I love Paris each morning and I love Paris in the evening. I love Paris on the Monday and that i love Paris on the Friday. But most of all, I love Paris within the fall… There’s something so magical, and very inviting about the city when the fall foliage in Paris is within abundance, the leaves turn golden and the evenings are crisp.
Here’s a photo diary that will keep you going to visit in france they capital city, in addition to spots and locations where you can really see the fall foliage in Paris! So whether you’re looking for an escape from the city or a secret and secluded park to savor pretty fall leaves and tones, we have your back!
When do the leaves start changing colour in Paris?
If you’re looking for capturing pretty photos from the French capital, then you need to know before you go that the exact timing when the leaves change every year varies on an annual basis and it is entirely based upon the weather of this year!
Typically, the leaves begin changing colour right at the end of September and are best seen through Paris in October, right up until the start of November. While looking to visit exact locations, I suggest regularly checking up on social networking to monitor just how much the leaves have changed. Otherwise, planning your vacation in mid-October will make sure that you get to savor at least some of the fall foliage!
Alongside Canal Saint-Martin
Located in the 10th arrondissement alongside among the last remaining open-air canals in Paris, Canal Saint-Martin is really a picture-perfect area best-known because of its wealth of bars, cafés, and quaint cobbled side roads. I particularly recommend visiting within the fall because the water is even prettier when reflecting the beautiful fall foliage!
Within Palais-Royal
Home towards the ever-so-iconic Colonnes de Buren and situated near to the Louvre Museum, Palais-Royal is so-called because of its status as a former Palace within the 1st arrondissement. Behind the building, there’s a park of the identical name which is home to a plethora of beautiful trees which turn golden come autumn time.
The forest of Fontainebleau like a day trip from Paris
Fontainebleau is definitely among the best fall day trips from Paris and it is best places to head to if you want to look for a version of ‘Versailles without the crowds’. The royal palace started out life as a hunting lodge, and it is horseshoe staircase is even the last location from which Napoleon addressed his troops.
Today, a visit to the Palace comes with grand forest and enormous canal, providing the perfect place to spot some fall foliage. Directly away from main Ch^ateau building (which by is really worth a stroll around), there’s a picturesque lake where one can rent little rowboats with your friends by the half-hour.
Bois de Vincennes
Easy to visit as a simple excursion from central Paris (you need simply to go ahead and take Metro to the end of line one and you’ll be in Bois de Vincennes in under 30 minutes), Bois de Vincennes is home to one of the largest parks in Paris, as well as a fortified medieval Ch^ateau and one from the last remaining ‘Sainte Chapelles’ of France.
Some of the greatest places to enjoy the fall foliage in this expansive parkland range from the pretty trees framing the Ch^ateau de Vincennes, in addition to those surrounding a huge ‘Paris’ sign near to the Ch^ateau. Other curiosities from the park include a botanical garden or even a hippodrome.
Arc de Triomphe
I’ve said it before, with no doubt I’ll say it again: the very best look at Paris isn't in the Eiffel Tower and can instead be spied from the the surface of the Arc de Triomphe, preferably throughout the golden hour (i.e. at sunset). Found in the 8th-arrondissement from the city, the Parisian monument was constructed during the 19th-century.
If you time your visit just right, then climb to the peak of the spiralling staircase and you’ll be rewarded with postcard perfect views of the autumnal trees lining the streets leading towards the Eiffel Tower, making for a wonderful photo opportunity. Purchase your Arc de Triomphe tickets here in advance.
Parc des Buttes Chaumont
The pretty park of Buttes Chaumont will be based in the 19th arrondissement of the city and it is where all of the locals really hang out. Commissioned by Napoleon, the hilly space boasts waterfalls, grottos and even a Romanesque temple. Plus, the abundance of green spaces in this park means that you’re certain to spot some beautiful fall colours!
The vineyard of Butte Bergeyre
Located near Buttes Chaumont, you’ll find an exclusive vineyard within the very heart of Paris, not to mention probably the most secretive spots within the city. Visit Butte Bergeyre if you wish to see a side of Paris that few people even have the ability to see, even the locals…
Jardin des Tuileries
Located nearby towards the Louvre Museum and filled with well-sculpted trees, no trip to Paris would be complete with no wander with the Jardin des Tuileries. When the site of the tile factory, today your garden is one of the best spots to see the autumn leaves fall in the trees within the Town of Love.
The clock of Musée d’Orsay
One of the greatest museums in Paris is that of the Musée d’Orsay. Formerly a train station and today turned art institution, head up to the top floor of the museum (where lots of of the greatest 19th-century paintings should be seen) and you’ll soon realize that the vista through the clock offers fantastic views for the Sacré-Coeur, not to mention of all of the beautiful fall leaves around the trees in Paris!
Place en Sorbonne
Situated in the very middle of the Latin Quarter, an area so-called because throughout the Middle Ages students of the nearby Sorbonne university might have conversed together solely in Latin, today Place en Sorbonne is home to a handful of bars offering heated terraces and also the opportunity to enjoy a choice of hot and cold beverages.
In the autumn time, the square of Place de la Sorbonne also happens to be one of the most beautiful spots within the city in which to enjoy the pretty fall tones. It’s also worth noting that if you want to follow in the footsteps from the Romans in Paris, then Place de la Sorbonne was where several Roman houses and part of a road were found during an archaeological dig in the early 2000s.
Around the city of Paris
Stroll round the City of Passion for any particular time during the autumn and you’ll soon spot a plethora of beautiful little squares, secret parks, and tiny forgotten corners where beautiful photos can be snapped. Among the best methods to allow Paris to show itself for you is simply by letting the feet guide you where they may and simply soaking up the atmosphere of the city. Otherwise, take a look at my free and self-guided walking tours for greater insight into the history and highlights of various arrondissements.
Montmartre Vineyard
Leafy and green, Montmartre is always worth a trip, especially so during the autumn. Head to the Clos Montmartre (the Montmartre vineyard) for many extra fall vibes as well as the opportunity to see a real-life wine auction in the very heart from the city (the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival), that takes place every October.
Otherwise, visit Place Dalida to capture one of the most iconic photos of the Sacré-Coeur encompassed by golden leaves. Other areas in the 18th-arrondissement where one can enjoy the greatest of the fall foliage include in Square Marcel Bleustein-Blanchett, and along rue Lepic.
Place Dalida & rue de l’Abreuvoir
Perhaps the prettiest street in Paris, rue de l’Abreuvoir links Place Dalida to the iconic ‘La Maison Rose’ café on the other end from the road. Containing picture-perfect buildings and more trailing vines than you could hope to see within a single photoshoot, I couldn’t recommend visiting this beautiful Parisian location more come autumn. For additional Autumnal photo spots in Paris, take a look at my guide to fall in Montmartre.
Place des Vosges
The oldest public planned square within the city gets an extra a little colour come autumn time. Go to the square to determine the kind of Victor Hugo’s House (now a little museum) and also to see the best of what Le Marais provides! Place des Vosges can also be home to a series of wonderful cafés and eateries, making it a great place for a lunch stop or dinner break!
rue Saint-Vincent
If you’ve seen a photograph of a lamp set against a burning red group of fall leaves on Instagram, then you’ve likely seen a photo of the iconic post along rue saint-Vincent. For exact directions regarding how to find the lamppost (and also the best time to go to), make sure to check out my lamppost of Montmartre visitor’s guide.
Wander along the Seine
Here’s a concept: both banks from the Seine river are lined with deciduous trees. Which means that stroll across the river and you’re sure to be rewarded with a few of the best autumnal colours that the city has to offer. If you’re looking for an extra special and unique experience with the city, then you might consider booking one of these Seine River Cruises for a brand new outlook during Paris.
Bois de Boulogne
Embark on a single of your final lakeside boat trips of the year at Bois de Boulogne. Take in the last of the sun and relish the leaves as they turn a deep golden colour from the unique perspective of a rented rowboat. Otherwise, enjoy the last Parisian picnic of the season and escape the crowds from the capital by heading to the expansive parkland to the East from the city.
Jardin du Luxembourg
Hands down, one of the best places to enjoy Paris within the fall (and, as a result, the best of the fall foliage) is in Jardin du Luxembourg. A wonderful garden filled with little green chairs where one can sit watching the world go by, plenty of beautiful flower borders, and a lot of greenery (along with the Medici Fountain), the Luxembourg garden will be based in the 6th arrondissement from the city.
Square du Vert-Galant
If there’s one place in the town which i enjoy most when it comes to scouting out a Seine picnic location, or the destination to first date, it’s Square du Vert-Galant. Situated just beneath the illustrious Pont Neuf (that is ironically the oldest still standing bridge in Paris, despite being called ‘New Bridge’), the Square du Vert Galant is characterised by its weeping willow tree and sweeping vistas within the River Seine, as well as the right and left banks of the city.
