Autumn at Place des Vosges – Wikimedia, Mbzt

October in Paris starts with the grape harvest in Montmartre and ends with chocolate, contemporary art, and some of the biggest events of the autumn calendar. Fête des Vendanges fills the streets around Sacre-Coeur, Art Basel takes over the Grand Palais, and Salon du Chocolat closes the month at Porte de Versailles.

The Paris Motor Show returns for its biennial edition in October 2026, and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is run at ParisLongchamp. Asia NOW adds another contemporary-art fair to the late-October calendar, and Festival d'Automne continues its season of theatre, dance, music, and performance.

Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre

Celebrating in the streets during the Montmartre Wine Festival

Montmartre celebrates its grape harvest for five days in October with tastings, concerts, exhibitions, street performances, and events around the 18th Arrondissement. Saturday's Grand Défilé sends a costumed parade through the quartier, and the Parcours du Goût sets up food and wine stands in the streets below Sacre-Coeur.

The Clos Montmartre vineyard dates from 1933, when vines were planted on a steep parcel below Rue des Saules to preserve the land from development. The first harvest was celebrated the following year; the vineyard and its annual Fête des Vendanges have been part of Montmartre ever since.

• October 7 to 11, 2026
• Montmartre, 18th Arrondissement
• Information…

Art Basel Paris

Art Basel Paris at the Grand Palais - Art|Basel

Art Basel Paris fills the Grand Palais with modern and contemporary art from more than 200 galleries representing artists from around the world. Paintings, sculpture, photography, installations, and large-scale works occupy the exhibition halls beneath the building's vast glass roof.

The fair extends beyond the Grand Palais with a public program of exhibitions and installations at museums, historic buildings, and outdoor sites around Paris. Inside the fair, galleries range from established international names to younger dealers presenting emerging artists and new work.

• October 23 to 25, 2026
• Grand Palais, 8th Arrondissement
• Information…

Salon du Chocolat

Chocolate fashion show at Salon du Chocolat – Salon du Chocolat

Salon du Chocolat gathers chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and cacao producers at Porte de Versailles for five days of tastings, demonstrations, workshops, and competitions. Chocolate bars and bonbons share the halls with pastries, cacao from producing regions, elaborate chocolate sculptures, and new work from French and international makers.

The chocolate fashion show is the festival's theatrical centerpiece, with dresses and costumes made by chocolatiers working with fashion designers. On the demonstration stages, pastry chefs and chocolate makers prepare recipes in front of the audience, from molded chocolates and ganache to elaborate desserts.

• October 28 to November 1, 2026
• Porte de Versailles, 15th Arrondissement
• Information…

Paris Motor Show

Paris Motor Show at Porte de Versailles – Mondial de l'Auto

The Paris Motor Show returns to Porte de Versailles in October for its biennial exhibition of new cars, concept vehicles, and automotive technology. French auto manufacturers share the halls with international brands, with new production models, electric vehicles, prototypes, and design studies on display.

First held in 1898, the Mondial de l'Auto traces its history to the earliest years of the automobile. The 2026 edition is the 91st, with seven days of exhibitions, new-model presentations, demonstrations, and test drives.

• October 12 to 18, 2026
• Porte de Versailles, 15th Arrondissement
• Information…

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a major international horse race held at Paris Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne. Thoroughbreds from Europe and beyond compete over 2,400 meters on turf, with the main race on Sunday afternoon at the center of a full weekend of racing.

First contested in 1920, the race — usually called simply the Arc — is open to thoroughbreds aged three and older. The grandstands, lawns, restaurants, and terraces at Paris Longchamp fill for the October meeting, with the Arc itself run before a large international crowd.

• October 4, 2026
• ParisLongchamp, 16th Arrondissement
• Information…

Asia NOW

Asia NOW is a contemporary Asian art fair bringing galleries, artists, and cultural organizations to the Monnaie de Paris for five days in October. Painting, sculpture, photography, video, installations, and performances represent work from across Asia and its diasporas, with exhibitions filling the galleries and courtyards of the historic mint.

• October 20 to 24, 2026
• Monnaie de Paris, 6th Arrondissement
• Information…

Festival d'Automne

Festival d'Automne is a major contemporary arts festival spanning theatre, dance, music, performance, film, and visual arts. From September into winter, productions and exhibitions are staged at theatre Odéon, Théâtre de la Ville, museums, and other cultural institutions in Paris and the surrounding region.

October falls at the heart of the festival season, with French and international artists appearing in new productions, experimental work, concerts, and performances. The program changes from year to year and often includes several events running simultaneously at different locations.

• Throughout October 2026
• Locations in Paris and the surrounding region
• Information…

More Things To Do In Paris In October

Paris after dark is part of the October experience, when a Seine dinner cruise takes in illuminated bridges, Notre-Dame, and the Louvre, while evening visits to the Eiffel Tower show the City of Light spread out beneath you. Our October guide recommends guided tours to Versailles, food and wine experiences, museum exhibitions, and day trips into the autumn countryside.

Things To Do In Paris In October →