Visiting Paris in February

Is visiting Paris in February a good idea, weatherwise and generally for visiting the sights? Also, we could use some recommendations for 4-5 star hotels on the Left Bank as well as restaurants.

Thanks.

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I was there this past end of January beginning of February. It snowed, it rained, it was beautiful, it was cold. They don%26#39;t expect snow like they had on that Monday a.m. Haussman, the women in their spike heeled boots were tippy toeing around so they wouldn%26#39;t fall. Even at 11 a.m. Haussman did not have sidewalks shoveled, and in order to keep from slipping you had to walk near the edge of the buildings. The side streets were better than the main drags. I didn%26#39;t mind going that time of year, just go prepared for anything. As to restaurants, get the latest Pudlo, I like that better than Zagat. Give it a go

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If you had to go in the winter time, try to go in the first 2 weeks of January. There%26#39;s the winter sales, there%26#39;s not a lot of tourists %26amp; best of all, the Xmas lights are still up!

If it helps, I%26#39;m from Florida and I didn%26#39;t find it too cold. NYC gets colder from my experience. Just prepare to dress warm and you%26#39;ll be ok.

I hope someone chimes in with hotel/restau recommendations for you. I don%26#39;t roll with deep pockets. haha!

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Any time of year is a good time of year in Paris! The weather in February is certainly changeable and can be wet, windy and cold - layers, hat/umbrella work (although cafe stops and long lunches work absolutely the best). As for seeing sights, it%26#39;s a quieter time of year for tourism which I like (although there is the winter break for school children in Europe, perhaps the third week, which could interfere). I%26#39;ll be there the second half of February myself.

I stay in an apartment so I cannot help with the hotels, although several years ago I stayed in the Hotel Lutetia in St. Germain which I very much enjoyed during a January trip. Do some keyword searching here and in Google for some ideas.

You%26#39;ll also find here and on Chowhound ideas for restaurants. If it%26#39;s a first or special trip, Le Jules Verne in the Eiffel tower is nice (expensive), and La Table to Joel Robuchon is good too. La Tour d%26#39;Argent also has a wonderful view and its famous duck. I generally choose lunch in the more upscale restaurants if I want to try more than one Michelin-starred restaurant per trip. At the end of November, I%26#39;ll be trying a meal at Hidden Kitchen which I%26#39;m looking forward to.

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La Table de Joel Robuchon...

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Paris hotels are rated from one to four stars. The five star category doesn%26#39;t exist. The category 4-star Luxe is used for the finest hotels in Paris.

The top-rated hotels in Paris are well-known — the George V, Ritz, Plaza-Athené, Meurice, Crillon and so on. I can%26#39;t think of one of them that is on the left bank. You might look at the Villa d%26#39;Estrée or l%26#39;Hôtel, both of which are on the left bank.

OTOH if what you are really looking for is an American style of 4-5 star hotel with big rooms and king-size beds then none of the places I have mentioned (and especially not l%26#39;Hôtel) is what you are looking for. And again, if that is what you want you%26#39;ll not find it on the left bank in the Latin Quarter or St. Germain des Prés.

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February is the worst month for weather and the best month for hotels in Paris.

In terms of weather, often even the worst month is not all that bad compared to many places.

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%26quot;The five star category doesn%26#39;t exist.%26quot;

The 5-star category was created this year and about 8 hotels in Paris have qualified for it so far.

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February is still considered the low season, and the weather is typically rainy and cold. However, as it%26#39;s changeable sometimes it may be sunny and cool during daytimes but very cold at night. In any event, February is still a nice time to visit Paris (any season is a good time to me). I have not stayed in 4/5 star hotels in Paris or anywhere else really, however for the Left Bank some people favor the Lutetia and Montalembert. A couple of smaller hotels that earned a 4* category are Hotel de L%26#39; Abbaye St. Germain and Hotel Le Christine. However, do keep in mind that being 4* doesn%26#39;t always equal excellence. Suggest that you read the reviews here and elsewhere to get an idea before booking as the rates are high for these types of hotels even during low season.

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You people in Paris love to change things around just to make me look stupid, right? Why can%26#39;t you leave things the way they were? When I was about to embark solo on my first trip to France at the ripe age of 17, I recall my father, who had spent a year at the Sorbonne before WW2, sadly telling me that %26quot;Paris isn%26#39;t what it was.%26quot; And now you%26#39;ve been and gone and changed the hotel rating system. Is nothing sacred!!!???

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We love Paris in February -- in fact that’s when we will be there next. The bare trees provide street vistas that you don’t see the rest of the year, there are fewer tourists, and the cold weather increases our appetite for sturdy restaurant dining. (The weather can be cold, of course – but not always: Last time we were there in February it was unseasonably warm, and I needed only a sport coat even on post-dinner midnight strolls.)

Jake Dear

http://parisandbeyondinfrance.blogspot.com/