What to Pack for Paris in November – Everyday Parisian (2024)

FAQs

What do everyday Parisians wear? ›

Parisians wear clothes that flatter their bodies. For instance, they ensure that they wear pants that are neither too tight nor too big, too short, or too long. Their shirts can be oversized only if they are designed to be so. Dresses are not too-tight, too-revealing, or too-short.

Each year, November tends to be one of the city's calmer moments, as it sits between the throngs of August arrivals and the crush of Christmas tourists. Visitors won't have to spend an hour to get into the Musée Rodin or the Louvre, and the lull can give travelers the chance to experience Paris as the Parisians do.

Yes, of course you can wear fashionable jeans in Paris, and sneakers as well. However, make sure your sneakers are what I call “sophisticated city sneakers”, not big white sneakers devoted to sport.

French women continue to wear light-wash jeans in autumn. Just add a woollen blazer and boots. As we approach chillier seasons, pair lightly-hued denim with a monochrome top half pairing. Franny shows how to make white denim work for the transitional seasons.

To avoid looking like a tourist, you'll want to know what to wear in France. Our advice? Skip the baseball caps, white socks, sneakers, large colorful backpacks, and fanny packs. Instead, opt for dark skinny jeans, plain shirts without logos, and leather shoes.

Reserve your athletic wear for working out

You'll also rarely see a French person on the street wearing leggings (unless he or she's going to ballet practice) or flip-flops (mais oui, évidemment, these are strictly for the beach!).

November sees an average high of 12ºC and an average low of 8ºC with daily sunshine of about 8 to 10 hours. The chilly weather creates a somber mood and as the days grow shorter, tourists dwindle and the city becomes a sleepy town.

If you're arriving in Paris, you can expect an average temperature of 39°F (4°C). Throughout the country temps range between 36-46°F (2-8°C) in the northeast, to 48-61°F (9-16°C) in South France, 39-50°F (4-10°C) in Central France, like Lyon, and 41-55°F (5-13°C) in the west along the Atlantic.

Best Time to Visit Louvre Museum

The best time in the year to visit the Louvre museum and avoid the biggest crowds is between the low seasons of November and March. Avoid Christmas and days around New Year's.

What is the best coat for Paris in November? ›

In terms of coats for Paris in November. Leave your leather jacket at home and pack a wool coat. You may be able to get by with a trench coat in the early part of November. It's best to pack layers.

Their fall fashion staples are things like blazers, trench coats, heeled boots, and classic sweaters. They do very little pattern and buy mostly solids of black, grey, brown, cream and camel. They create a capsule wardrobe of sorts – one that is perfect for a French fall/winter wardrobe!

There is no best bag for walking around Paris, it all depends on what you are going to do in the city during your trip. If you are visiting Paris for sightseeing, we recommend a crossbody bag. Crossbody bags are perfect sightseeing bags. They are stylish and they don't mark you as a tourist.

From November to the beginning of January, the Christmas illuminations on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées, on avenue Montaigne are switched on each year by a celebrity, in Place Vendôme, the Montmartre district, Bercy Village and in many other places across the city make Paris more magical than ever!

The average daily temperatures in France during November range from 4°C (39°F) to 11°C (52°F). However, these temperatures can vary depending on the specific region.

It is a good idea to pack in layers. The weather in Paris in the winter is cold and damp. Even when it says it is 50 degrees, it still felt cold. A camisole or layering shirt makes a great extra layer underneath a sweater to keep warm.