42 Glorious Things To Do In Paris – The October 2024 Edition

The leaves on the trees in the Paris parks are a golden orange in the October sunlight, and the city is alive with autumn activities — museum exhibitions, concerts, food tours, and marvelous events. You'll be able to enjoy a royal garden experience at Versailles or perhaps combine that with an end-of-season visit to Claude Monet's gardens. Let's take a look at our top-rated ways to explore and enjoy the city we all love.

Esprit de Paris – The Top Experiences

Things to Do in Paris October 2024

Bateaux Parisiens VIP Dinner Cruise

Everything looks better from a boat cruising down the Seine. On this relaxing watery ride you see Paris from a different perspective. The famous landmarks of the City of Light pass by as you enjoy a multi-course French meal. Be sure to choose the Service Premier option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.

Visit Marie Antoinette's Versailles

From central Paris you are whisked to the royal estate where Marie Antoinette once lived. Included in your dossier are priority, skip-the-line tickets. Go directly inside to experience the grandeur of the chateau on a tour that includes the best of Versailles. There's plenty of time to stroll through the gardens. The full-day tour also includes a visit to Marie Antoinette's farm.

Dinner Cruise by Maxim's of Paris

Maxim's of Paris first opened its Art Nouveau doors in 1900 for the Paris Universal Exposition. Now, you can experience the restaurant's classic dishes — think lobster, truffles and fresh seafood — made famous at the historic turn-of-the-century brasserie while on a Seine River dinner cruise. Drift past world-class monuments all aglow at night.

Louvre Masterpieces Tour

It's no secret that the Louvre is the world's most popular museum. Do you want to wait in line to see the best art in the world, or would you rather zip ahead of the long line with priority-access tickets and join a fascinating walking tour where your expert guide will personally take you right to the highlights — Venus, Mona, Nike, and other influential pieces? That's what we thought.

Champagne & Food Tour of St-Germain-des-Prés

The ancient streets of St-Germain-des-Prés are known for the writers and artists who once walked here. But the quartier is also known for culinary excellence. We invited you to explore with a champagne & food expert at your side. You go off the beaten track to good deep into French food, culture, and the best of French bubbly. Each of the champagne tastings (and there are several) are paired with French cheeses, pâtes, and delicate chocolates & pastries.

Discover Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie & Notre Dame

Discover the very heart of Paris, where Romans once roamed, on a guided tour of the Île de la Cité. With your expert guide you'll visit La Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame and other iconic landmarks of ancient and medieval Paris. This is a captivating exploration of the history of the city, that also affords the privilege of viewing the city's breathtaking beauty.

Eiffel Tower Priority-Access Tours

By now you know that we just don't like standing in lines. It wastes so much time! There is no attraction more popular than the Eiffel Tower, which means there are always lines. That's why we love tours that get you past the lineup, to the priority entrance, and then up the tower. Meet up with your guide and breeze past the crowds to the very top, for the best views of Paris.

Classical Music in Paris in October

Paris is as much about music as it is art, fashion, and food. In October classical concerts, operas, and ballets are performed in iconic venues throughout the city from Sainte Chapelle on Île de la Cité to Palais Garnier, the stunning 19th-century opera palace in the 9th. Taking time to attend a concert in Paris is a great way to give your feet a rest and take a break. Find out what's playing during your time in Paris.

An Evening at Paradis Latin

The oldest cabaret in the Paris doesn't have a red windmill, but is located on the other side of the river, in the Latin Quarter. Some of the best nighttime entertainment in Paris is to be found in a splendorous and slightly risqué revue. Combine the show with a dinner menu from Michelin-starred Guy Savoy and you'll delight all your senses during a memorable evening.

Bateaux Mouches Glorious Dinner Cruise

Gliding along the Seine at night, with the lights of Paris drifting past, is a memorable activity. And to do this while dining on a traditional 3-course French meal makes it absolutely magical. What with wine & champagne included, it's no wonder so many travelers love this activity. Departure time is 8:30 PM, seven days a week.

Musée d'Orsay Impressionism Tour

Skip the lines at Musée d'Orsay to marvel at stunning Impressionist works by the likes of Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, and Renoir on this tour led by an Impressionism expert guide. Orsay holds the world's most important collection of works by these artists. Since the lines are always long, the best way to get to see the art is on a skip-the-line tour. Once the tour finishes, you're free to spend as much time as you want perusing the masterpieces.

Private Airport Transfers

Of all our Paris advice, this is perhaps the most appreciated — arrange for transportation from the airport into Paris before you leave home. It's comforting to know what's going to happen when you arrive. Readers love these services where your driver meets you on arrival, helps with your luggage, and takes you directly to your Paris hotel in a private, air-conditioned sedan. Start your vacation with a touch of luxury… and relaxation.

The Best Left Bank Hotels

Who doesn't love the Left Bank of Paris? It makes you think of Hemingway and the Jazz Age and seems to emanate the very essence of Paris. We think it's the best district in the city to call home. The Saint-Germain neighborhood is charming, and so are the best of the hotels in the quartier. Let's take a look at our top Left Bank hotel picks, updated for 2024, with new ratings and current prices.

The Wonders of Versailles

Things to Do in Paris October 2024

Visit Versailles with Priority Access

Versailles Lesson #1: the line-ups are incredibly long. On this half-day tour you breeze by the large crowds to see the top sights: the State Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, and the chapel. There's also free time to linger in the spectacular French garden. This small-group includes transportation from Paris to Versailles and back.

Versailles + Monet's Gardens in One Day

It's really something to visit these two historic sites in one day. Start out from Paris day to visit to the chateau and gardens of Versailles. That's half the day. Next up, travel to the luscious gardens of Claude Monet in nearby Giverny to see his Impressionist world alive in front of your eyes. October is the last month of the year Monet's gardens are open.

Versailles Bike Tour + Chateau Visit

You're in luck! In October you can still join up with this 2-in-1 tour. Cycle the countryside near Versailles, through forests and pastures. Shop at local markets, then lounge in the gardens of Versailles eating grapes, nibbling on cheeses, while drinking in the history of the place. After le pique-nique, use your VIP skip-the-line pass to explore the Chateau de Versailles.

Go Deeper Into France On Day Trips

Things to Do in Paris October 2024

One of our favorite things to do while we're in Paris is to spend a day sampling champagne in the region it comes from. The Champagne Region is easy to get to with a guided tour that starts out in the center of the Paris. Spend the day focusing on the bubbly as you visit both small producers and grands maisons. Includes A classic 3-course French lunch and round-trip transportation.

Visit The Historic D-Day Beaches

The landing beaches of Normandy are undoubtedly the most famous battle sites of World War II. Sign up for this popular small-group tour that takes you to the most important locations — the beaches, the monuments, the museums, and the dedicated cemeteries. This all-inclusive day trip also includes lunch and a tasting of the region's famous ciders.

Fontainebleau & Vaux-Le-Vicomte

Before there was Versailles there was Vaux-Le-Vicomte. Louis XIV was so taken by its magnificent chateau and gardens that he stole the idea (and most of the workers) to create his own royal estate. This day trip takes you to the other stunning estates in the Paris region — Fontainebleau & Vaux-Le-Vicomte. It all makes for an amazing day away from the city, one you're not likely to forget.

Visit Monet's House & Gardens at Giverny

October is the last month of the year to see Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny, a small town only about an hour from Paris. It's incredibly uplifting to spend time in the house and gardens of this Impressionist master – the very places where he painted those iconic canvases. A half day is the perfect amount of time for this art lover's experience.

Delectable Food & Wine Experiences

Things to Do in Paris October 2024

Cheese & Wine Tasting in a Paris Cheese Cellar

In a fromagerie in the Marais you meet an affineur (expert in aging cheeses) and descend into the private cheese cellar where you learn all about the proper way to age cheese. Seven classic French cheeses will be presented along with wines and baguettes. The small group is limited to 10 to ensure there's more cheese for you!

A Taste of Montmartre Food & Wine Tour

Take a guided walking tour of Montmartre to visit 8 food shops where you taste delicious French cuisine, sampling fresh cheeses, charcuterie, wine, pastries, and chocolate paired with French wine. Explore the cobblestoned streets, the café terraces, and private mansions, and visit Place du Tertre, world-famous for painters, cafes, and its iconic Parisian ambiance.

The Food & Wine of the Marais

This is the original food tour that takes you through the Marais, visiting the top food & wine shops in the historic quartier, while tasting the best of French foods like cheese, charcuterie, baguettes, chocolate, and wine. You start your tour at the oldest food market in the city. This food activity continues to garner high praise from satisfied travelers.

Dine on the Eiffel Tower at Madame Brasserie

The Eiffel Tower is not only an iconic monument, it's also one of the best places in Paris to dine. You'll marvel at the views as well as the classic French dishes at the highly-rated Madame Brasserie, newly refurbished with a stellar menu by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx. Choose the Grande Dame – Paris View option for the best experience. Lunch is also available.

Chocolate & Pastry Tour of Saint-Germain

How could we not like this one? Chocolate, pastries and Paris — together at last! And it's not just us, this is also one of our readers' fave food activities. They love getting behind-the-scenes in a world of sweetness and goodness — with plenty of sampling, including regional specialities. You're able to choose between strolling through Saint-Germain or the Marais.

French Food Highlights Private Tour

There's so much goodness on the Paris food scene, it's hard to know where to start. That,s what this private tour is for — it gets you to the most exquisite culinary destinations in Paris, all in one evening. François, your French food & wine guide, ushers you to insider's restaurants, boulangeries & cheese shops to taste the best of the city's culinary treasures.

Wine Tasting in the Heart of Paris

In the most knowledgable wine bar in the city, only steps from the Louvre in central Paris, a professional sommelier will guide you through an extensive tasting of wines from the most iconic vineyards of France — from Champagne to Sancerre, Bordeaux to Burgundy, Alsace to the Rhône. We recommend the 2-hour Grand Cru wine tasting.

Bateaux Parisiens Gourmet Lunch Cruise

Sailing along the Seine on a relaxing lunch cruise just about beats anything else to do in the world. It all starts with a crisp glass of champagne, followed by an exquisite French classic three-course meal. As you sip your wine, you'll admire the majesty of Paris landmarks, so close you could almost touch them. Best tip? Book the Service Privilege option to guarantee a private window seat.

Learn to Make Croissants with a Pastry Chef

Flaky, crusty, tender croissants are an emblem of Paris boulangeries. In this small-group pastry class you'll learn from a trained French chef how to mix, roll, and prepare croissants and pains au chocolat from scratch. Imagine how impressed your friends back home will be when you whip up your batch of French pastries!

Paris Cooking Class & Food Market Tour

Have you ever dreamed of taking a cooking class in Paris? We know from experience that a an afternoon spent at a cooking class here will be a fond memory that you'll always treasure. It will be a highlight of your visit to the City of Food, and will inspire and educate you to on how to make the classic French dishes when you're back at home.

What's On At The Museums

Things to Do in Paris October 2024

Louvre Museum Skip-the-Line Tours

Don't spend your precious time in Paris waiting in the long line-ups at the Louvre. A small-group tour gets you ahead of the lines and into the world's largest & most popular museum. Highlights include the Venus de Milo, the Winged Nike of Samothrace and of course Mona. Group size is limited to six, which makes this perhaps the ultimate Louvre experience.

Harriet Backer – The Music of Color

This is the first retrospective of Harriet Backer's(1845-1932) work in France. Although little is known about her outside her native Norway, Backer was the most renowned woman artist of the late 19th century. You will fall in love with her tender portraits of rural Norwegian life.
• Musée d'Orsay
• Ends January 12, 2025
• Information…

Le Corps En Mouvement – The Body in Motion

To mark the occasion of the Paris Olympics and the Paralympic Games, the Petit Palais celebrates The Body in Motion with a journey through its permanent collection. Fifty works from Antiquity to the 20th century trace the origins of the Olympic Games with paintings, sculptures, art objects, drawings and prints.
• Petit Palais
• Ends November 17, 2024
• Information…

La Collection – Revoir Picasso

In 2014 Pablo Picasso's most important public collection was permanently installed in the lavish setting of the Hôtel Salé, a mansion in the Marais. A decade later, the museum pays homage with a three-year retrospective starting with a tribute to Françoise Gilot. Beyond her famous book — Living with Picasso, published in 1965 — Gilot's own artistic career spanned from Réalités Nouvelles to her large compositions of the "emblematic paintings" of the 1980s.

• Musée Picasso
• To March 12, 2027
• Information…

Figures of the Fool

This ambitious exhibition focuses on the medieval figure of the fool through 300 works of art — from ivories, boxes, small bronzes, medals, drawings, prints to paintings and tapestries.

• Louvre Museum
• October 16, 2024 to February 3, 2025

A New Look at Watteau's Pierrot

Formerly known as Gilles, Watteau's Pierrot is one of the most famous masterpieces in the Louvre's collection. Discovered by the Director of the Louvre during the time of Napoleon, it garnered praise from writers and art historians for its mischievous and melancholy mood. It will be seen for first time since undergoing extensive restoration.

• Louvre Museum
• October 16, 2024 to February 3, 2025

The Top Events In Paris

Things to Do in Paris October 2024

Salon du Chocolat

Chocolate lovers unite! If you're in Paris and a chocolate lover, this event will plug you into the latest choco-trends with plenty of tastings, demonstrations and symposiums. Meet the growers of cocoa, taste delicacies from the best Paris chocolatiers, and attend the famous Chocolate Dresses Fashion Show.
• Porte de Versailles
• October 30 to November 3, 2024
• Information…

Fetes des Vendange à Montmartre – Wine Harvest Festival

Join the festivities at Montmartre's town hall (mairie) as locals harvest the annual crop of grapes to produce 500 bottles of Clos Montmartre. It's the last working vineyard in Paris, and Montmartians celebrate in the annual event with parades, tastings and wine-related festivities.
• Montmartre Mairie
• October 9 to 13, 2024
• Information…

Salon de la Photo

Also in October is the giant photography trade show now at Parc de la Villette, where you'll have a chance to see all the latest in international photography, equipment and other displays.
• Grande Halle de la Villette
• October 5 to 8, 2024
• Information…

Le Festival d'Automne à Paris

Founded in 1972, the Paris Autumn Festival celebrates contemporary arts and embraces all forms — visual arts, dance, theatre, music, and cinema. From September to December the festival features more than fifty events at venues throughout Paris.

• Venues throughout Paris
• September to December, 2024
• Information…