Beat the Heat: Paris Edition

Sparkling city lights, the Haussmann architecture, boulangeries and patisseries lining every boulevard, Paris is everything you could ever imagine. Visiting the city of light and love gave me visions of its timeless nature and beauty. But not everything about my study abroad experience was roses and sunshine. 

We happened to be in Paris during the hottest recorded temperatures the city has ever had in a heatwave that swept over many European countries. As you can expect it wasn’t pleasant. So there we were, in the heart of the city and in the heat of the city and of course the high was 105°F that day and we’re dying because none of these old Parisian buildings have air conditioning. The minute you step outside you get a blast of hot air similar to the heat of an oven when you open it to check the temperature. Of course, that’s just when you’re outside when you’re trying to get places, there’s the dreaded metro. Imagine all that baking heat shoved underground and add the body heat of a dozen other people trying to cram into a crowded subway car without aircon. Yep. It was pretty bad. So now that I’ve given you an impression of just how uncomfortable these conditions were, here are a few methods imposed by us and fellow Parisians to beat the heat.

1. Ice cream/Gelato

• One of the best parts of being in Europe during this heatwave was that we were never wanting for some nice cool desserts aka ice cream! Two places that we went to were Amarino and Bachir. At Amarino we picked up an affogato and some sorbet in the shape of a rose. I got a mix of lime basil, blood orange, and passionfruit
• Bachir, a Lebanese ice cream shop, was our stop on a rainy Paris evening and it was muggy and misty enough to go for a nighttime ice cream run. I got a délicieux pistachio encrusted rose milk ice cream flavor that I ordered en français! It was perfect for strolling down the cobble paved Rue de Rambuteau.

2. Stay Indoors

• Although many buildings don’t have air conditioning, many of the museums or tourist attractions do. A stop that I recommend would be Atelier des Lumières. The show of lights is held in a large, dark industrial space. It’s a grand display in which animated art masterpieces are projected across the surfaces of this massive space in tandem with a carefully curated soundtrack of classical music appropriate for the mood of the scene. In our case, one of the main features was Vincent van Gogh. We were carried through the phases of his life through his artwork, the story narrated by the music. There were his famed almond blossoms set to Vivaldi as they bloomed across the screens. It was an incredible show that I would love to see again and I’m sad to be missing the Klimt one in the fall. 

3. Go out at Night

• If you’re not in the mood to expend the energy to seek out those lovely air-conditioned malls and museums and would rather hang back in the relative coolness of operation apartment, leave your sightseeing to night time! I’d argue that it’s even more fun that way, especially without the heat™. 
• A super touristy but still great option is Le Tour Eiffel by night. The sun sets extremely late during the French summers. I’m talking 9/10 PM late. Or, excuse me, 21 or 22:00. Many places aren’t open late in Paris but the Eiffel tower area is reliably popping until pretty late. Every hour, the tower lights up in a sparkling light show that lasts for five minutes. Be careful to get back before the metro closes for the night!