The Ultimate Summer Packing List for Paris

Paris is beautiful and vibrant and has so much to offer to everyone who visits. The best time to see Paris is the spring and summer months because the weather allows you to walk around the city and experience all the sights. To make sure you’re prepared, you need to have a checklist to help you remember everything you must have on this trip.

When traveling to Paris during the summer, you need to ensure you have your essentials with you, including your passport, phone, cash, and charger. Additionally, you should pack light clothes, sunglasses, a hat, necessary toiletries, and medications. You should also consider packing an umbrella.

In the rest of this article, I’ll cover everything you need to take with you on your trip to Paris during the summer. This list will help prepare you for all the possibilities and remember everything you need to take with you. Let’s get started!

1. Essential Travel Items

Let’s start with the most basic items you need to have with you on every trip, even for one weekend out of town. Certain items should always be with you, no matter where you are:

Passport and ID: An ID is necessary every time you leave your house, but if you’re traveling outside your country, you must have a passport with you.
Phone: Phones have become among the most essential items people own. Because of this, having your phone while you travel, especially to another country, is a necessity.

Cash and credit card: You need to make sure you have enough money on your card to cover emergencies, but you also need some cash, just in case.
Insurance: Travel insurance ensures that you’re covered if anything happens while you’re in another country. You can get travel insurance easily any time before and during the trip.
Charger: There’s no point in having a phone if you have nothing to charge it with; hotels and bars can provide charging options, but you need to have a charger with you at all times to make sure you’ll never run out of battery.

If you have all the above items, you’ll be able to get by anywhere you are, even if you forget the rest of your things. Having means of payment, identification, and communication is essential; everything else is extra.

2. Power Outlet Adapter

If you live in the United States and you’re traveling to Europe, you need to have an adapter for power outlets. The majority of Europe, including France, uses different voltage outlets than the ones in the States, so you need to ensure you can plug in your chargers in every outlet.

If you’re planning on visiting different countries worldwide, you should get a universal adapter, which can work with pretty much any outlet. With a universal adapter, you can use your chargers or other appliances wherever you are.

3. Powerbank

The best thing about a city like Paris is that you can spend a whole day walking around the city sightseeing, and time will go by so fast you won’t even notice. When you spend a long time outside, you should make sure you have a power bank with you to help charge your phone.

Because phones nowadays can help you with useful maps and translations, you’ll need to charge them much more often than usual. You may be able to find some bars that will help you with a charger, but a power bank is more portable and will help you wherever you are.

4. Reusable Water Bottle

Paris can get hot during the summer, so you should ensure that you stay hydrated all the time, especially while you’re walking around the city during the hottest and most humid hours. You can buy plastic water bottles everywhere in the city, but it’s better to take a traveling water bottle with you.

A good traveling bottle will not only keep the water colder for you during the height of summer, but it’ll also be more friendly for the environment. Additionally, there are so many drinkable water fountains around Paris that you won’t need to pay for water at all, as long as you’ve got your bottle.

5. Camera

It was tempting to put the camera in the essentials because what’s a trip without a camera? However, ever since phone cameras have become so advanced, many people can just use them instead of investing in a separate device.

Nevertheless, if you own a good camera, you should take it with you on your Paris trip. There are so many beautiful sights in the city that you’ll need to capture, from famous landmarks to museums and parks. A good camera will make a huge difference, especially compared to a phone.

6. Essential Toiletries

Toiletries are also essential, but you can simply buy them wherever you are, which is why I didn’t include them in the above section. However, if you want to save some money or have to have access to specific brands you use, you need to take them with you. Here’s a list of important toiletries that you should have with you on your Paris summer trip:

Sunscreen
Deodorant

Moisturizer
Hand sanitizer
Toothbrush

Toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner

Soap
Tissues
Anti-bacterial wipes

Dry shampoo
Chapstick
Body lotion

Perfume
Makeup (if you use it)

Hotels and Airbnbs will typically provide shampoos, conditioners, and soap; however, if you’re planning on staying at a hostel or somewhere that may not provide these basics, you need to take them with you. Make sure to have travel-size deodorant and sunscreen to keep with you at all times; the heat during the summer in Paris is no joke.

7. Light Clothes

People often spend a lot of time thinking about what they should wear to Paris, considering the reputation of this city for its casual chic style. However, you don’t have to conform to any particular style; comfort is what matters, especially during hot summer days.

Make sure you pack light and colorful clothes for your summer trip, making sure the fabrics are organic and breathable. Pack a few different items for various occasions if you’re planning to go to events or clubs. If you’re staying at a hotel with a swimming pool, you should take swimwear as well.

However, you should pack some clothes for the evening, too. During the summer or early spring, the temperatures drop significantly during the evening, so you should keep a jacket or a sweater with you to ensure you won’t get cold.

8. Comfortable Shoes

It’s very important to choose the right kind of shoes because the wrong type can ruin any trip. Paris, like most European cities, is a walkable city that allows you to explore it on foot. As a result, you need good quality shoes that will keep your feet comfortable even after walking for miles.

Try packing a few different kinds of shoes, like sneakers, sandals, and maybe more formal shoes if you’re planning to hit the clubs or go to any formal events. You may also want to pack flip-flops or sliders, although you should wear them indoors or in the pool since Parisians typically don’t wear them outside.

If you’re staying in Paris during spring or early summer, you may also pack a pair of light boots. They can be useful on a rainy day and can complement your outfit at the same time. However, during mid to late summer, you won’t need to pack boots.

9. Backpack

A backpack is necessary for any trip since it’s a convenient way of holding multiple items in a comfortable and portable way. If you plan on spending the day walking around the city, you need to take a few essentials with you, so a backpack would be the best place to hold them.

During the summer, you can just take a light handbag or tote bag with you to carry the most essential items, but make sure to keep your bag safe wherever you go; certain famous landmarks are often frequented by pickpockets targeting distracted tourists.

10. Travel Umbrella

When you’re getting ready to visit Paris in the summer, you may assume that an umbrella would be unnecessary. However, summer in Paris is hot and humid, so rainfall is not as rare as you would think. If you’re visiting during spring, an umbrella is a must.

The best choice for any trip would be a travel umbrella, which is light and doesn’t take up much space. You can keep your small umbrella in your bag whenever you go out to ensure that you’re safe from rainfall if you’re far away from your hotel.

11. Sunglasses

Sunglasses should be a must for everyone during summertime. You need to take sunglasses with you everywhere you go to ensure your eyes are protected, and you can see everything under the brightest summer sun. Paris gets approximately 161 sunny days every year, mostly during spring and summer.

In addition to protecting your eyesight, sunglasses can be a great addition to your outfits. Remember to put them in protective cases when you’re not using them to make sure you don’t accidentally break them.

12. Hat

A hat is also very useful during sunny days because it adds a layer of protection to your eyes and face. Keep a sun hat with you all the time to keep the sun out and add a stylish element to your outfit.

For purely stylish reasons, you can take a beret with you to live the ultimate Parisian fantasy, but only in the Spring. Summer requires lighter and more functional hats, like a bucket hat, baseball cap, or straw sun hat. If you really want to follow the Parisian style, a sun hat is the best choice.

13. Rain Jacket or Coat

As mentioned above, if you’re visiting Paris in early summer or spring, you need to take into account the fact that it might rain more than once during your stay. Paris is a great city to visit in any weather, so you shouldn’t let rain interrupt your plans.

An umbrella will help, but if you want to make sure you stay completely dry, you can take a waterproof rain jacket or coat with you. Rain jackets are very light, so they won’t add too much weight to your luggage.

14. Medication

Ideally, you should have a full first-aid kit with you when you’re traveling to ensure that you can handle any type of situation wherever you are. If you don’t have room for an entire first aid kit, you should take some essential medications that you might need.

If you’re on any particular medication, you should take enough with you to last for the whole duration of the trip and maybe even a bit more. You have no way of knowing whether you’ll be able to find the same medication elsewhere. If you’re not on any medication, you can take something for pain, travel sickness, or allergies to cover your bases.

15. Map and Guidebook

Years ago, a map and a guide would be essential for visiting any city since you would have no other way of knowing where to go or what to see. However, nowadays, you can find everything on your phone, so physical maps have become more or less redundant.

Nevertheless, you should take a physical map or guidebook with you to help you in case your phone is low on battery or unavailable. Moreover, physical maps are sometimes more accurate than online ones. A guidebook can also be very useful since looking for landmarks on websites can often be too overwhelming.

16. Laptop

A laptop is not necessary for your trip, especially if you want to leave your work behind. However, you may need it to catch up on your emails or to use in case of a work emergency, so you should take your device with you if you have the space.

If you’re taking your laptop with you, you should put it inside a case to make sure it’s safe during the trip. Additionally, you should take your charger with you; don’t forget to use the power outlet adapter when charging your laptop!

17. Picnic Blanket

Understandably, a picnic blanket isn’t a must, but you should consider it if you have some space left. Parisians make it a habit to go on picnics in parks during the summer, taking only a blanket and some food with them and enjoying a beautiful day.

Don’t miss the chance to experience one of these wonderful Parisian picnics! All you need is your blanket and picnic food, and you’ll have a great day with your loved ones.