Paris in the second week of July is the city at full summer tilt. The riverbanks have turned into beaches, an electronic festival takes over a racecourse in the woods, five major art exhibitions are running at once, and the whole city is warming up for Bastille Day the following Tuesday. This is your guide to what is genuinely on in Paris for the week of 6 to 12 July 2026, from the free things happening right now to the icons worth booking ahead. All prices are in euros and were verified on tickadoo on Monday 6 July.
Paris this week in 30 seconds. Paris Plages, the free summer beaches along the Seine and the Bassin de la Villette, are open every day from 4 July. The Peacock Society electronic festival takes over the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July. Five headline exhibitions are on, including Michelangelo Rodin at the Louvre and Matisse at the Grand Palais, both closing within a fortnight. The Tour de France is racing across France this week, though its Paris finish comes later in the month. And Bastille Day, with its parade and fireworks, lands on Tuesday 14 July, the day after this week ends. For the icons, a Seine cruise starts from EUR 18.50 and the Eiffel Tower from EUR 29.00 on tickadoo.
The big things happening this week
The single best free thing in Paris right now is Paris Plages. Every summer the city closes a stretch of the Right Bank and lines it with sand, deck chairs, parasols and pop-up cafes, and it runs again from 4 July to 30 August 2026. There are two main sites, the Rives de Seine in the centre and the larger Bassin de la Villette in the northeast, the latter with supervised swimming, pedal boats, kayaks and petanque courts. It costs nothing to turn up, and this year marks its 24th edition with the United States as guest of honour for the 250th anniversary of American independence. If you want the full rundown, our free things to do in Paris guide for this week goes deeper on it and everything else that costs nothing.
For one weekend only, the Peacock Society returns to the Hippodrome Paris-Vincennes on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 July. It is the capital's flagship electronic music festival, spreading 43 artists across four stages in a 42,000 square metre open-air space in the Bois de Vincennes, with names like Floating Points, Boys Noize and Busy P on the bill. It is a ticketed event and not something we sell, but if techno under the summer sky is your thing, it is the standout gig of the week.
Sport fans, take note. The Tour de France is on. The 2026 race set off from Barcelona on 4 July and crosses the Pyrenees during this very week, with a rest day on Monday 13 July. The famous Paris finish on the Champs-Elysees, which this year loops through Montmartre for the first time, does not happen until 26 July, so if you are in the city hoping to see the peloton you will be watching it on cafe screens rather than on the Champs-Elysees just yet. Still, the whole country is in Tour mode, and it makes a fine excuse to settle onto a terrace.
Art and exhibitions worth the trip
This is a strong week for exhibitions, and two of the best are on borrowed time. The Louvre is showing Michelangelo Rodin, a dialogue between the two sculptors, until 20 July, and the Grand Palais has devoted a show to Matisse's final thirteen years and his famous paper cut-outs, from Jazz to the Vence chapel, which closes on 19 July. Both end within a fortnight, so this is close to your last chance. Running longer are Renoir and Love at the Musee d'Orsay and a major Henri Rousseau retrospective at the Orangerie, and out at the Bois de Boulogne the Fondation Louis Vuitton is halfway through its huge Alexander Calder retrospective. One planning note, the Centre Pompidou is closed for a long renovation until 2030, so cross it off your list this trip. For something more immersive, a large Tutankhamun exhibition of his tomb and treasures has just opened at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, running daily through the summer. Our Paris art and exhibitions guide covers all of these in detail, along with the cabarets.
The icons, and how to do them well
If it is your first time, the classics earn their reputation. The Eiffel Tower is the obvious one, and a guided tour by lift to the summit starts from EUR 29.00 and spares you the longest queues. For a different angle on the same view, climb the Arc de Triomphe from EUR 16.99, where the rooftop looks straight down the twelve avenues and, in the distance, to the tower itself. In July the light lasts until nearly ten at night, so an early evening slot is glorious.
The best-value way to see the city, though, is from the water. A one-hour Seine sightseeing cruise from the foot of the Eiffel Tower starts from EUR 18.50 and glides past Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay in a single loop. If you would rather hop on and off to sightsee at your own pace, the Batobus river shuttle from EUR 23.00 stops at nine landmarks along the banks. Come back after dark and the illuminated evening cruise from EUR 19.35 catches the tower's hourly sparkle from mid-river.
An evening out
Summer nights are made for the Paris cabarets, and they run all week. The Moulin Rouge, the red windmill in Montmartre, does its Feerie revue with champagne from EUR 122.99, while the more intimate Paradis Latin, in a theatre with Eiffel connections, starts from EUR 92.99 and is often the better-value seat in the house. For something bolder, the Crazy Horse near the Champs-Elysees is all light, shadow and choreography from EUR 121.99. Book ahead in July, as the good tables go quickly. If you are weighing up which room suits you, our Paris cabaret guide breaks down the differences.
Going with the family
Paris is easier with children than its reputation suggests. Beyond the free games and pedal boats at Paris Plages, Disneyland Paris is in full summer swing with tickets from EUR 55.64, and the home-grown Parc Asterix, a rollercoaster park with a Gaulish theme, starts from EUR 56.00. In the city itself the Aquarium de Paris sits right opposite the Eiffel Tower from EUR 22.00. We have gathered the lot in our things to do with kids in Paris guide for this week.
Looking ahead to Bastille Day
This week ends on Sunday 12 July, which means the biggest dates on the Paris summer calendar fall right after it, and one has an unusual twist this year. The Bals des Pompiers, the firefighters' dances held in fire stations across the city, actually begin on the evening of Sunday 12 July at a few stations and run through 13 and 14 July, a small voluntary donation getting you into a courtyard party that goes on into the small hours. The famous fireworks have moved this year: rather than the traditional 14 July, the display beneath the Eiffel Tower will be launched exceptionally on the evening of Monday 13 July 2026, a drone and pyrotechnic show from the Champ-de-Mars, because 14 July is reserved for a national tribute marking ten years since the 2016 Nice attack. The military parade down the Champs-Elysees still takes place on the morning of Tuesday 14 July. All of it is free to watch, so if your trip runs into the following week, keep those evenings clear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the one unmissable thing in Paris this week?
Paris Plages, the free riverside beaches, are the standout because they are on every day, cost nothing and capture the summer mood of the city. For a single ticketed highlight, catch Michelangelo Rodin at the Louvre or the Matisse cut-outs at the Grand Palais before both close around 19 to 20 July.
Is the Tour de France in Paris this week?
No. The 2026 Tour de France is racing across France during 6 to 12 July, but its Paris finish on the Champs-Elysees, which loops through Montmartre this year, takes place on 26 July, later in the month.
Are the museums open on Mondays and Tuesdays?
Check before you go, as the big museums each have a closing day. The Louvre closes on Tuesdays, the Musee d'Orsay and the Picasso Museum close on Mondays, and the Orangerie and the Fondation Louis Vuitton close on Tuesdays. The Centre Pompidou is closed entirely for renovation until 2030.
How far ahead should I book the icons in July?
July is peak season, so book timed entry for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the cabarets several days ahead where you can. A Seine cruise is more flexible and can usually be picked up at shorter notice.
What is the best-value way to see Paris?
The river. A one-hour Seine sightseeing cruise starts from EUR 18.50 on tickadoo and takes in most of the central landmarks in one go. Walking the free quaysides, Montmartre and the great parks costs nothing at all.
Where can I save on regular visits?
If you travel often or plan several bookings, tickadoo+ membership is the place to look for ongoing savings across experiences. You can find the details at tickadoo.com/membership.
That is the week in Paris. For more, dig into our companion guides to art and exhibitions, free things to do and days out with the kids, or start planning from scratch with our first-timer's guide to the must-see attractions and our perfect three-day itinerary.
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