wear for the spring/summer 2026 season from 29 September to 7 October 2025.
Finally, save the date for 25 October 2025 for the reopening of the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain at its new location in the heart of Paris, on the Place du Palais Royal, between the Louvre Museum and the Domaine du Palais Royal. The Foundation now occupies a historic building redesigned by French architect Jean Nouvel. To mark the reopening, the Foundation is presenting a general exhibition of its collection, which runs until 23 August 2026. This is a major retrospective of 40 years of contemporary creation, featuring major works from the collection.
The European Heritage Days, on 20 and 21 September 2025, are a unique opportunity to discover Paris’s hidden gems.
Iconic monuments, unusual places, free guided tours, the reopening of the towers of Notre-Dame: this major cultural event at the start of the autumn season allows visitors free access to heritage sites some of which are not usually open to the public.
September is marked by major retrospectives dedicated to American painter John Singer Sargent, from 23 September 2025 to 11 January 2026, and sculptor Paul Troubetzkoy, from 30 September 2025 to 11 January 2026 at the Musée d'Orsay. Reopening in June 2025, the Grand Palais is honouring the couple Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely and their friendship with Pontus Hultén, until 4 January 2026, while the Musée du Luxembourg is focusing on the paintings of Pierre Soulages, master of abstraction, from 17 September 2025 to 11 January 2026.
In other Parisian museums, the selection is eclectic and fascinating! At the Jacquemart-André Museum, the exhibition Georges de La Tour. Between Light and Shadow highlights the genius of chiaroscuro by this 17th-century master, to be discovered from 11 September 2025 to 22 February 2026. At the Orangerie, a unique exhibition pays tribute to Berthe Weill, a major figure in the art market at the turn of the 20th century, from 8 October 2025 to 26 January 2026. The Louvre Museum is celebrating the 200th anniversary of the death of Jacques-Louis David with a masterful retrospective from 15 October 2025 to 26 January 2026 and offering visitors an immersive experience of the frescoes of the Farnese Palace with La Fabrique de la Galerie Farnèse (The Making of the Farnese Gallery), which will open a little later, from 5 November 2025 to 2 February 2026. At the Fondation Louis Vuitton, the monumental work of Gerhard Richter will be on display in an exceptional retrospective exhibition from 17 October 2025 to 2 March 2026, while at the Panthéon, Nicolas Daubanes presents a contemporary and commemorative installation that blends art and history, on display from 19 November 2025 to 8 March 2026.
Finally, art takes over public spaces with PHOTOCLIMAT, a biennial social and environmental photography exhibition that will be held at various iconic locations in Paris, including Place de la Concorde, the banks of the Seine, Académie du Climat, Place Saint-Sulpice, Maison des Arts et de la Culture de Créteil... - from 12 September to 12 October 2025.
Musicals are making a big comeback on the Paris stage! From 17 September 2025, The Lion King will roar once again after a summer break at the Théâtre Mogador, until 31 January 2026. From 2 October 2025, Les Demoiselles de Rochefort will light up the stage of the Théâtre du Lido until 8 March 2026. On 11 October 2025, it's Tom Sawyer, the musical adventure, which will take young and old alike to the Théâtre 13e Art until 21 December 2025, followed by the musical Madagascar at the Théâtre du Gymnase, from 18 October 2025 to 4 January 2026. From 7 November 2025, it's time for jazz and dance with Chicago - The Musical at the Casino de Paris.
From 20 November 2025 to 18 January 2026, the Cirque du Soleil presents its iconic show Alegría, under the Big Top on the Île des Impressionnistes in Chatou, for a magical experience on the outskirts of Paris. From 4 December 2025 to 25 January 2026, the cult show Le Roi Soleil makes its grand return to the Dôme de Paris, followed by La Cage aux Folles by Jean Poiret, from 5 December 2025 to 10 January 2026 at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Fans of the great classics can enjoy the musical Notre-Dame de Paris at the Palais des Congrès from 19 December 2025 to 4 January 2026.
Finally, don't miss two unusual shows:
Get your fill of lyrical emotion with Puccini's La Bohème, which opens the season at the Opéra Bastille from 12 September to 14 October 2025, followed by Verdi's grand and tragic Aida from 24 September to 4 November 2025. At the Opéra Garnier, baroque lovers can discover Handel's Ariodante from 16 September to 12 October 2025, while Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, transposed to the backstage of the opera house by Netia Jones, will be performed there from 15 November to 27 December 2025. On the dance front, don't miss Giselle, the romantic ballet par excellence, on stage at the Palais Garnier from 28 September to 31 October 2025, and the daring Swan Lake, performed entirely by a male ballet company at La Seine Musicale from 9 to 26 October 2025.
Hip-hop, pop, rock, folk, international stars, young talent... There's something for everyone in Parisian concert halls! The most eagerly awaited concerts are undoubtedly those by the legendary Sting on 9 October 2025 at the Accor Arena and Bob Dylan at the Palais des Congrès on 30 and 31 October 2025. A must-see pop event: Katy Perry is back on stage with three special concerts in Paris at the Accor Arena on 24 October, 4 and 5 November 2025 as part of her new world tour. Also worth noting: Lady Gaga is making a grand comeback with four concerts at the Accor Arena on 17, 18, 20 and 22 November 2025 as part of her The Mayhem Ball, as well as Zaho de Sagazan, who will give 10 concerts from 3 to 16 September 2025 at the legendary Olympia. A little later, the French star will once again take centre stage at the Philharmonie de Paris for the Zaho de Sagazan symphonique at the Philharmonie de Paris on 18 and 19 October 2025.
The new season kicks off on the rooftops with the Paris Rooftop Days, from 26 to 28 September 2025, an original weekend exploring the most beautiful terraces in Greater Paris through workshops, performances and outdoor activities. Jazz à la Villette and Paris Jazz Festival at the Parc Floral continue until 7 September 2025, while classical music takes centre stage at the Orangerie de Sceaux Festival until 12 October 2025. The Fête de l'Humanité from 12 to 14 September 2025 will be held at La Base 217 in Plessy-Pâté, and the Marne Festival is organising a series of concerts throughout the department from 26 September to 18 October 2025. Starting on 4 September 2025, the Autumn Festival will showcase theatre, music, dance, visual arts and cinema in numerous venues across Greater Paris. For video game enthusiasts, Paris Games Week, from 30 October to 2 November 2025 at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, offers visitors the chance to discover the latest releases, competitions and events from the world of gaming.
The autumn is also marked by trade fairs and shows, with Paris Design Week showcasing creation and design at various venues in the capital (from 4 to 13 September 2025) and Art Basel Paris dedicated to modern and contemporary art (from 24 to 26 October 2025) and Paris Photo (from 13 to 16 November 2025) at the Grand Palais. And the Salon du Chocolat will be at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from 29 October to 2 November 2025 for the delight of gourmets. Finally, the 2nd edition of the Forum de France de l'Alimentation will be held from 8 to 14 September 2025 in several iconic locations in the capital, focusing on the major challenges of sustainable food, health, culinary heritage and gastronomic diplomacy.
The new season is also the time for family entertainment. On the bill: Destination Moon, an immersive journey with Tom Hanks, from 24 September 2025 at the Atelier des Lumières, the return of the ‘Lion King’ musical until January 2026 at the Théâtre Mogador, thrilling rides and attractions at the Fête au Bois de Boulogne until 12 October 2025.
In addition, there will be the LEGO® Grand Tournament, a huge family playground on the Champs-Élysées on 21 September 2025, featuring a creative challenge between teams and constructions at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe. The event Horses in the City event on 5 and 6 September 2025 offers a free, immersive equestrian show at Place de la Concorde, which the whole family can enjoy with horse races and demonstrations. Finally, En voie d'illumination: Lumières de la Nature, a wonderful night-time walk in the Jardin des Plantes from 12 November 2025 to 18 January 2026, featuring animated light sculptures on the theme of nature - a magical preview of the festive season.
Looking for ideas for things to do in Paris this autumn? Must-see exhibitions, major shows, festivals not to miss, sporting competitions…
Browse our selection of events listed by category to plan your outings!
