Summer in Paris, the City with Its Windows Open

In summer, Paris goes to bed late. The light holds until well into the evening, the terraces stay full, and people dine at the hour when, in winter, they would already be home. It is a season when the city gives itself differently: slower, more outdoors, sometimes warmer than you might imagine.

Two summers in one

The Parisian summer begins in June, festive and full: on the evening of the solstice, the Fête de la Musique sets the whole city playing. Then July settles in, with the 14th of July, its parade and its fireworks, and Paris Plages turning part of the riverbanks into a summer promenade.

August is another country. Some Parisians leave, a few restaurants and shops close for several weeks, the streets empty at lunchtime. Those who stay, and those who come, have the city to themselves: fewer people in the museums at the end of the day, seats on the terraces, silent Sundays. For a particular table, it is worth asking our concierge to check that it is open.

Keeping cool, a serious matter

Many Parisian buildings were not designed for today's summers. Heatwaves happen, and a bad night's sleep spoils the following day. All our apartments are air-conditioned: it is one of the criteria we hold every address in the collection to, just like the building or the interior.

The rest is Parisian common sense: close the shutters in the hottest hours, open everything wide in the evening, let the air of the street in as it cools.

Where to spend the summer

Summer is best lived in the heart of Paris, where everything is within walking distance. The Marais for its streets that come alive in the evening, its inner courtyards and the museums you retreat to in the heat of the day. The Left Bank for the Luxembourg garden, its ponds and its shade, and its terraces. The Palais-Royal for its lime alleys and arcades, with the banks of the Seine close by.

Our apartments, chosen one by one across Paris, have two to four bedrooms, with living spaces made for entertaining; two of them have a balcony, for spending the evening outside. Our neighbourhood guides introduce each of our addresses.

A summer day

Early in the morning, while the city is cool, a walk or a market. Late in the morning, a museum. In the afternoon, you go home: it is the hour of the apartment, half-closed shutters, a nap that needs no excuse. In the evening, you go out for good: an aperitif on a terrace, a late dinner, a walk along the Seine as the air cools.

Everyday becomes theatre, and summer gives it its longest acts.

Booking the summer

July and the busiest weeks of June are in demand, particularly for apartments with several bedrooms. Booking direct gives you the best available rate, with no service fees added to the price, and free cancellation more than 30 days before arrival.

Our apartments are in the collection; for family stays, our page on family apartments presents them from another angle.

The ACT 3 Team