Post-Olympics Paris is perfect, so now's the time to visit

After the end of the Paris Olympics, it might seem like you’ve missed all the action in the City of Love, but in fact, it’s just the opposite.

It's the perfect time for a French fling.

The Paralympics takes place August 28 – September 8, meaning the buzz continues in the French capital. The bulk of the international crowds and world’s media have departed, as has most of the intense heat of the summer. They’ve been replaced by a quieter, tidier city, which is in its best shape for years, with hotels and restaurants offering great deals. Here’s why it’s the ideal time to go.

There are bargains to be had

While the city’s residents fled for the summer, Paris has become a surprisingly good-value destination at the moment, with Skyscanner offering return flights from Australia from around $2,000 and Eurostar one-way tickets from London from £39 (AUD $75), making it an affordable side-trip to the UK. Hotels are also slashing prices to entice the tourists – Expedia is currently full of discounted central hotels, for the remainder of August.

Yes, there are now tables available at Paris' cafes.

The Olympic buzz continues

While the Games might be over, the celebrations continue with the Paralympics and there are many venues and sights still to see, such as the Olympic cauldron, which rises over Paris below a hot air balloon every evening and has become the most popular attraction in the city for people snapping selfies. It will continue to float until September 8, with locals even campaigning to make it a fixture. Permanent sites like the Aquatics Centre - built in Saint-Denis - are worth a visit, as is the Olympic sculpture from LA artist Alison Saar which will stay on in Paris to link the host cities.

It’s never been easier to get around

Anyone who visited Paris pre-Olympics couldn’t fail to notice the mass works taking place on its roads and rail, but now, it’s never been easier to get around, with new Metro routes, including Line 14 from Paris-Orly airport to the city centre. And more lines, part of The Grand Paris Express, will follow, from 2025. To make it easier to sightsee, the city tourist office Paris je t’aime tailored multi-site passes, from €49, plus a new app My Paris
je t’aime, which shows you what to see near your geo-location. Tourist-information points in media kiosks launched for the Games, also remain, meaning you can access help from friendly – yes, friendly – locals. 

The Paris Metro has had a facelift.

It’s sparkling clean

Many of Paris’ heritage buildings have been undergoing restoration for the Games, so it’s looking its best, including the iconic Grand Palais; La Geode sphere cinema in Parc de la Villette and the Yves du Manoir Stadium, originally built for the 1924 Paris Games. The Jacquemart-André Museum reopens September 6 after being closed for restoration and the Notre-Dame cathedral also re-opens on December 8, after a long restoration, following its devastating fire in 2019.

 Restaurants are open

While many Parisian eateries traditionally shut over August, this year, they couldn’t, meaning there are more tables than previous summers and some news reports of “empty” restaurants. Even Serena Williams would be able to get a table now – the double-Michelin-starred rooftop eatery L’Oiseau Blanc at The Peninsula Paris has tables available in August, when we checked, although its bar area where the tennis ace wanted to sit, doesn’t accept reservations. You could also visit one of the restaurants of the chefs who designed meals for the Olympic Village – such as triple-Michelin starred Alexandre Mazzia’s eponymous eatery, Amandine Chaignot’s Pouliche and Akrame by Akrame Benallal.

For more, visit parisjetaime.com

Originally published as Post-Olympics Paris is perfect, so now's the time to visit