What’s On in Paris – September 2025

Through September 4
Every Thursday evening, enjoy free Summer Nocturnes at the Palais de Tokyo (13 avenue du Président Wilson, 16th arrondissement) from 7pm to midnight. Access all exhibitions for free, including immersive shows by Vivian Suter, RAMMELLZEE, Thao Nguyen Phan, and Chalisée Naamani.

September 5-7
This year’s Fête de Paris, a celebration of the city’s long and illustrious history, takes place this year September 5^th-7^th. The festivities begin Friday with a costume ball with live music, dance, and a buffet at the Town Hall of the 16^th arrondissement (tickets €45). On Saturday and Sunday, the Jardin des Grands Explorateurs (the small park immediately south of Jardin du Luxembourg) transforms into a festival village with artisans, food stalls, and continuous performances including medieval combat, swing lessons, jazz, puppet theatre, and street shows. A giant guinguette with live accordion, dancing, and communal tables runs into the evening. The highlight is the grand historic parade Sunday at 2pm, when more than a thousand participants in costume will march from the Panthéon to the Luxembourg Gardens, presenting 15 centuries of Parisian history in living tableaux. Entry to the parade and village is free. Open 11am until midnight on Saturday, until 8pm on Sunday. Note that the website still hasn’t been completely updated for 2025, but the tickets can be reserved here: https://www.helloasso.com/associations/paris-genevieve/evenements/festival-pvbf-2025-test

Through September 7
The annual open-air summer concerts in the Bois de Vincennes’s Parc Floral include the free Paris Jazz Festival (with French and international jazz concerts) and the free Classique au Vert featuring up-and-coming classical music ensembles and orchestras. Even when concerts are free; entry to the park is €2.70 (free for kids under 7). Practical info on how to get there here.

Through September 7th and 14th
Two of the three swimming spots on the Seine will stay open past the original August 31st closure date: the Bras Grenelle (Quai de Grenelle, 15^th arrondissement) is a family-friendly site with a shallow swimming area (60m/197ft x 20m/65ft) with floating pontoons, a shaded solarium, and access to free kayaking nearby. It has a capacity of 200 people (150 in the water). There are lifeguards, showers, restrooms, changing areas, and lockers for your clothes. Open Mon–Fri 10am–5:30pm; Sat 10am–4:45pm; Sun 10am–noon, 12:30pm–2:15pm, and 4:45pm–5:30pm through September 7th, and the Quai de Bercy (12^th arrondissement), the largest swim area, located below Bercy Park across from the BnF (Mitterrand National Library) with a capacity for 700 people (300 in the water), a solarium deck, changing rooms, restrooms, and a staffed first aid post. This is probably the least “photogenic” of the swimming areas, but you’re close to Bercy Village (next to Bercy Park) and the floating péniche bars across the river on the Quai François Mauriac (13^th arrondissement), both popular hangouts for the locals. It has two fully-enclosed pools to separate swimmers from the boating traffic: one 35m/115ft x 12.5m/41ft and a second at 67m/220ft x 11m/36ft. This spot will remain open until September 14th from 8am-8pm, and the weekend of September 20-21.

Through September 7
The Bibliothèque Nationale de France (5 Rue Vivienne, 2nd) presents Le monde pour horizon, a year-long, three-part exhibition showcasing rare maps, prints, manuscripts, photos, costumes, and stage jewelry. Highlights include Hokusai’s The Great Wave and Toulouse-Lautrec’s Divan Japonais poster. With rotating exhibits every four months, visitors can return for new discoveries throughout the year. Open Tuesday 10am-8pm, Wednesday to Sunday 10am-6pm. Tickets €10, reduced €8.

September 11–14
The Village International de la Gastronomie takes over the Quai Jacques-Chirac beneath the Eiffel Tower for its 7th edition, celebrating the cuisines of more than 60 countries and French regions. Each day from 10am to 10pm, visitors can enjoy tastings, cooking demonstrations, and cultural performances. Cambodia is this year’s guest of honor, with traditional dance, martial arts, and music alongside its culinary specialties. The event also hosts the first Private Chef World Cup and roundtables as part of the Forum de France de l’Alimentation. Over 400 chefs are expected to participate, with an average of 42,000 visitors each year. Tickets €5 per day (free for children under 12).

Through September 13
The Association Française d’Astronomie hosts free stargazing evenings in 21 different parks and gardens across Paris this summer. Events begin at 9pm and run until 1am. The schedule includes: June 28 – Jardin Federico García Lorca (4th arrondissement), July 4 – Square Séverine (20th arrondissement), July 5 – Jardin des Grands Explorateurs (6th arrondissement), July 11 – Jardin Villemin-Mahsa Jîna Amini (10th arrondissement), July 12 – Parc André Citroën (15th arrondissement), July 13 – Square Louis XIII (4th arrondissement), July 18 – Parc Martin Luther King (17th arrondissement), July 19 – Parc de Choisy (13th arrondissement), July 25 – Bois de Charonne (20th arrondissement), July 26 – Jardin du Ranelagh (16th arrondissement), August 1 – Parc Montsouris (14th arrondissement), August 2 – Jardin d’Éole (18th arrondissement), August 3 – Square Louise Michel (18th arrondissement), August 14 – Parc de la Butte Chapeau Rouge (19th arrondissement), August 15 – Parc Monceau (8th arrondissement), August 16 – Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (19th arrondissement), August 22 – Jardin de Reuilly-Paul Pernin (12th arrondissement), August 23 – Parc de Belleville (20th), August 27 – Jardin Shakespeare (16th arrondissement), August 29 – Square Léon Serpollet (18th arrondissement), August 30 – Square des Arènes de Lutèce (5th arrondissement), and September 13 – Parc Montsouris (14th arrondissement).

Through September 14
The iconic Olympic Cauldron returns to Paris’s Jardin des Tuileries from June 21 to September 14, rising at sunset until 2am nightly, weather permitting.

Through September 21
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire Louis-Senlecq (31 Grande Rue, L’Isle-Adam) presents Trois siècles à L’Isle-Adam, an exhibition showcasing the town’s history through paintings, sculptures, watercolors, engravings, vintage posters, postcards, and historical photographs. Visitors will explore L’Isle-Adam’s evolution from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. Highlights include works by artists like Jules Dupré, depictions of the Oise River landscapes, and a focus on the town’s industrial and leisure history. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm. €6.

September 4th and 30th
Two French classics films will be shown with English subtitles hosted by Lost in Frenchlation: La Venue de L’Avenir (“Colours of Time”) at Le Balzac Cinema (Rue Balzac) on the 4th, and Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain at the Epée du Bois cinema (Rue Mouffetard) on the 30th. See their full schedule and ticketing options on their website.

September 5-7
Les Traversées du Marais returns for its 11th edition, transforming the district into a three-day cultural festival under the theme Engagé·e·s pour la culture. Over 30 cultural institutions—including the Centre Pompidou, Archives Nationales, Musée Picasso, Musée Carnavalet, Maison de Victor Hugo, Institut Suédois, Carreau du Temple, and many others—will host free performances, concerts, workshops, exhibitions, readings, film screenings, and guided tours. Highlights include outdoor cinema in the gardens of the Institut Suédois, participatory dance performances at Hôtel de Sully, poetry with Nancy Huston at the Maison de la Poésie, and the Salon Lisons Libres showcasing independent publishers at Halle des Blancs-Manteaux. Most events are free, though some museum activities are ticketed.

September 7 (and every 1st Sunday)
Many museums and monuments in Paris are open for free the first Sunday of the month. In September, that includes the Orsay, Picasso, Cluny, Arts-et-Métiers, Orangerie, Cité de l’Architecture, Quai Branly, and the Château Fontainebleau. 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.

September 9-14
Parcours des Mondes returns to the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district for its 24th edition showcasing Tribal Art, Asian cultures and Archeology. Over 60 galleries along Rue Mazarine, Rue de Seine, Rue Bonaparte and side streets will present rare and fascinating works, from works of art from African, Oceanic, American and Asian cultures. Highlights include the exhibit Zones de contact exploring the link between Surrealism and non-Western art, and a retrospective of Malian artist Amahiguéré Dolo. Open 11am-7pm, with extended hours until 9pm on September 10th. Free entry. More info

September 10 – December 14
Fluctuart presents a Carte Blanche retrospective of JonOne (John Andrew Perello), retracing the career of the groundbreaking urban artist from his early graffiti works in Harlem to his large-scale abstract canvases in Paris. The exhibition brings together historic and new pieces, highlighting his constant experimentation with form and color. Open Wednesday to Sunday from noon, with guided tours available Friday through Sunday. Free entry.

September 11
Le Food Market is a monthly open-air food market in Belleville along the boulevard between metros Ménilmontant et Couronnes. Unlike most food markets, this one isn’t for purchasing ingredients to take home and cook up, but is a market of food stands with chefs from local restaurants. This month’s theme is “Best of Paris”. There are seating areas to sit and enjoy your food or you can order to go. From 6-10:30pm.

September 12-14
Check out the 50 best food trucks of the Paris region at the 8th annual St-Maur Food Truck Festival. Yes, you have to cross the Paris ringroad to the suburbs to get there, but it’s worth it!  Open Friday 7pm-midnight, Saturday 11am-midnight, and Sunday 11am-6pm. Bring a big appetite.

September 12-21
Village de Cirque #21 brings a vibrant festival of contemporary circus to the Pelouse de Reuilly (12th arrondissement). The program includes acrobatics, clown acts, workshops, and live shows by top circus troupes like Cirque Queer, La Générale Posthume, and Collectif Malunés.

September 13–14
The Journées Nationales des Artistes (JNA) invites the public to visit hundreds of open studios and art spaces across Paris and throughout France. This nationwide weekend of art is a chance to meet artists where they work, discover new talent, and engage in meaningful conversations about contemporary creation. Admission is free. Full program at https://www.lesjourneesnationalesdesartistes.fr/

September 14
The very first Fête du Sport takes place today in Paris, part of a new nationwide celebration launched one year after the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. From 11am to 6pm, Rue de Rivoli will be transformed into the Boulevard du Sport, stretching from Place de la Concorde to Hôtel de Ville with over 2km of open-air sports activities, demonstrations, inclusive events, and meet-and-greets with top French athletes. The day wraps up at 8:30pm with the symbolic final lighting of the Paris 2024 Olympic cauldron. Also in Paris, a swimming initiative at the Bassin de Grenelle (15th) will offer lessons to local youth starting at 6pm, followed by a star-studded swim meet, the Open EDF sur Seine, at 7pm featuring champions like Laure and Florent Manaudou racing 100 meters in the Seine. All activities are free and open to the public.

September 14
The 24th edition of the Lavage de la Madeleine brings Brazil to the heart of Paris with its traditional parade and ceremonial washing of the church steps. The festivities begin at 11am with a colorful procession for peace, setting off from Place de la République and filling the streets with dancers, drummers, and Brazilian music before arriving at Place de la Madeleine. At 2pm, the symbolic washing of the Madeleine’s steps will be performed by Bahian women in white, a ritual of purification and celebration that has become a Parisian tradition since 2002.

September 16
As part of their Evenings with an Author series, the American Library in Paris is hosting the talk, “Ukraine’s Past, Present, and Future” on how the war in Ukraine is reshaping Europe and the world, with The Wall Street Journal’s Yaroslav Trofimov and Le Figaro’s Margaux Benn, moderated by Renée Kaplan. Register to attend in -person or watch via live Zoom link from anywhere in the world: https://americanlibraryinparis.org/event/ukraine25/

September 17-21
Join the global movement for a cleaner planet with World Cleanup Day. Citizens, companies, schools, and communities across France will take part in this initiative, organizing cleanups to tackle litter and pollution. The event encourages everyone to get involved and help create a waste-free environment. For more details, visit the official World Cleanup Day – France website and click on the map to find cleanups in your neighborhood (the white icons are the ones open to the general public). Most provide gloves, all provide trash bags and pincers.

September 18-21
The French daily newspaper Le Monde is hosting their 11th annual Festival du Monde at Le Monde headquarters in the 13th arrondissement (Avenue de France, next to the Gare d’Austerlitz). Most of the events inside are debates, meetings with the newspapers editorial team, tours and workshops (all in French, and many already all reserved), but the square in front of the building will have free performances, shows, food trucks (this year 100% vegetarian), and cultural events open and free to the public throughout the weekend.

September 20-21
This weekend is the 42nd annual Journées du Patrimoine, or Heritage Days. Over 350 historic sites will be opened to the public in Paris, many which are only open for this occasion. See the full schedule at the website (an English version is available and clearly marked). Some places require reservations in advance, and others are free to visit without, but may have long lines. I always try and find a few sites grouped in the same neighborhood to maximize time. Tickets for the President’s Palace (Palais Elysée) that we visited in 2023 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7CqDfy2Dfo ) are usually gone within the hour (UPDATE: they were gone within 15 minutes of being announced), but there are many other lovely sites to visit, so don’t get too fixated on the places everyone else goes. 😉

September 20–21
As part of the European Heritage Days, the Towers of Notre-Dame will open to the public with a special new visitor route unveiled for the first time since the 2019 fire. Free and open from 9am to 11pm on both Saturday and Sunday, visits are available by reservation only starting September 15. This exclusive preview offers a rare chance to explore the newly restored towers and admire the craftsmanship behind one of Paris’s most iconic Gothic monuments. Note: accessible only via very narrow, winding staircases, not for the faint-hearted!

September 20-21
Paris’s Public Transport Authority – the RATP – is celebrating 125 years of the Paris Metro during this year’s Journées du Patrimoine with rare behind-the-scenes visits and family-friendly activities. Most of the activities will be at the Maison de la RATP (189 Rue de Bercy or 54 Quai de la Rapée, facing Gare de Lyon), with train and tram driving simulators, visits of an iconic Sprague metro car, photo booth in a 1930s bus, film exhibitions, and appearances by the mascot “Serge Le Lapin”. All of these events are free without prior registration. Guided tours (in French only) of normally closed facilities—including bus garages, tram depots, and Metro training centers—and rides through Paris on vintage buses will be available only with advance reservations on the RATP’s website; registration opens for two days only, on September 9th and 16th at noon (you won’t see anything online before that): https://www.ratp.fr/

September 20 & October 23
The Musée des Arts Décoratifs is offering a guided tour in English of the exhibition Paul Poiret: Fashion is a Feast, showcasing the revolutionary designer known for liberating women from corsets and introducing bold colors and flowing silhouettes. The 90-minute tour explores Poiret’s visionary style and its historical impact, room by room, with insight from a specialist guide. Tour runs from 11:30am to 1pm (6:30-8pm in October). Tickets €20 (€10 for students and under 25s), advance booking recommended. Museum entrance at 107 rue de Rivoli.

September 20–27
The Galerie Roger-Viollet (6 rue de Seine, 6th arrondissement) presents Paname Rendez-vous, an exhibition by collage artists 13 bis and Mr. Djub. Each presents 14 original works in dialogue with 45 vintage photographs from the Roger-Viollet archives, creating surreal, playful, and unexpected visions of Paris. The show closes with a finissage in the presence of the artists on September 20 at 4pm and has been extended until September 27. Open Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–7pm. Free entry.

September 25
La Fête des Puces is an annual evening festival at the Puces de Paris St-Ouen (flea market) from 7pm until 11pm. This year the Marché Biron is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Entry is free with invitation, which you can get from any of the participating individual markets or vendors at the flea market (such as Marché Dauphine or Marché Paul Bert).

September 25-28
One of the last artist open houses for Parisian artist studios, don’t miss this weekend’s Portes Ouvertes des Artistes de Ménilmontant (20th arrondissement). The main gallery has maps and examples of different artists’ works, Ménils8, 8 rue Boyer, 20th, metro Gambetta. Free entry from 2-8pm, lots of events around the neighborhood during the festival.

September 26–28
The Art3f International Contemporary Art Fair returns for its fall edition at Paris Expo – Porte de Versailles (Pavillon 5.1), with over 200 contemporary artists and galleries presenting original works across painting, sculpture, photography, and more. Designed to be welcoming and accessible, Art3f blends artistic discovery with a convivial spirit: meet the artists, enjoy live jazz at the bar-restaurant, and explore the next generation of global talent. Open Friday 1pm–9pm (vernissage from 6pm), Saturday and Sunday 11am–7pm. Tickets €10 at the door or €7 online; free for children under 18 accompanied by an adult.

September 26 – October 5
Escape to a little island on the edge of Paris for the Foire de Chatou antique market. Formerly known as the Foire Nationale à la Brocante et aux Jambons (Ham and Flea Market), this popular twice-annual market has a mix of over 800 stands selling antiques and bric-a-brac, with an entire section dedicated to regional French foods, particularly pork in all its varieties. The Ile de Chatou, just north of Paris, also known as the Impressionists Island, is accessible via RER A from Charles-des-Gaulle-Etoile station in Paris, then either walk five minutes or take the free shuttle. Open 10am-7pm, entry €10 (free for kids under 15).

September 27–28
Paris turns green for Fête des Jardins a weekend celebrating urban nature citywide, with gardening workshops, guided walks, biodiversity demos, meet-the-gardeners sessions, and even a few private gardens exceptionally open. The main “village” is in the 19th at Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, while activities also pop up across every arrondissement (including the Bois de Vincennes and Parc de Bagatelle). Practical info: Sat–Sun 2–7pm; free; all ages; central village at Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (19th).

September 27–29, 2025
Cocktail Street returns to the Grande Halle de la Villette (211 avenue Jean Jaurès, 19th arrondissement, metro Porte de Pantin), with nearly 50 bars and a dozen street food stands, the festival draws tens of thousands of cocktail enthusiasts for three days of mixology, music, and food pairings. International brands and guest bars present their creations alongside live sets from Radio Nova DJs. Entry is free, cocktails and food available for purchase.

September 27 – October 25
The first gallery exhibition dedicated to the feminist street artist Miss.Tic since her passing opens in the 13th arrondissement, just steps from her former studio. Je Suis Partie pour Rester is more than a retrospective—it’s a poetic and personal journey through her work, featuring around 60 pieces alongside personal objects, unpublished photos, and original stencil matrices. Archival videos provide a rare glimpse into her creative process, all set in a raw concrete space near the BNF. The show explores major themes from her career—politics, eroticism, humor, and gender dynamics—with the sharp wit and modern poetry that defined her. Open Wednesday to Saturday from 2:30pm to 7pm, and Sundays from 3pm to 6pm. Free entry. Vernissage on Saturday, September 27 starting at 3pm. At the Mathgoth Galerie (1 rue Alphonse Boudard, 13th arrondissement).

September 28
Hope for Girls and Women France hosts its first official fundraiser, Flavors of Tanzania, at 8 villa Émile Bergerat, Neuilly-sur-Seine (metro Les Sablons, line 1), door code 2255. From coffee and baked goods to specialties inspired by Tanzanian cuisine, the afternoon also features live music and information about the organization’s work supporting Safe Houses in Tanzania for girls affected by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Entry is by €15 donation, with all proceeds going toward Safe House operating expenses and essential needs.

October 7-12
There are still a few places left for the Paris Sketchbook Workshop bringing together three internationally known sketchbook artists — Cynthia Morris, Koosje Koene, and Marcus McAllister — for six days of creative immersion in Paris. Participants will learn to combine words and images in a travel sketchbook through daily workshops, drawing sessions in gardens and cafés, and optional group “sketchups” at places like the Pont des Arts and Luxembourg Garden. The goal is to fill an entire sketchbook in one week while building confidence and finding joy in the process. Open to all levels, in English. Workshop fee $1997. More info: originalimpulse.com

October 7–19
The Théâtre du Châtelet presents the world premiere of Hamlet/Fantômes, a bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic by Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov. This contemporary, polyglot production is structured in ten musical scenes, with all cast members portraying Hamlet in a fragmented, multilingual narrative (in French, English, Russian, and German). Featuring a new score by Blaise Ubaldini performed by the Ensemble intercontemporain, Hamlet/Fantômes merges theater, music, and identity in a powerful, sensory experience. Performances take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet (Place du Châtelet, 1st arrondissement). Ticket details and schedule available at chatelet.com.

Through October 12
“Instants Données” is the latest exhibition at the Musée Maillol featuring 400 carefully selected photographs by the legendary French photographer, Robert Doisneau. Although best known for his post-card photos of Paris taken from the 1930s through the 1980s, the lovers kissing in front of the Hôtel de Ville, the “curved” Eiffel Tower, or even Picasso with “hands” made of petits pains. But he also documented the lives of Parisians we don’t normally see on camera: factory workers, poor children playing in the street, the homeless, prostitutes, miners, labor unionists on strike, humble café owners…. I loved him images of the suburbs of Paris, both the pre-war shanty towns and the post-war housing projects, “each ugly, but in different ways”, and the photos he took of artist and writer friends and their ateliers. Allow at least an hour to fully enjoy! Open daily 10:30am-6:30pm (Wednesdays until 10pm). Reserve online in advance, tickets €16.50 (€12.50 for ages 6-25).

Through December 13
De Paris à Belém: 10 ans d’actions mondiales pour le climat is a new free exhibition at the l’Hôtel de Ville (5 rue Lobau, 4th arrondissement) marking the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement (COP21) and looking ahead to COP30 in Belém. It features powerful visuals like a monumental work by Shepard Fairey (Obey) on the façade and striking photographs by Sebastião Salgado, alongside interactive installations for all ages. The exhibit also highlights the role of cities in global climate action (read this interview with the Canadian Cities Guru Brent Toderian about the exhibit). A child-friendly visitor path includes a booklet and works created by Paris youth. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Free admission, but online reservation required.

Through January 11, 2026
Paul Poiret, Fashion is a Party expo is on at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (107 rue de Rivoli, 1st arrondissement), open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am–6pm (late opening Thursday until 9pm). Closed Mondays. Admission €15 (€11 reduced). This major retrospective traces the creative universe of Paul Poiret, the early 20th-century designer known for liberating women from corsets and revolutionizing fashion. Featuring 550 works—from garments and accessories to decorative arts and archival images—the show highlights his influence across fashion, interiors, fragrance, and high society festivities, from the Belle Époque to the Roaring Twenties.

Outside Paris

Saturdays through September 27
Les Soirées aux Chandelles return to Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (an hour southeast of Paris), offering magical evenings lit by 2,000 candles across the château and formal gardens. From 5:30pm to midnight, enjoy illuminated strolls, baroque music, refined dining options, carriage rides (extra fee), a special Le Brun light projection, and a dazzling fireworks show at 11pm. Don’t miss themed nights on June 21 (Fête de la Musique), July 13 (Fête Nationale, dress code: red & gold), and August 15 (white & gold). Advance booking required. Tickets: €22 full, €17.50 reduced, €16 garden only. Free for children under 4.