Originally Posted by
botfly
I plan to travel to Paris during the last week of August because of cheap hotel rates. This would be my first vacation in Paris, and I heard that in August many shops will be closed because the locals will have their day offs. Any advice as to whether the period is really not a good time for tourists?
I was there the last week of August last year. Many restaurants I would have liked to try, or to revisit, were closed, but plenty of others were open. After all, staying open when so many others are closed practically guarantees a roaring trade.
I hadn't been in Montmartre in the high season before, and wouldn't particularly recommend the Place du Tertre when it's mobbed with other tourists, but it was amazing how quickly the crowds thinned just a couple of blocks down the back of the hill. We rented an apartment down there and found it quiet, peaceful and, well, Parisian.
So I'd recommend focusing on slightly less famous sites. For example, the Musée de Montmartre, just a few minutes from the crowds, was uncrowded, and it's well worth a long visit.
If that's when you can get there, I say go for it. Just do some homework and save the most famous attractions for your next visit.