Would you surprised to learn that visiting Paris in January is a great idea? Put any of your doubts aside because here are five reasons to visit Paris in January and recharge for the new year!

Although the winter chill may not be everyone’s cup of tea, those who brave the cold are certainly rewarded with a quieter Parisian experience. As a new expat in France from NYC, I’ve found that large that cosmopolitan cities, such as Paris, are a great time to visit anytime of the year.

Thanks to the endless list of things to do in the City of Lights, this time of the year creates a more intimate and less touristy environment. All without losing any of its charm and enchantment.

In this post, I’ll be sharing five reasons why to visit Paris in January to recharge for the new year.

5 Great Reasons to Visit Paris in January to Recharge for the New Year

1. January in Paris is less touristy and a more intimate experience

If you’ve been to Paris during peak seasons like summertime or the Christmas holiday period, you’re well-aware of the fact that crowds are unavoidable. I remember the first time I stepped into to Musee d’Orsay during the holiday season, and the first thing I said to my friend was, “OMG. There are so many people here!” It took a moment to focus my eyes away from the visitors who looked like little ants and on the grand architecture and various works of art.

Needless to say, each notable masterpiece the museum housed had a swarm of tourists (like yours truly) buzzing around it. So a healthy dose of patience will be put to practice. If crowds start to get to you, then visiting Paris in January might be for you.

So, instead, imagine a metro ride where you aren’t packed in like sardines. A museum exhibit where you can fully admire a work of art that speaks to you. A leisurely stroll across Pont Neuf, Paris’s oldest bridge, taking in the Île de la Cité and the Louvre Museum before you without passing ten people taking selfies. This is Paris in January, when the vibrant city never quite fully stops, but slows down just a beat.

Top sights to visit in January in Paris, especially if it’s your first time:

• Louvre Musee
• Musee d’Orsay
• Eiffel Tower
• Champ Elysée
• Basilique du Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart Basilica)

2. Take advantage of cheaper flights to Paris in January

January is an off-season month in Paris, which means lower price of flights. And who doesn’t love saving on the costliest part of a trip to anywhere? On average, you can find flights up to 30% cheaper or more during January versus peak season!

I like to use KAYAK to quickly get an idea of how much flights, car rentals, etc. will cost for a trip. But you can use any travel search engine that you prefer. So, for example, here is a week-long roundtrip flight in mid-January from NYC to Paris. As I write this post on November 22, 2024, the flight is $358 USD on Swiss Airlines.

Now let’s compare this to a similar flight during peak season. Let’s say mid-July 2025. Again, as I write this on November 22, 2024, the flight is $644 USD. That’s $288 USD more, nearly twice as much as the flight in January!

The flight is direct and a few hours shorter. But if you’re not hurting to save two or three hours, you can pocket that nearly $300 and put it towards lodging or a few nice dinners during your stay. And that’s just one fight. So if you’re two (or more) people in your travel party, then that’s $600, $900, etc (you get it) of savings among the group. That’s wild! It’s all about perspective.

3. Paris Hotels and Airbnbs prices also go down during January

Similar to flight savings, you can expect lodging in January in Paris to take a dip in prices as well. You can even score a stay at a luxury accommodation for a fraction of the price. This is because they often run promotional deals or packages during the winter months, excluding the Christmas and New Year’s season.

Alright, so let’s do a a similar exercise comparing accommodations in January versus peak-season in the summertime. I’ve chosen a hotel with good ratings in a central, well-connected location. Putting in the same dates in January as the flights above into a hotel search engine like Booking.com, a weeklong stay (8 nights) comes out to $1,361 USD.

Again using the same dates as the peak season flight above, let’s compare that off-season price to the cost of an 8 night stay in mid-July, which came out to $1,512.93 USD. It’s a $151 difference or a savings of about 10%. To be honest, I would’ve expected a bigger difference in the price, but a penny saved is a penny earned, as they say. (To be fair, I only did a handful of hotel comparisons.)

4. Enjoy the coziness of charming cafes in the winter

Paris has an unapologetic amount of aesthetically pleasing cafes to hole up in while you let your nose and fingers thaw out from the cold.

Whenever I travel to other cities, I like to look for cute, cozy coffee shops around the areas I’ll be in. That way I know I have a place to R&R and regain my energy after a long walk around Paris’s many monuments. Take a moment to breathe, have a warm sip, enjoy the tres chic vibe of the cafe interior and do some solid people-watching!

So, grab a book or a good friend and check out these cute and highly recommended coffee shops in Paris.

• Cafe Kitsune in the 1st Arrondissement
• Bo & Mie in the 2nd Arrondissement
• Les Deux Magots in the 6th Arrondissement
• Lomi in the 18th Arrondissement

5. More comfortable opportunities to practice your French

I don’t know about you, but whenever I am in never-ending lines and overflowing crowds in a shop or restaurant, I tend to fall back on “parlez-vous l’anglais?” It’s not the most effective way to learn French as a beginner, I know, but I just get a little overwhelmed by the environment that I just need the path of least resistance. (Don’t worry, I’m working on this. I can only get better at speaking in French by trying, no matter the ambiance.)

But if it’s a slower season, there’s more time for you to gather your thoughts before asking a question or carrying a short conversation in French. Locals or the service staff will feel a bit more relaxed (maybe) too with the slower pace and this improves the chances of having French conversations. So gather up the courage and take full advantage of the cultural immersion! Let’s put those Duolingo streaks and Preply lessons to the test out in the real world. 😉

If you’re a beginner, here are just a few helpful French phrases if you want to order “en français” in a cafe or boulangerie:

• Bonjour – Hello. (Sounds silly simple, but it is considered polite and even expected to start every conversation with ‘bonjour’!)
• Je voudrais un(e) [croissant], s’il vous plaît. – I would like [the item] please.
• Je vais prendre un(e) [espresso], s’il vous plaît. – I will have [the item] please.
• Combien ça coûte? – How much is it?
• Ce sera tout, merci. – That will be all, thanks.
• Par carte ou en espèces – By card or by cash
• Au revoir! – Good bye!

This post was about the top five reasons why you should visit Paris in January to start your new year off on the right foot and get reenergized for the new year.