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What’s On in Paris This Weekend: How to Find Events and Things to Do
The official and reliable listings for events in Paris, exhibitions, markets, concerts and free activities, and how to plan a weekend around them.
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How we reported this
There is always something happening in Paris, but the trick to finding events this weekend is knowing which listings to trust and checking them close to the day, since programmes change. This guide points to the official and established sources and explains how to turn them into a plan.
The Official City Listing
“Que Faire à Paris” is the City of Paris’s own what’s-on service. It is updated continuously and covers exhibitions, concerts, markets, sport, workshops and a large number of free events, with filters for date and neighbourhood. It is the single most comprehensive place to start.
Tourist Office and Independent Guides
The Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau publishes seasonal highlights and practical information, which is useful for major exhibitions and festivals. Time Out Paris maintains frequently updated lists of things to do and weekend picks, and tends to surface newer openings and one-off events.
Seasonal Fixtures Worth Planning Around
Some events recur each year. In summer, the City of Paris runs Paris Plages, turning stretches of the Seine and the Bassin de la Villette into temporary riverside beaches with free activities. Autumn brings Nuit Blanche, the city’s all-night contemporary-art event, and the Montmartre harvest festival. Many national museums also open late one evening a week, which is a good way to avoid daytime queues.
Building a Weekend
Anchor each day with one ticketed highlight, a major exhibition or a concert, and fill the rest with free options nearby: a market, a park, a neighbourhood walk. Because weekend programmes shift, confirm dates and any booking requirements on the official listing a day or two before you go.
Sources
This guide draws on the official tourist and city information services listed below. Opening hours and prices change seasonally, so confirm the latest details on each venue’s official website before you visit.