in short
- Weather: 3–7 degrees during the day, sometimes zero at night, and about ten rainy days per month.
- Sales: From January 6, 2027 at 8 a.m. until February 2, and the big discounts come after two or three weeks.
- Exhibitions that are closed: Cézanne at the Grand Palais on January 17, Monet at the Orangerie and Zurbaran at the Louvre on January 25, Cassatt and Bartholdi at the Orsay on January 31.
- Fashion Week: Men's January 19–24 and Haute Couture January 25–28, 2027, and hotels in the center are getting more expensive accordingly.
- When is it best to: In the first half of the month, before fashion week, when hotel prices are still reasonable.
- What to eat: Kings Cake (Galette des Rois), sold in every bakery from late December to late January.
- What is closed: The Pompidou Center, which has been under long renovation since the end of 2025.
January 2027 in Paris. Let's face it, it's cold outside. But between us? This is exactly the time to discover the real Paris . Without the sweaty lines of July and August, with an intimate atmosphere in the cafes, and of course with two huge reasons to come right now: the big sales and the best exhibitions of the season, which are just before closing.
This is the month when Parisians return to the city after the holidays, and (smart) tourists take advantage of the reasonable hotel prices, at least in the first half of the month, before Fashion Week takes over the city.
You are welcome to visit the article about recommended hotels in Paris to find a warm and cozy place in a central location.
Winter Sales 2027 (Soldes d'hiver)
Mark your calendars: The 2027 winter sales open on Wednesday, January 6, 2027 , at 8 a.m., and run for four weeks until Tuesday, February 2. This date is not arbitrary: French law stipulates that the sales open on the second Wednesday of January, bringing it forward to the first Wednesday when the second falls after the 12th of the month. In 2027, that is exactly the case, which is why the sales are coming earlier.
My constant trick (that works every year): Don’t hit the stores on the first day, unless you’re looking for a specific luxury brand item that could be snapped up. The real discounts (the second and third “demarks”) come two or three weeks into the month. My recommendation? Leave the big malls and get lost in the boutiques of the Marais . That’s where the best bargains are hidden.
Exhibitions not to be missed in January 2027
This winter, Paris' museums are packed, but be warned, some of the big exhibitions are coming up in the middle or end of the month. Now is the time to catch them (and warm up from the cold outside). Almost all of them require advance reservations, and weekends are sold out.
Monet, painting the time in the Orangery
It’s the 100th anniversary of the death of Claude Monet (1840–1926), and the Orangerie is marking it in the building where his Nymphéas hang anyway. The exhibition is about the way Monet painted time itself, the same landscape that repeats itself over and over again at different times and seasons. To me, this is the right visit for a winter morning in Paris, because the oval halls are quiet before ten, and you can sit in front of the pools without being disturbed.
- Until January 25, 2027
- In the same building as the Nymphaeum Halls
- The last few weekends are being snatched up, book a time slot
Zurbaran and painted sculpture in the Louvre
Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664) painted monks, saints, and lemons on a table, and until now no museum in France has dedicated an exhibition to him. The Louvre is renovating this in the Napoleon Hall, while also displaying 23 painted wooden sculptures from the Spanish Baroque on loan from the Sculpture Museum in Valladolid.
- Until January 25, 2027
- Two exhibitions, one ticket
- The Louvre is always crowded, book a time slot
Mary Cassatt and Bartholdi at Orsay
Mary Cassatt (1844–1926) was an American from Philadelphia who came to Paris, joined the Impressionist group, and remained there as an equal. She painted mothers and children without a hint of sentimentality, which is exactly what makes the paintings so sharp. On the same ticket you will also see the exhibition on Auguste Bartholdi (1834–1904), the sculptor who created the Statue of Liberty in collaboration with Gustave Eiffel.
- Both until January 31, 2027
- One ticket for both exhibitions
- The last month of both, expect a rush
Cezanne and us at the Grand Palais
Paul Cézanne (1839–1906) is the painter that everyone who came after him had to deal with, and the exhibition at the Grand Palais is about exactly that: some 180 works that show what Gauguin, Picasso, Mondrian and Joan Mitchell did with him. The same building also hosted “Girls,” an exhibition of fashion and adolescent rebellion from the Antwerp Fashion Museum.
- Cezanne until January 17, 2027, the first to descend
- Girls until March 21, 2027
- There is no combined ticket, each exhibition is separate.
And a few more that are worth the trip
January 2027 is packed with exhibitions that close within it, and these are the most notable:
- Andy Warhol, the line and the image At the Luxembourg Museum, until January 10. The lesser-known side of Warhol, as a writer.
- Animalia, Bestiary from the Al Thani Collection at Hôtel de la Marine, until January 10. More than 120 works on the connection between cultures and the living world.
- The Eternal Tintoretto At the Jacquemart-André Museum, until January 24. The first exhibition of its kind in France, in the most pleasant museum in the city for a winter visit.
- Eva Gonzalez At the Petit Palais, until January 24. The world's first major retrospective of Edouard Manet's only student, and next to it, "Visionnaires," with free admission.
- Kerry James Marshall At the Museum of Modern Art in Paris, until January 24.
- Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette At Versailles, until January 24. The dresses by Milaigne Canonno and the shoes by Manolo Blahnik, in the palace where the film was filmed.
- Histories of Landscape, from Mona to Hockney At the Marmottan Museum, Monet, until January 31.
For those arriving in January and also wanting something that doesn't chase them with a schedule, there are a few that remain open well into spring: Brussels 1900 at the Petit Palais (until April 25, 2027), Gustave Paillat at the Fondation Louis Vuitton (until March 8, 2027), and the "Louvre Photo" tour at the Louvre, which is included in the regular ticket and remains until May 3, 2027. The updated list of exhibitions is on the Recommended Exhibitions in Paris page.
What about the Pompidou Center?
As you may have heard, the Pompidou Center closed its doors for long-term renovations at the end of 2025, and the building will remain closed until January 2027. You can't visit it, but the art hasn't disappeared: masterpieces from the modern collection are on display throughout the period in other museums in the city, and in November 2026, the center presented a selection of its photography collection at the Grand Palais , as part of Paris Photo. Before planning a visit around a particular work from the collection, it's worth checking the host museum's website to see where it currently hangs.
Paris Fashion Week January 2027
In the second half of the month, the city changes its face. The “fashionistas” take over the streets, and hotel prices rise accordingly. If you plan to arrive during these dates, keep in mind that the city is busier:
- Men's Fashion Week: From Tuesday, January 19, to Sunday, January 24, 2027.
- Haute Couture: The most glittering event, from Monday, January 25, to Thursday, January 28, 2027.
Both dates come from the official calendar of the French Fashion Federation, and they are one after the other, so the second week of the month is the quieter and cheaper window.
Additional events and culinary tips
Don't miss the Galette des Rois
January is the month of Epiphany, which falls on January 6th. That means every bakery in Paris sells the Galette des Rois, a puff pastry filled with almond cream. Inside the cake is a small porcelain surprise (fève), and whoever finds it is crowned king for a day. The pastry is sold out from the end of December and usually continues until the end of January, so even those who come in the middle of the month don't miss out. A delicious tradition that is a must-try.
Crossing Paris in vintage cars
On Sunday, January 1, the Traversée de Paris hivernale, a parade of about eight hundred vintage vehicles that cross the city in the morning: cars, motorcycles, buses and tractors, sets off from the square of the Château de Vincennes. A surreal and colorful spectacle against the gray sky of Paris, it is also the run-up to the Salon Retromobile. The 26th edition took place on January 25, 2026, and the one before that on January 12, 2025, so the date moves between the middle and the end of the month. The date for the 2027 edition has not yet been announced, so it is worth checking it on the website of Vincennes en Anciennes , the association that organizes the event, before you build a day around it.
Weather and how to dress
Temperatures in January range from 3–7 degrees Celsius during the day, sometimes dropping to zero at night. Rain is almost certain, and snow is a rare but possible bonus.
The secret is not to be afraid of the cold, but to dress properly: a quality coat, a good scarf, gloves, and comfortable shoes that are waterproof (very important!). When dressed appropriately, there's nothing like walking through winter Paris to feel like you're in a French movie. Read more about the weather in Paris.
Savings tip: Paris City Card
If you plan to visit the Louvre, take a cruise on the Seine (the boats are heated and closed in the winter, don't worry) and go up the Eiffel Tower , it's more cost-effective to buy a combined ticket that saves hassle and time.
- Louvre, Seine Cruise and Eiffel Tower
- One digital card
Questions and answers about January in Paris
What is the weather like in Paris in January?
Cold and wet. Daytime temperatures range around 3–7 degrees, and at night they sometimes drop to zero. There are an average of about ten rainy days per month, and snow in the city is rare and usually short-lived. What you need: a warm, waterproof coat, scarf, gloves, and closed shoes that don't absorb water. You can find an updated forecast on the Paris weather page.
When do the sales start in Paris in January 2027?
Wednesday, January 6, 2027, at 8 a.m., and they last for four weeks until February 2. French law sets the opening on the second Wednesday of January, bringing it forward to the first Wednesday when the second falls after the 12th of the month, which is exactly the case in 2027. The really big discounts usually come after two or three weeks.
When is Paris Fashion Week in January 2027?
Men's Fashion Week takes place from January 19 to 24, 2027, followed immediately by Haute Couture Week, from January 25 to 28. During these days, hotels in the center become more expensive and fill up, so those looking for affordable prices will prefer the first half of the month.
What major exhibitions are closing in Paris in January 2027?
A lot, and that's exactly why you should come. Cezanne and Us at the Grand Palais closes first, on January 17. Monet at the Orangerie and Zurbaran at the Louvre close on January 25, and Marie Cassatt and Bartholdi at the Orsay on January 31. They all should book a time slot in advance, because the last weekends of an exhibition are snapped up.
What is King Cake and when is it eaten?
The Galette des Rois is a puff pastry filled with almond cream, eaten in honor of the Epiphany on January 6. Inside it is a small porcelain figurine (fève), and whoever finds it is crowned king for the day. Bakeries sell it from late December to about the end of January, so even those who come in the middle of the month will find it.
Is the Pompidou Center open in January 2027?
No. The Pompidou Center closed for a long renovation at the end of 2025 and will remain closed until January 2027. Works from its collection are on display throughout the period in other museums in the city, so before you build a visit around a particular work, it's worth checking where it hangs now.
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