No matter what the weather, Paris is a beautiful city to walk around. While you may want to
delay going to the top of the Eiffel Tower or walk around the Rodin Musuem's gardens in the rain, there is still
plenty to do in the City of Lights.
A walk aroung the inside of Notre Dame Cathedral
to admire its architecture and beautiful Rose Window, or even to attend a mass, is one great way to
spend a rainy day.
Sacré-Coeur Basillica is completely different from Notre Dame Cathedral, but is every bit as
grand. Another church worth visiting is
La Sainte-Chapelle. The interior features stunning Gothic architecture and beautiful stained glass windows.
Readers of the fictional novel The Da Vinci Code
may want to pay a quick visit
to Saint-Sulpice Church,
which was featured in the book.
What would a trip to Paris be without a stop at The Louvre Museum? Given the museum's massive size, visitors can easily spend hours wandering around from room to room, admiring paintings and sculptures. If you visit the Louvre, you may want to avoid entering in through the famous pyramid in the front, as there is usually quite a long wait at this enterance. There are other entrances to the museum that generally have far smaller lines. Also, if you purchase tickets in advance, the lines can usually be avoided. Another of the great museums in Paris is the Musée d'Orsay. This museum, housed in a former train station, features mainly Impressionist-era works of art. As with the Louvre, there can be quite a long line to purchase tickets, so it is highly recommeded that you purchase them in advance.
In addition to these two very popular museums, there are many smaller museums that are just fun to visit when the weather is not agreeable. For fans of Claude Monet, the Musée Marmottan Monet will be of interest; this small museum features quite a few of Monet's paintings, both famous and lesser-known. Another great place to spend some time in is The Cluny Museum (also called the Musée Nacional de Moyen Age.) Included in this museum's collection are the six famous "Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries."
After touring these museums, a snack may be called for. One of the most famous places to enjoy a break is Ladurée. A Parisian institution since the latter half of the 19th century, it is an impressive place to enjoy a cup of tea and a pastry. Another great tea salon to visit is Mariage Frères. Here, you can choose from a multitude of teas, and order a light lunch and pastries.
Slightly outside of Paris is the Palace of Versailles. While the grounds of Versailles are extensive, visitors are able to purchase tickets for just the palace, the palace and gardens, or just the gardens. So if you decide to visit Versailles and the weather is not pleasant, you have the option to spend a little less and tour inside.
A bit further afield is Chartres Cathedral. This cathedral is worth the approximately one hour train trip from Paris. It still has some of the original stained glass windows, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries. If you have the time, attend one of Malcolm Miller's tours. His insights of the cathedral make the visit even more memorable.
When planning your trip to Paris, keep in mind that the month with the highest average precipitation is September with 3.7 inches, followed by August with 3.5 inches.
