Paris events in March celebrate early signs of spring and longer days to the City of Lights as activities move outside again.

On sunny March days, sidewalk tables fill up outside the city's many cafes and brasseries (such as La Turenne Brasserie near Place des Vosges in the Marais, show in top photo), and you'll begin to see hints of green in the trees.

Planning a Visit to Paris in March?

If you're coming to Paris this month, book your "bucket list" tours and activities now to make sure you get your top choices.

Top Paris attractions & experiences:

Most popular Paris destinations this month:


Major outdoor March events give you the perfect excuse to be outside.  Check out the half-marathon around the city, several interesting trade shows open to the public, and a huge "fun fair" (carnival) dating back to 857 (yes, almost 13 centuries ago). 

Top photo:  Sidewalk tables at a cafe in the Marais in March, (c) Paris Discovery Guide

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March Concerts in Paris - 2024

L'Olympia concert hall in Paris 9th arrondissement
L'Olympia concert hall in the 9th arrondissement

Paris concerts during March include classical music by candlelight at Sainte-Chapelle (schedule to be announced soon) and other beautiful historical churches, several wonderful ballets and operas at Palais Garnier and Opera Bastille, and performances by popular artists such as Sabrina Carpenter at top music halls and arenas. 

Get your tickets now:

More Paris classical concerts, opera, & dance performances during March

More Paris rock, pop, jazz, rap, indie, & other concerts during March 

Find Paris concerts for other months

Paris Exhibits - Top Shows during March 2024

Musée Jacquemart-André - stairs to first floor galleries
Musée Jacquemart-André - stairs to first floor galleries

These are just a few of the top exhibitions you can see in Paris this month:

  • Atelier des Lumieres:  Egyptian Pharaohs - Discover ancient Egypt at the time of the Pharaohs in this virtual journey along the Nile River in Upper and Lower Egypt as you see legendary rulers, great battles, famous temples and tombs, and majestic landscapes; purchase online; you can also purchase at the door for 2€ more per ticket but there's no guarantee you'll get in as timeslots are often fully booked
    Dates:  Through January 5, 2025
  • Musee d'Orsay:  Tonight with the Impressionists:  Paris 1874 - Inventing Impressionism - This immersive expedition in virtual reality will transport you back to the 1874 “Salon des Refusés.” - Opens March 26; book a reserved-access ticket for skip-the-line access, or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry
  • Fondation Louis Vuitton:  Don't miss this blockbuster retrospective exhibition of around 115 works by American abstract painter Mark Rothko, with some displayed in conjunction with large-scale sculptures by Alberto Giacometti - Only through April 2, 2024; book in advance (tickets are already selling out for some dates, so don't wait to book!)

Find more Paris museum exhibitions for March

Interested in a Louvre Museum guided tour?  Find out how to choose the best one to match your interests

Paris Museum and Attractions Passes

Get free admission and skip-the-line access to 60+ museums in and near Paris when you have a Paris Museum Pass for 2, 4, or 6 days.  More info

Best Paris Sports Events in March 2024

Don't miss these top Paris sports events taking place during March:

  • Saut Hermès - The annual Elite Equestrian Show Jumping Competition sponsored by the iconic Hermès luxury fashion house - Grand Palais Éphémère - March 16-17

Cherry Blossoms Start to Bloom in Paris

Pink cherry blossoms along Jardins des Champs Elysees in early March
Pink cherry blossoms along Jardins des Champs Elysees in early March

Cherry blossoms start blooming all over the city by the beginning of the month, brightening the landscape and marking the unofficial beginning of spring.  You'll also see the earliest magnolias, plus lots of daffodils and other spring bulbs.

This is a spectacular March event in Paris you won't want to miss!

Find the best 27 locations to see gorgeous cherry blossoms in Paris

St. Patrick's Day Events in Paris 2024

A very green spring-blooming shrub near the Eiffel Tower - perfect for Patrick's Day photos
A very green spring-blooming shrub near the Eiffel Tower - perfect for Patrick's Day photos

Saint Patrick's Day is not, of course, a big event in Paris because it is an Irish, not a French, holiday.

But if you feel like wearing some green and celebrating Irish National Day in style as March 17th draws closer, head over to the Irish Cultural Center (5 Rue des Irlandais, 5th arrondissement) and join their St Patrick Day Festival. 

The multi-day event takes place this year from March 7-18 and features lots of traditional Irish music with fiddles and bagpipes, shows, food trucks, Gaelic games, film screenings, and fun events for kids.  Some concerts and other events require reservations, and some charge small admission fees.  Wear green!

For a special experience this year, stop by the Irish Cultural Center to see their "Old Ireland in Colour" show of 19th and 20th century photographs displaying the beauty of rural Ireland.  The show runs from March 8 - April 21, 2024.

Throughout the year, the Irish Cultural Center hosts a variety of exhibitions, concerts, and other cultural events - one of Paris's many hidden treasures.

Find out all the details for the St Patrick's Day Festival plus other events

Paris Contemporary Drawing Fair: DDESSINPARIS 2024

Drawing by Emmanuel Azizeh at the Contemporary Drawing Fair, courtesy of H Gallery, Paris
Visitors viewing art at DESSINPARIS

DDESSINPARIS (Paris Contemporary Drawing Fair), a Parisian art fair celebrating the best contemporary drawing in all forms, takes place this year in Domus Maubourg, a former private mansion in the 7th arrondissement not far from Les Invalides.  The exhibition displays works created by emerging and established young artists who are nominated by a dozen French and international galleries.

If you are interested in viewing exciting new art, chatting with the artists and gallery owners, and perhaps acquiring a special piece, this is a show you won't want to miss!

Dates:  March 22 - 24; preview (by invitation) on March 21
Tickets:  15€
Location:  Domus Maubourt, 29 Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, Paris 7; Metro: La Tour-Maubourg
More information: DDESSINPARIS website


Paris Visitor's Tip:  Daylight Savings Time in France 2024

Daylight Savings Time in France - Just a reminder:  Paris, France, and most other European countries switch to Daylight Savings Time (DST) on the last Sunday of the month - March 31 this year, so at 2am, move your clocks ahead by one hour.  You lose an hour of sleep - but the extra hour of daylight at the end of the day makes your days in Paris last even longer!


Car-Free Sundays in Paris 

Car-free day in Paris
Champs Elysées on a car-free Sunday

Can you imagine Paris without cars or any of their accompanying pollution and noise? 

You can enjoy this unique experience on Sunday, March 3 - as well as the first Sunday of every month throughout many central Paris neighborhoods.  Some extend the car-free periods to include every Sunday plus public holidays - and a few areas go car-free on Saturdays as well.

So get ready to walk or ride your bike down the middle of the busiest Paris streets and avenues, and see the city in a new way!  We highly recommend Champs-Elysees as a starting point because the oppportunity to stroll down the middle of this famous avenue is a truly amazing experience.

Initially, these closures took place primarily in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th arrondissements closest to the city's center, but now almost every district has at least one area with street closures.  You can find a growing list of these areas on the City of Paris's website.

Although most vehicles (including electric) are banned, you'll see a few exceptions: emergency and police vehicles operate as usual, and taxis, city buses, and regular tourist buses (Open Tour and Big Bus lines) also run, but at a slower-than-normal speed.  

Paris has measured a significant drop in pollution and noise on car-free days.   So grab your skate board, bike, or favorite walking shoes, and spend the day outdoors enjoying fresh air and tranquility.

Paris Half Marathon - (Semi Marathon de Paris) - 2024

As a warm up of sorts for the Paris Marathon in April, Paris also hosts an annual half-marathon known as Semi de Paris each year in March. 

This year, the Paris Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, March 3, with about 40,000 runners expected to participate in the 21.1km race.

The Half Marathon course begins on the Left Bank of the Seine River on Boulevard Saint-Germain near the Cluny metro station and proceeds along the left bank of the Seine to Pont de Tolbiac where it crosses the bridge and continues through Parc de Bercy. 

At Rue de Charenton, runners turn right and make a large loop through Bois de Vincennes, the giant forest and parkland on the east side of the city, and then emerge onto Avenue Daumesnil. 

At Place Felix Eboué, the runners will turn left onto Boulevard de Bercy, continue to the Seine, and again turn left onto Quai de Bercy, continuing along the Seine to Hôtel de Ville before right up to Rue de Rivoli, then making another right to continue onto Place de la Bastille, and then onto the finish line at Rue de Lyon. 

Start time for the wheelchair division racers is 7:58am, with staggered start times for everyone else until 11:01am.  Winners cross the Finish Line around 12 noon, and most runners will finish by mid-afternoon.

Want to find a good viewing location?  You'll find the course map here.

You should expect road closures along the route, although they will start being removed along the first part of the course soon after the last group of racers depart.

Biggest Paris Sports Events during March

Parc des Princes, site of Coupe de France matches - Photo credit: Unsplash/Tim L Productions
Parc des Princes, site of Coupe de France matches - Photo credit: Unsplash/Tim L Productions

Don't miss these top Paris sports events taking place during March:

If none of these dates work for you (or even if they do), consider a behind-the-scenes tour of Stade de France, Paris's largest stadium and home to many of France's top championship games such as Fifa World Cup.

Open Studios: Belleville

Artist Audrey Gayraud and her paintings at Open Studios in Paris's Belleville neighborhood
Artist Audrey Gayraud and her paintings at Open Studios in Paris's Belleville neighborhood

Numerous artists live and work in the vibrant Belleville neighborhood, which includes parts of the 10th, 11th, 19th, and 20th arrondissements.  During four days each May, Belleville's emerging and established painters, sculptors, photographers, print-makers, and other artists open their studio doors to welcome the public.

Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to browse original art, chat with the artists, and perhaps purchase a favorite piece.  Visiting the Open Studios also gives you also a great opportunity to explore this less-known authentic Parisian neighborhood.  Stop for a meal in one of the neighborhood's many cafes, and once you've had your fill of art, walk over to Pere Lachaise cemetery and admire all the quirky tombstones.

Dates:  May 23-26
Admission:  Free
More information:  Belleville Artists' website,  where you can also find a map of the open studios

One Thousand and One Orchids Show at Jardin des Plantes 2024

One of the greenhouses in Jardin des Plantes
One of the greenhouses in Jardin des Plantes

Welcome spring at the Botanical Garden's annual display of 1,001 rare and fabulous orchids (just a tiny fraction of the Garden's collection of 92,000 specimums) arranged in natural settings throughout the garden's enormous greenhouses. 

You can even enjoy orchid animations between February 10 and March 3, and buy a beautiful orchid at the temporary onsite pop-up store.

Dates:  February 8 - March 4, 2024 
More information: website
Tickets:  9€ adults; buy online or at the greenhouse entrance (admission to the Botanical Garden is free).  Please note:  It's best to buy online in advance because dates fill up quickly as this show is extremely popular.

Paris Foire du Trone - Throne Fair 2024

Fun things to do and see at the Paris Throne Fair
Fun things to do and see at the Paris Throne Fair

Visit Paris's huge Foire du Trone, and you'll become part of a tradition and cultural event stretching back to 957 when 15-year old King Lothair established the first Fun Fair, once a festive market featuring gingerbread as a top seller and acrobats and gambling to entertain the crowds. 

Today, roughly 350 attractions including carnival rides, stuffed animals, fries, and beer rule as the fair attracts an estimated 5 million visitors for the shared goal of having fun during its 2-month spring season. 

Especially if you're staying in the Marais, getting to the fair takes less than 10 minutes on the Metro's Line 8.

When:  March 22 - April 21, 12 noon to 11pm (1pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and nights before public holidays, except for April 1 when it opens at 2pm)
Where: Bois de Vincennes on the Reuilly Lawn (Pelouse de Reuilly), 12th arrondissement (Look for the fair on your right soon after you pass through the entrance near the Porte Dorée metro station, or just follow the crowds)

Metro:  Porte Dorée
Admission:   Free - plus reasonable prices for food, drinks, rides, etc
More information:  Faire du Trone website

Foire de Chatou (Antiques & Collectibles Fair at Chatou) 2025

Antique treasures?
Antique treasures?

If you love searching for treasures at flea markets and antique shops, you won't want to miss France's biggest and oldest antiques fair held this month (and in September) a few miles outside of Paris (but easy to get to on the RER). 

What will you find?  Basically, everything that might fall under the label of "antiques" and "collectibles" - fine art, furniture, decor, jewelry, tableware, chandeliers and other light fixtures, mirrors, books and maps, and so much more, from the 17th century through the 20th.

All of the 300 dealers at the fair are vetted professionals, and experts are on hand to certify authenticity, if needed.  Shippers are also available, in case you can't resist, for example, an 18th century marble mantle for your fireplace back home.

Dates:  March 7-16, 10am - 7pm
Admission:  10€ - save time by getting your ticket in advance on their website
Location:  Ile des Impressionnistes (Isle of the Impressionists), Chatou, France
Directions:  Take the RER A toward Saint-Germain-en-Laye from Paris (only 4 stations from the Charles de Gaulle/Etoile station at the Arc de Triomphe). Get off at the Rueil-Malmaison station and take the free shuttle to the fair (you can also walk - it's about half a mile), or go one stop farther and get off at the Chatou Croissy station (try to exit at the end of the train) and walk across the footbridge over the Seine River to the fair.  

Find out more about Foire de Chatou and other Paris flea markets (including the huge Les Puces), antiques auctions, and "brocantes"

French Open Tickets for Roland Garros On Sale

General public ticket sales for the French Open Tennis Tournament begin on March 13.  The Grand Open takes place this year from May 20 - June 9 in the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris's 16th arrondissement.

If you want to attend a match, you need to move fast once sales open as the most popular tickets always sell out quickly. 

Find French Open schedule, ticket information, and everything else you need to know about this famous sports event on the Roland-Garros website.

Roland Garros is a short walk from the Porte d'Auteuil metro station, but for the greatest convenience, consider staying across the street at the 5-star Molitor Hotel & Spa, best known for its magnificent swimming pool

More about Paris in March


More Fun Things to Do & See in Paris in March


Need to Book a Paris Hotel or Apartment for Your March Visit?

Planning a trip to Paris during early spring?  Use this hotel map to find hotels and apartments near your favorite March events and Paris attractions: 

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