Touring Paris in Winter

From brisk early mornings in the Third Arrondissement to iconic landmarks bathed in a shy winter sun, TONYE BAKARE recounts his eight-day experience discovering the unique urban charm of the City of Love during winter.

Touch down at the city of light

A gush of dry, cold air greeted me as I stepped out from the aircraft just before 6 AM in late January at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. The Air France flight from Lagos to Paris was uneventful.

My colleagues at Agence France Presse (AFP) in the City of Love had warned me about the weather weeks earlier—one even offered to lend my travel partner and me winter jackets if we couldn’t get any before leaving Nigeria.

The wintry air was a stark reminder of the cold reality that would define my next eight days. I had originally planned this trip for last summer but, as we say, life happened. A winter trip was probably at the bottom of my list of things to do. Still, I hopped on the plane because, well, why not?

Cold, dark, and wet

Beyond the biting cold, I had to brace for the short daylight hours. Even at 9 AM, the sky remained dark, as if time itself had slowed down. As we rode from CDG to our hotel in the Third Arrondissement, I must have checked my watch several times to confirm we hadn’t travelled back in time.

The sky rarely smiled during my stay, and the days felt incredibly short. “The Paris sun is shy,” my travel partner remarked at one point.

I came prepared for the cold, packing a couple of winter jackets, thermal clothes, and socks. My two pairs of leather sneakers with all-terrain soles proved essential. Despite losing my snood on the plane, my muffler was enough to keep the cold at bay.
People always complain about the UK’s messy weather, I think Paris in winter deserves the same flak.

Tourists against the weather

Despite the chill, Paris was alive in January. Paris Fashion Week had drawn A-listers from the fashion world, and tourists braved the weather at every turn.

The Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the sidewalks along the Seine, and the streets leading to Notre Dame buzzed with activities. Tour guides lined the kerbs along the riverbanks, speaking a myriad of languages.

No film truly captures the grandeur of the Eiffel Tower. The engineering behind this 135-year-old steel marvel is sheer genius. We could only access the second floor, as other sections were closed for renovations at the time I visited. Even from there, Paris stretched out in a glorious panorama below. But in winter, you must be prepared for the cold to test your peace of mind on the second-floor platform.

Walk, but…

I walked. A lot.

The fitness apps on my phones recorded more than 106,000 steps over eight days. I have no reason to doubt the numbers—I saw most of the city on foot. Walking from the Louvre to Notre Dame offers a great chance to take in the French Senate, stroll along the Seine, and window-shop for artsy mementoes.

But Paris also has an excellent metro system that can take you anywhere in the city. Taxis, ride-hailing services, bicycles, and scooter apps provide other convenient ways to get around without much hassle.

Food et al.

As long as your pockets are lined with euros, eating in Paris is never a problem. You can hardly walk five minutes without passing a restaurant or a pastry shop. For a taste of traditional French cuisine, Bouillon Julien on Rue Faubourg Saint-Denis—over 100 years old—is a solid choice. If you’re in the mood for something different, you can grab Syrian, Kurdish, or Turkish treats on the same street. Chinese cuisine is abundant around Place de la Bourse.

Tens of restaurants line the Grands Boulevards and Boulevard de Bonne Nouvelle. And if you’re adventurous like me, you might dare to try steak tartare—minced raw beef—at Café Le Dôme on Rue Saint-Dominique, near the Eiffel Tower.

What made my Paris stay enjoyable were my hosts—the bosses. They were charitable with their time, gracious with their knowledge of the city and absolutely patient in showing us Paris day and night.