9 unique, rain-proof activities in Paris
Whether you enjoy your trip or not depends largely on the weather. Almost any place is great when the sun is shining. But when it rains – and it does quite often here – what a city has to offer is put to the test. If you search for things to do in Paris when it’s raining, you’ll always come across the same advice: visit museum X or go shopping in the covered passageways. And while there’s nothing wrong with these suggestions, except that you’ll have to share the experience with half of Paris, there are certainly more original (and fun) ways to spend a few rainy hours.
Stay dry in style
First we need to make sure you don’t get soaked on the way there. The most stylish way to stay dry is with a luxury umbrella from Antoine (they make a great souvenir, too). In business since 1745, this is the oldest umbrella store in Paris. Their extravagant products already kept Montesquieu, Rousseau and Voltaire from getting soaked. For more urgent and economical matters, you can find umbrellas in almost any supermarket.
Antoine
10 Avenue de l’Opéra, 1st arrondissement
Métro: Pyramides (7, 14)
Paris rain facts
- During the year there are 154.8 rainy days, which means that it rains almost every other day.
- With an average of 63.2 milliliters per month, the rainiest month is: May!
- The rainiest day ever recorded was July 6, 2001 with 104.2 milliliters.
- The Zouave is a statue by Georges Diebolt that stands on the Pont de l’Alma bridge and serves as an unofficial high-water marker for the level of the Seine. When the water reaches the feet of the statue, the riverside paths are closed, and when it reaches the hips, the river is no longer navigable by boat. In the great flood of 1910, the water was up to the neck. More than 14,000 buildings in the city were under water for two months.
9 ways to enjoy Paris despite the rain
Folderol – ice cream & wine
Spending the day eating ice cream and drinking wine sounds like the adult version of a kid’s dream. At Folderol, artisanal ice creams come in delicate flavors (olive oil, blood orange and jasmine, miso, sugar and rhubarb pie, to name a few) and are expertly paired with rare finds of natural wines by the bottle. Take a seat by the window and watch the residents of the trendy Oberkampf neighborhood brave the weather.
Folderol
10 Rue du Grand Prieuré, 11th arrondissement
Métro: Oberkampf (5, 9)
Oya – bar à jeux | Blitz Society – chess club
We can’t think of a cozier way to kill a couple of rainy hours than by playing our favorite board games at Oya. Choose from a wide variety of games or get a recommendation by the friendly staff based on what you usually like to play. At only five euros per person per game you can extend the fun into the late evening hours, since Oya is open until midnight most days. If you like chess, head over to Blitz Society in the Saint-Germain des Prés district, where you can take lessons, attend tournaments or play against other people.
Oya
25 Rue de la Reine Blanche, 13th arrondissement
Métro: Les Gobelins (7)
Blitz Society
4 Rue du Sabot, 6th arrondissement
Métro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés (4)
Punch – boxing in a nightclub-like environment
Instead of getting cold and wet, get hot and sweaty at Punch Boxing. The 50-minute workout combines boxing with bootcamp in a fun, nightclub-like atmosphere. Although you’ll definitely feel your muscles the next day (and, if you’re like us, even the day after) you don’t need any experience to join a class. Simply book through their website and get ready to punch. If you hit the Champs-Elysée studio, don’t forget to reward yourself with a smoothie from their in-house café. Book a class.
Punch Boxing Louvre
3 Rue de Richelieu, 1st arrondissement
Métro: Pyramides (7, 14), Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre (1, 7)
Nanina & La Latteria – make your own mozzarella
You can either spend the day eating cheese or spend it making it yourself – and then eating it. Julien, a Frenchman with Italian roots and founder of the Italian delis Nanina and La Latter, and Franco, an Italian cheesemaker, will teach you how to make fresh mozzarella in this delightful workshop, followed by Italian food and wine. Reservations can be made on the Wecandoo website for either venue: Nanina & La Latteria.
Nanina
24 Rue Basfroi, 11th arrondissement
Métro: Voltaire (9)
La Latteria
151 Rue du Faubourg Poissonnière, 9th arrondissement
Métro: Poissonnière (7)
Supersonic – discover up-and-coming artists
If you like rock music, you’re in luck. At Supersonic, you can catch live music every night of the week. The lineup is made up of up-and-coming local and international talents. So there’s a good chance you’ll be listening to the next big thing without even knowing it. And the best part is that 99% of the time, admission is free! If you get there early enough, be sure to check out their record store, located just a few doors down from the venue.
Supersonic
9 Rue Biscornet, 12th arrondissement
Métro: Bastille (1, 5, 8)
Babaluma – coffee & music
With a collection of over 20,000 new and used records in every genre imaginable, Babaluma has enough in stock to keep anyone entertained while waiting out a weather tantrum. Listen to French jazz, Italian disco and Japanese downtempo, or have a coffee or beer and chat about your finds with the laid-back bosses Dave and Alan (a producer himself) at the counter in the middle of the store. And with prices starting at 1 Euro, you might as well stock up on old Jacques Brel or Dalida records to take home as a souvenir.
Babaluma
72bis Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 11th arrondissement
Métro: Parmentier (3)
Le Spa dans le Noir – massages in the dark
The team behind Le Restaurant dans le Noir – a pitch-dark eatery – brings you a spa experience like no other. Like in the restaurant, the staff is blind or visually impaired, and the lighting is non-existent or, at your request, dimmed. Other than that, Le Spa dans le Noir is just like any other spa, meaning you can get a catalog of different massages, facial treatments or use the hammam, but you might find yourself relaxing more easily thanks to the complete darkness. If you’re in Paris with your partner, you could even take a private massage class together.
Le Spa dans le Noir
65 Rue Montmartre, 2nd arrondissement
Métro: Sentier (3)
La Tête Dans Les Nuages – arcade
Europe’s largest arcade welcomes you from morning to late. With over 100 different games, including various simulators, virtual reality, driving games, action games, retro games like pac man, shuffleboard, bowling and billiards, you can play all day without even noticing the rain outside. And in case you were wondering: La Tête dans les Nuages is just as much fun for adults as it is for kids. In fact, depending on the time of day, the place fills up with groups of friends and couples switching up their date night.
La Tête Dans Les Nuages
5 Bd des Italiens, 2nd arrondissement
Métro: Richelieu-Drouot (8, 9)
Hotel Paradiso – cinema in bed
The weather makes you wanna stay in bed and watch movies all day? Well, how about enhancing your experience with a day at Hotel Paradiso? For 80 euros, you get a double room equipped with a video projector and a cinema screen, 3D surround sound, touch screen tablet with access to the hotel’s services and a range of films from top VOD platforms such as Netflix, MyCanal, Amazon Prime, Mubi, Arte, Video Club Carlotta Films and the hotel’s own selection of the month. From 10am to 3pm, you can binge as much as you like, order room service, or break up your movie marathon with karaoke or a PS5 gaming session.
Hotel Paradiso
135 Boulevard Diderot, 12h arrondissement
Métro: Nation (1, 2, 6, 9)
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