What’s On in Paris – March 2026

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS DIFFERENCE: in France is Sunday, March 29th (at 2am, clocks will spring forward to 3am), three weeks later than Daylight Savings in the US (which takes place March 8th).

VACANCES SCOLAIRES (French School Holidays) IN PARIS: February 21 – March 9. This usually affects how crowded tourist sights may be, as well as train and hotel prices.

March 1
The Chinese New Year Parade in the largest Chinatown in Paris — the 13th arrondissement — takes place today from 2pm to 5pm, beginning in front of Tang Frères at 48 Avenue d’Ivry, and parading along the Avenue de Choisy, Porte de Choisy, and Avenue d’Ivry (just follow the crowds). If you don’t get there early to secure a good spot, it will be very hard to see over people’s heads! Find more tips on celebrating the Chinese New Year in the 13th arrondissement here.

March 1st (and every 1st Sunday)
Many museums and monuments in Paris are open for free the first Sunday of the month. In March, that includes the Orsay, Picasso, Cluny, Arts-et-Métiers, Musée Rodin, Orangerie, Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Musée Delacroix, Musée Gustave Moreau, Cité de l’Architecture, Musée des Arts Asiatiques Guimet, Cité de la Céramique de Sèvres, Musée Jean-Jacques Henner, Musée départemental Albert-Kahn, Quai Branly, Musée de l’histoire de l’Immigration, and the Château Fontainebleau. Monuments include the Arc de Triomphe, Pantheon, Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, Château de Versailles, Château de Vincennes, and Saint-Denis Basilica. Be sure to check each museum’s website, as some still require you to have a timed ticket; even if the entrance is free. See the full list here.

March 6-8
The French soup kitchen charity Restos du Coeur are holding their annual collection drive in supermarkets throughout the city for three days. Volunteers will be at the exits with boxes to collect food and hygiene items, “a box of rice, a can of food, a shower gel…each donation is a valuable help for those we support.” For more info (including on how to volunteer for the event): https://collecte.restosducoeur.org/

March 7
The Cercle de France association hosts its 4th Gala Evening and Ball of the Two Empires at the InterContinental Paris Le Grand (2 rue Scribe, 9th). This elegant charity evening celebrates two anniversaries at once: the 200th birthday of Empress Eugénie and the 250th anniversary of American Independence. The night begins with a theatrical lecture, cocktail reception, and photography workshop, before a full gala dinner with period entertainment — including the dramatic “arrival” of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Benjamin Franklin, and his fellow American envoys, complete with period dance performances. At 9pm the Second Empire Ball opens with the entrance of Napoleon III and Eugénie herself. Proceeds benefit the Fondation Eugène Napoléon, which supports young women facing social, economic, or family hardship. Dress code is black tie or dark suit, with long dress or Second Empire attire encouraged. Tickets available via the Cercle de France website, from €110 to just attend the dance ball (with a glass of Champagne), or €290 for the full evening with dinner, entertainment, and ball (€520 for the VIP seating and extras).

March 7-8
The Gros Marché is hosting Le Sales Connes Fest at Ground Control (81, rue du Charolais, 12th) with a feminist market on Saturday (12 stands), and a street art tribute on Sunday, in addition to round tables, games, and live DJ. As usual, there will be the bookstore, record shop, and the Ground Control food court. Free entry, open Saturday noon-midnight, Sunday until 10pm.

March 8
Today is International Women’s Day, known in France as the Journée Internationale des Droits des Femmes (International Women’s Rights Day). There are many different events all over Paris on March 7th and 8th, and this year Americans in Paris can participate in the French tradition of 100% legal and organized protest marches by joining the Indivisible Paris contingent in solidarity with women in the US for the Grève Féministe March in Paris today from 1:30pm at Place de Stalingrad (44 Quai de la Loire – Metro Laumière). There will be a Feminist Village of French women’s organizations there from 11am.

March 8
The Red Wheelbarrow English Bookstore (11 rue de Médicis, 6th) is hosting a special book launch International Women’s Day, “A History of France in 21 Women” by Kathryn Pangonis, from 7pm. RSVP to francebooklaunch@gmail.com before March 3rd to attend.

March 12 & 14
The Paris Choral Society presents Northern Sounds at the American Cathedral in Paris (23 avenue George V, 8th), a program dedicated to the rich choral traditions of Northern Europe, featuring works by Edvard Grieg, Jean Sibelius, Arvo Pärt, Ola Gjeilo, and composers from Finland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, and Denmark. Two performances: Thursday March 12 at 8pm and Saturday March 14 at 6pm. Tickets €22 in advance, €25 on the door, €10 for students, at https://www.parischoralsociety.org/tickets

March 13-22
The 110th annual Foire de Chatou gathers nearly 500 antique and second-hand dealers at île des Impressionnistes, 10 minutes from Paris. Expect high quality goods from vintage jewellery to industrial furniture, mid-century lighting to 18th century antiquities. Plus regional French foods, oysters and both a cocktail and a champagne bar! Entry €10 (free for under-15s), purchase on-site; there’s a free shuttle bus from RER station Rueil-Malmaison from 10am to 12:30pm and from 2pm to 6pm, approximately every 30 minutes. Open 10am-7pm.

March 15 & 22
The first and second rounds of French municipal elections take place throughout France two Sundays in a row. Results will be posted on Paris City Hall’s website as they come in: Paris.fr

March 18-22
The Paris Music Festival returns with 51 unique concerts across 17 unexpected venues in the capital. This festival, showcasing emerging and talented artists, offers short, immersive performances the Sunset-Sunside, Hôtel de la Marine, Ground Control, La Manufacture Chanson, Château de Vincennes, Studio de l’Ermitage, and the Bateau El Alamein. Ticket prices range from €5 to €20, with details and reservations available at paris-music.com.

March 19
FFRandonnée Paris’s monthly “Panamée” urban walk is a fascinating way to see the city with the locals. The March walk is a free, three-hour cultural stroll dedicated to the Founding Fathers of he United States for 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, including places frequented by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, among others. These walks often attract large groups (sometimes a few hundred people), but it’s not a tight tour format: the group naturally spreads out, there’s no obligation to interact, and many people come alone simply to listen and walk. Think of it as a moving, open-air lecture (en français!) through the city rather than a small guided tour. The walk departs at 7pm from Square Alboni (near Passy metro) and ends around 10pm in front of the Métro Palais Royal. Free, no registration required, and open to everyone: just show up, dress for the weather, and be ready for a long evening walk, entirely en français.

March 19–22
The Urban Art Fair returns to the Carreau du Temple (4 rue Eugène Spuller, 3rd) for its 10th anniversary edition, celebrating a decade as one of the city’s international art fairs dedicated exclusively to urban art (along with District13 at Drouot each year). This year’s edition brings together 45 galleries from 9 countries, showcasing 140 artists ranging from emerging talents to major figures in the movement. Special projects include Perspectives, an outdoor installation at the Carreau du Temple entrance with monumental works by Popay, Mara, Bond Truluv, and Sébastien Preschoux; an immersive stand devoted to The Underbelly Project, the legendary clandestine art project born in the New York City subway tunnels; and a curated space designed by rapper Oli (of Bigflo & Oli). American street artist Jeff Soto will also be painting live at the MUR Oberkampf on March 20–21. Open to the public Friday and Saturday 11am–8pm, Sunday 11am–5pm. Tickets €15 (€10 reduced, free for under 12s).

Through March 22
LV DREAM (26 Quai de la Mégisserie, 1st) is hosting “Louis Vuitton Art Deco Exhibition,” a free, reservation-only exhibition tracing the house’s role in the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. Spread across eight rooms and featuring over 300 archival pieces, it explores the brand’s connection to the Art Deco movement through rare objects and immersive displays. Extend your visit with pastries or cocktails at Le Café Maxime Frédéric, and stop by the Gift Store for limited-edition items. Open Wednesday-Sunday from 11am-7pm.

March 22-24
The annual Printemps du Cinéma is a three-day festival where all of the participating films are just €5, from indie films to blockbusters both French and international (see the list here).

March 28
The Sine Qua Non Run takes place at dusk from the Place de la République (10th/11th), a powerful evening race uniting women and men to stand against sexist and sexual violence — particularly the harassment that women runners face all too regularly on the streets. Choose between a 6km or 10km route looping along the canal, with the 6km starting at 6pm (€25 entry fee) and the 10km at 7pm (€30 entry fee) . Nike is the official partner, offering a free race shirt to all registered participants. Sign up here in English.

March 28–29
The Harlem Globetrotters bring their legendary mix of basketball wizardry and comedy to the Accor Arena (8 boulevard de Bercy, 12th) for two shows — Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 3pm. This year is extra special: the iconic team is celebrating its 100th anniversary with what they’re billing as their most legendary tour ever, featuring gravity-defying dunks, jaw-dropping tricks, and plenty of crowd-pleasing humor. New this tour is a golden basketball by Spalding, plus pre-game entertainment and post-game interactions with the players. A family ticket discount is available (2 adults + 2 children, or 1 adult + 3 children under 20). Tickets from €38.25-€78.75; VIP experiences also available. Buy on the official website or at any FNAC if you’re in Paris.

Until March 31
Last chance to see Paris from the rooftop of the Montparnasse Tower before it closes for a massive, multi-year renovation project. Tickets €19-€24 depending on the day and time (sunset visits are actually cheapest), Paris looks fabulous at night when it sparkles!