Things to Do in Paris in November 2025

November in Paris doesn’t care what you think a perfect travel month should look like. This is when the city stops performing and just… is. The tourists thin out, locals reclaim their cafés, and Paris gets moody in the best possible way.

I’ve spent enough Novembers here to know this so-called “low season” is actually when you get the real Paris. Sure, you’ll need a proper coat. Yes, it’ll rain. But there’s something about the city in autumn—shorter days, steaming café windows, that particular slant of grey light—that makes everything feel more intimate, more honest.

Let me walk you through what actually matters this month.

Beaujolais Nouveau: Paris Gets Properly Festive

Third Thursday of November (that’s the 20th in 2025), Beaujolais Nouveau—made from Gamay grapes and rushed to bottle just 6-8 weeks after harvest—kicks off at midnight. It’s light, fruity, meant to be served cold, and honestly? Not the best wine you’ll ever taste.

Every wine bar in Paris hosts tastings, live music, and the kind of spontaneous celebration that makes you forget it’s November. I always hit Le Verre Volé on Rue de Lancry—tiny space, incredible small plates, and they take their Beaujolais launch seriously.

Frenchie Bar à Vins near Sentier is packed but worth it.

Le Baron Rouge by Marché d’Aligre? Pure chaos in the best way. Locals spill onto the street, everyone’s a bit too loud, and for one night, winter doesn’t matter.

It’s the official start of the festive season, and you’d be mad to miss it.

The Art Scene Shows Off

November is when Paris flexes its cultural muscles without the summer crowds blocking your view.

The Musée d’Orsay is showing John Singer Sargent’s work through January 11—over 90 pieces, some never shown in France before. The American painter spent his formative years here in the 1870s and 80s, and seeing his portraits in this context hits differently. I love that Orsay’s never packed this time of year, which means you can actually stand in front of paintings without someone’s selfie stick in your peripheral vision.

Over at the Grand Palais, Niki de Saint-Phalle and Jean Tinguely get a joint show through January 4. These two were partners in art and life, and the exhibit tells their story alongside the wild contemporary pieces that made them famous. The Grand Palais just got renovated for the Olympics, so it’s gleaming.

But here’s the real one: Paris Photo, November 13-16 at the Grand Palais. It’s the world’s largest photography fair, and it’s absolutely mad. Hundreds of galleries, photographers you’ve heard of, photographers you haven’t heard of yet, and enough visual stimulus to rewire your brain. Some pieces are actually affordable if you go for smaller formats. Even if you’re not buying, it’s the best crash course in contemporary photography you’ll get anywhere.

The other November gift? Short lines at the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe—all the spots that feel impossible in summer suddenly become manageable.

When Paris Gets Cozy

Picture this: wine bars with basement seating, cafés with steamed-up windows and jazz playing somewhere in the background, the clink of silverware, low conversations, everyone settling in for the long haul. Paris in November feels like everything is turning inwards.

The French have their own version of hygge, even if they’d never call it that. It shows up in warming glasses of Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône paired with creamy cheese and crusty bread. In afternoon stretches at a corner table where nobody rushes you off after one coffee. You can sit there for three hours with a book and a glass of wine.

When the rain hits (and it will), duck into the covered passages near the Grands Boulevards. These 19th-century glass-roofed arcades are like stepping into another era—ornate shopfronts, mosaic floors, the smell of old books and expensive chocolate. Galerie Vivienne, Passage Jouffroy, Passage des Panoramas. They’re brilliant on grey days.

Angelina near the Louvre does hot chocolate that’s practically dessert—thick, dark, obscenely rich, with a mountain of whipped cream. There’s usually a queue, but on weekday mornings you might slip in. If not, literally any café will do you a proper chocolat chaud.

For proper people-watching, Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann has a rooftop (weather permitting) with sweeping city views. The food hall at Le Grande Epicerie—Bon Marché’s gourmet grocery—is worth an hour of wandering even if you don’t buy anything. Though you probably will. Plus, they’ll vacuum-seal butter for your flight home, which is the kind of service that makes sense here.

November-Only Experiences

Some things only happen this month, and you’d kick yourself for missing them.

Salon du Chocolat runs October 28-November 1 at Porte de Versailles. Over 500 chocolate producers and pastry chefs are showing off, doing demos, and hosting tastings. There’s a fashion show where models wear chocolate dresses, which is exactly as extra as it sounds. Kids love the workshops. Adults love everything else.

November 18, the Spotify Equal Festival takes over Palais Brongniart—all French-speaking female artists from France, Belgium, and Canada. Clara Luciani, Shay, Charlotte Cardin.

If you’re into something completely different, Paris Supercross hits Paris La Défense Arena November 15-16. Professional motocross riders doing absolutely insane stunts indoors. It’s loud, spectacular, and not remotely typical Paris tourism.

Le Grand Tasting Paris brings serious wine aficionados together for masterclasses—small groups, four to six exceptional wines, and proper guidance.

And on November 11, Armistice Day, there’s a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. Solemn, moving, very French. Worth witnessing if you’re here.

Parks When Nobody Else Is There

Luxembourg Gardens in November is all those green metal chairs scattered under bare trees, locals reading newspapers, and kids at the playgrounds. Grab a sandwich from Bread and Roses or The Smiths Bakery, claim a chair, and watch Paris happen around you. It’s never crowded this time of year.

Parc Monceau in the 8th has gold gates that announce you’ve arrived somewhere special. The trees are groomed within an inch of their lives, the paths are perfect, and it feels very Old Paris – a lovely late autumnal walk. Try Boulangerie Léonie nearby on Rue de Lévis for provisions.

Palais Royal, tucked behind the Louvre, got famous thanks to Emily in Paris and Instagram, but it’s still worth seeing. Those black and white columns everyone photographs? They’re fine. But walk through to the actual garden. The trees are bare now, which gives the space a different energy—quieter, more contemplative. In spring, those magnolias explode—November’s starker.

The Tuileries Garden runs right up to the Louvre, and late October brings the Grande Roue—a massive Ferris wheel with proper views. You can see the whole city laid out grey and beautiful.

For more, see my guide to the best parks in Paris.

Versailles Without the Crowds

November’s perfect for Versailles. The Palace needs a full day—don’t try to squeeze it into a morning. The good news? Crowds thin considerably this month, though watch the first half—French school holidays mean weekdays can be as packed as weekends.

I went one November when fog rolled in heavy and thick. I basically had the entire palace to myself—just me, those ridiculous chandeliers, and Marie Antoinette’s ghost. Can’t promise you’ll get that lucky, but your odds are better now than they were in summer.

The grounds are massive. I really enjoyed renting bikes to explore. I did a bike tour last year that was brilliant—you cover so much more territory, and the guide knows which fountains to skip.

Versailles town has a market where you can load up on cheese, wine, and baguettes from a proper boulangerie. If the weather cooperates, picnic on the palace grounds. If it doesn’t, there are cafés in town.

Christmas Starts Creeping In

Late November, Paris begins its transformation. Jardin d’Acclimatation launches Christmas festivities on November 22—rides, decorations, lantern festivals. If you’ve got kids, this is their happy place.

Christmas markets start popping up around the city—Trocadéro, Champs-Élysées, Saint-Germain. Holiday lights go up on the Champs-Élysées, and department store windows on Boulevard Haussmann get their elaborate displays. It’s not full Christmas chaos yet, but you get the preview without the crowds.

Disneyland Paris kicks off its holiday programming. I’m not a Disney person, but friends with kids swear by it this time of year.

Food That Warms You Up

November food in Paris is about survival and pleasure in equal measure. You want cassoulet—that rich bean and duck confit situation from southwest France. You want boeuf bourguignon so tender it falls apart. You want cheese that’s been aging in caves and bread that’s still warm.

La Cuisine Paris runs food tours that hit the best spots for baguettes, cheese, and charcuterie. You’ll meet other travelers, eat constantly, and learn the actual culture behind French food traditions. Good for solo travelers who want company without commitment.

They also do cooking classes. The croissant on a rainy day is therapy you can eat. There’s something deeply satisfying about learning why French pastry works the way it does, then immediately proving you can’t replicate it.

Crêperies serve galettes with Breton cider in those rough ceramic bowls—savory buckwheat crêpes filled with ham, cheese, egg—simple, perfect, warming.

And café culture: order something, anything, and that table’s yours for as long as you want it. Read a book. Write postcards. Stare into space. Nobody cares. When you’re ready to leave, catch the waiter’s eye and say “l’addition, s’il vous plaît.” They won’t bring the check until you ask. That’s the rule.

The Practical Stuff

Average temperatures run 8-11°C (46-52°F). You’ll get about nine hours of daylight. The sun sets stupidly early. Cold rain is standard. Occasional sleet. Very rare snow.

Pack a proper wool coat, not just a trench. Hat, gloves, scarf—you’ll use all of them. Waterproof shoes are non-negotiable. When it rains here, puddles form instantly, and they’re deeper than you think. Wet feet will ruin your entire day. Bring a compact umbrella that fits in your bag.

November 1 is All Saints Day (La Toussaint) and November 11 is Armistice Day. Both are public holidays. Some shops and restaurants close. Museums mostly stay open. Check ahead if you’ve got specific plans. Locals visit cemeteries on La Toussaint, especially Père Lachaise, bringing chrysanthemums to graves. It’s moving and quiet if you’re into that kind of reflective wandering.

The upside to November? Hotel prices drop. Flights cost less. Museum lines shrink. You get the city without fighting for it.

The Secret Spots

Le Mausolée in the 19th arrondissement is this abandoned supermarket that street artists took over between 2010-2011. It just opened for public tours. You need a flashlight. It’s eerie and brilliant and unlike any other Paris experience. Guided visits only, book ahead.

Jazz barges moored on the Seine host intimate concerts. Le Son de la Terre in the 5th does jazz and world music with a bistro attached. La Rotonde by Canal de l’Ourcq combines a restaurant and a cultural venue with regular evening events.

Small poetry readings happen all over the city. Check local listings—they’re usually free or cheap, sometimes in English, always atmospheric.

The 9th arrondissement doesn’t get enough attention. It’s residential, quietly beautiful, full of good bakeries and wine shops without the tourist markup. Wander up from there into Montmartre’s lower edges for the best version of that neighborhood.

Why November Matters

Look, Paris in spring is gorgeous. Summer’s fun if you can handle the crowds and heat. But November strips everything down to what actually matters. The city stops posing. Locals come back out. Everything gets smaller, quieter, more real.

This is the month that’s most authentically Parisian—tourism’s at a low ebb, the city turns inward, focuses on itself rather than visitors.

The short days and cold rain? They push you into wine bars and cafés and museums, which is where Paris happens anyway. You end up having longer conversations with strangers. You discover your new favorite restaurant because you ducked in from the rain. You spend three hours in a museum because why rush when it’s dark outside?

Everyone else is planning their spring trip. Meanwhile, you’ll be here in November, drinking young wine at midnight, standing in an empty Versailles gallery, watching the city light up for Christmas from a quiet café table.

That’s not settling for off-season. That’s knowing something they don’t.