Updated as of February 27th, 2025

Best Things To Do in Paris on a Rainy Day

DISCOVER ALL THE INSPIRING, POETIC, AND INTERESTING THINGS TO DO IN PARIS WHEN IT'S RAINING!

"Can you picture how drop-dead gorgeous this city is in the rain?” Gil (Owen Wilson), Midnight in Paris

There is nothing more romantic than Paris in the rain. The gentle drops along the cobblestone alleys running throughout the city. The sight of hurried Parisians carefully weaving their umbrellas over and under each other through the streets. The smell of petrichor mixed with that of freshly baked baguettes... *sigh.*

Of course it’s often more enchanting for most to watch the rain from a warm, cosy interior than to try to test their own impermeability. Seeing as it rains fairly frequently here in the city of lights, there are plenty of aforementioned cosy interiors in which to take refuge. From historic museums and classic cafés to hidden covered passageways and breathtaking theatres *wink* *wink*, Paris is the perfect place for whiling away a rainy afternoon. Here's some of our favourite Paris rainy day activities.

DISCOVERING PARISIAN THEATRE

Our favourites of these cosy French interiors are the beautiful theatres dotted around Paris, may of which house subtitled shows. Whether it's the intimate and ornate Théâtre Le Ranelagh, or the spectacular Théâtre Mogador, settling in for some French entertainment, made accessible of course, on a rainy day will have you feeling like a true Parisian! Start planning your Paris theatre night and discover the Parisian shows currently playing by clicking here.

MOSEYING AROUND SOME OF THE (MORE OBSCURE) MUSEUMS

Of course there are the classic museums like the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay where you’ll find nothing short of a tourist stampede on a rainy day. However, if you're looking for something a tad calmer, and more off the beaten path you might try a tour of the Parisian sewer system at the Paris Museum of Sewers - no, really - , which brings you into the world underneath our beautiful city and allows you to learn about Paris in an entirely new way. A perfectly unique idea for getting out of the rain in Paris, and imagine the look on your friends faces when they hear you’ve been hanging out in the Parisian sewer.

Other unconventional Museums include: Museum of Vampires and Legendary Creatures, The Museum of Magic, Victor Hugo’s House, the Perfume Museum, or even the Chocolate Museum!

WARMING UP IN A PARISIAN TEA ROOM

Teeth chattering a little bit from the rain? Warm up in Paris’s most iconic tearoom: Angelina. Famous for its rich hot chocolate (that’s more of a melted chocolate bar, rather than the sort of hot chocolate you will have tasted elsewhere) and melt-in-your-mouth pastries, Angelina is a great place to take cover from the rain. However, if the lines are a little too long, as they are known to be, we do have some other favorite tea rooms that will do the trick just as well. For a more low-key local environment, try the hidden-in-plain-sight l’Imprévu Café, with its house sangria as well as a wide selection of teas and coffees. If you’re lucky enough to snag a seat on the couch in the back you have secured possibly the best spot to hang out and spend a rainy afternoon in all of Paris. Might we also recommend: Ladurée, Odette, Mamie Gâteaux, The Tea Caddy, Mariage Frères, Carrette, or Le Loir dans la Théière, which translates to “The Dormouse in the Teapot” - how sweet!

EXPLORE FRENCH CINEMA

Similar to Theatre in Paris with their surtitled plays, Lost in Frenchlation also makes French entertainment accessible to non-French speakers. The company puts on screenings of French films with English subtitles at independent cinemas all over the city. Parisian plays and films are an amazing way to experience authentic French culture, in some of the most dazzling local Parisian venues. And for the adult crowd (we’re all kids at heart), there is often a convivial cocktail hour before the movie where you might meet some new French (or English) friends!

ADVENTURE THROUGH THE HIDDEN PARISIAN PASSAGEWAYS

Built at the end of the 18th century, Paris once boasted a labyrinth of hidden pedestrian passageways that ran all throughout the city. Although many have since fallen into disrepair or were demolished in the Haussmannian Paris makeover, there are a few that still exist today. Around 20 of these covered arcades wind through Paris buildings and courtyards, offering a reprise from the rain with their ornate glass and painted coverings; wandering from shop to shop is an absolutely perfect rainy day activity! Many are highly specialized: the Passage Brady, for example, has a huge number of Indian and Pakistani restaurants, referred to as the city’s Little India, while the Passage du Caire sprawls across the textile district, and houses many fabric wholesalers. You never know what you might find in one of Paris’s secret passages. Some of our favorites include: Passage Molière, Galerie Vivienne, Passage Jouffroy, Passage des Panoramas. Our friend, Yanique Francis from My Parisian Life has outlined a great list on her blog here

A Gift They’ll Never Forget!

Everyone has that loved one who is impossible to buy presents for, so why not give them a day to remember instead? With our gift card, they can choose to see one of our amazing shows, concerts, cabarets and more! And you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ve given them the best present of all — an extra-special memory to last a lifetime.

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