In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Two dates repeat every year. The Fête de la Musique is on 21 June: free concerts across the city, on a Monday in 2027. Bastille Day is on 14 July, a Wednesday in 2027: the military parade on the Champs-Élysées by day, the fireworks from the Champ-de-Mars in the evening. On 14 July the Arc de Triomphe is closed and the Louvre is free, so book a slot. To watch from a boat on the Seine, the Vedettes du Pont-Neuf run 14 July cruises from €55, and say they are full weeks ahead. In August the main sights stay open, and Paris Plages puts deckchairs on the riverbank. Or book a tour: an evening cruise with musicad (from £21.43) passes the lit-up monuments on any summer night.
21 June: the Fête de la Musique
Free concerts by amateur and professional musicians, in Paris and across France, on 21 June every year. The Ministry of Culture launched it in 1982 (fetedelamusique.culture.gouv.fr, 30 September 2026). The 2027 programme is not yet published. There is nothing to book: the music is in the streets, squares and courtyards.
14 July: Bastille Day
Troops forming up on the Champs-Élysées before the 14 July parade. Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5.
- The parade: the military parade goes down the Champs-Élysées on 14 July. In 2026 it stayed on the 14th when the fireworks moved (paris.fr, 30 September 2026).
- The fireworks: fired from the Champ-de-Mars, with the Eiffel Tower as the backdrop. In 2026 they were on 13 July at 23:00 and lasted about 20 minutes, with a concert from 21:45 and the public let in from 20:00.
- What is closed and open: the Arc de Triomphe is closed on 14 July. The Louvre is free for everyone, with a time slot recommended for every visitor (louvre.fr, 29 September 2026). The Catacombs are open (catacombes.paris.fr, 30 September 2026).
Where to watch
A line 6 metro train on the Pont de Bir-Hakeim, with the Eiffel Tower behind. Photo: DXR, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
The city’s own list of places with a view of the tower, from 2026 (paris.fr):
- Pont de Bir-Hakeim, 15e: the bridge has a platform over the Seine facing the tower. Metro line 6 between Bir-Hakeim and Passy crosses it, with the tower in the windows.
- The steps of the Sacré-Cœur, 18e: on Montmartre, 35 rue du Chevalier-de-la-Barre.
- Belvédère Willy-Ronis, 20e: 27 rue Piat, above the Parc de Belleville.
- Place de Catalogne, 14e: benches facing the tower.
From the water
The Vedettes du Pont-Neuf run cruises on the evening of 14 July, and say they are full weeks ahead, with last-minute places rare. Their 2027 cruises go on sale from April 2027 (vedettesdupontneuf.com, 30 September 2026):
| Cruise | Departs | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Champagne cruise, 2 hours, one glass of champagne | 22:00 from the Square du Vert-Galant | From €55 |
| Dinner cruises, three boats | Two from the Grenelle pier, one at 19:30; one at 20:00 from the Port de la Rapée, with live music | €199 to €219 |
The boats stop on the Seine to watch the fireworks, at a spot the river authorities set. Roads are closed on the evening, so go by public transport: the Square du Vert-Galant is by metro line 7 to Pont Neuf or the RER C to Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, and the boat does not wait for latecomers.
Summer evening cruises and bus tours
Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” price on 30 September 2026. None of these is a fireworks cruise.
Evening cruise with music
From £21.43 · 4.4 stars from 25,939 reviews · 1 hour
Paris: Evening River Cruise with Musicad passes the monuments and quays at night, with music on board and an audio-guide app to download.
Evening cruise with champagne
From £32.57 · 4.6 stars from 759 reviews · 1 hour
Paris: Seine River Sightseeing Evening Cruise with Champagnead boards on the Île de la Cité and includes one drink: a glass of champagne, a glass of wine, a beer or a soft drink.
Open-top bus at night
From £24.68 · 4.4 stars from 5,037 reviews · 2 hours
Paris: Big Bus Panoramic Night Tour by Open-Top Busad shows the illuminated sights, the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Moulin Rouge among them, from the top deck. Seine river cruises compared has the operators’ own prices and piers.
July and August
Paris Plages on a Seine quay, with Notre-Dame in the distance. Photo: Aliva Sahoo, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Paris Plages: free deckchairs, games and activities on the Rives de Seine, between the Tuileries tunnel and the Pont de Sully, and at the Bassin de la Villette, with a swimming site on the Seine in 2026. It ran from 4 July to 30 August 2026 (paris.fr, 30 September 2026). The 2027 dates are not yet published.
- The Tour de France finishes on the Champs-Élysées: on Sunday 26 July in 2026 (letour.fr).
- The main sights stay open: the Louvre, Versailles, the Musée d’Orsay and the Catacombs have no August closure, and the Catacombs open on 15 August. The Louvre’s free first-Friday evening does not run in July or August.
- Heat: the average high is 25.7 °C in July and 25.6 °C in August, with about five days a month at 30 °C or more. See the best time to visit Paris.
Summer at Versailles
The fountains run in high season, and on show days there is a charge to enter the gardens (chateauversailles.fr, 30 September 2026):
- The Musical Fountains Show: every Saturday and Sunday from 4 April to 1 November in 2026, and the Musical Gardens from Tuesday to Friday.
- The Night Fountains show: every Saturday evening from 6 June to 19 September in 2026, and on the evening of Tuesday 14 July.
- The Royal Serenade, a sunset show in the Court of Versailles, runs from June to mid-September.
- Tickets: the €35 Passport covers the gardens on show days. A gardens-only Musical Fountains Show ticket is €15 online.
The 2027 shows are not yet published. The Versailles day trip guide has the trains, the Passport and the tours; the palace is closed on Mondays.
For the other dates that fix a trip, and which days each sight closes, see what to book before you go; the 4-day itinerary arranges the sights round them, and in winter the Christmas markets take over the calendar.
Common questions
When are the Bastille Day fireworks in Paris?
On the evening of 14 July, fired from the Champ-de-Mars beside the Eiffel Tower. In 2026 the city moved them to 13 July, starting at 23:00, with the military parade on the Champs-Élysées staying on 14 July. The Vedettes du Pont-Neuf's cruises for 2027 are scheduled for the evening of Wednesday 14 July 2027.
When is the Fête de la Musique?
On 21 June every year. It is a day of free concerts by amateur and professional musicians, launched by the French Ministry of Culture in 1982. In 2027 it falls on a Monday.
What is closed in Paris on 14 July?
The Arc de Triomphe. The Louvre is free for everyone that day, but still asks you to book a time slot, and the Catacombs are open.
Is Paris Plages worth going to?
It is free: deckchairs and activities on the Rives de Seine, between the Tuileries tunnel and the Pont de Sully, and at the Bassin de la Villette. In 2026 it ran from 4 July to 30 August; the 2027 dates are not yet published.
