What to pack for Paris in March

13 rain days a month finds every seam. A real shell, not a windbreaker.

Lows around 39°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Lows near 39°F mean wind chill bites exposed ears and scalp.

Twenty kilometers per hour wind makes bare hands painful within minutes.

UV index hits 4.0 and reflects off wet pavement into eyes.

Early spring brings mosquitoes to parks along the Seine.

Wet sidewalks and uneven cobblestone cause twisted ankles and scrapes.

This country runs on Type C or E. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Short daylight hours drain phone batteries before the day ends.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Overhead bins on European flights are smaller than North American ones.

Museums and markets require a pack that moves through crowds.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Gusts across the Seine reach your neck and jaw without protection.

Cold stone floors and unheated metro cars chill feet for hours.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Tap water is safe but carrying your own cuts plastic waste.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

Crowded trains and pickpockets make bag tracking worth the weight.

Wet clothes from rain need separation from dry layers.

Humidity at 76 percent keeps clothes damp longer than you expect.

Lows around 39°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Metro noise runs constant and loud enough to disrupt sleep in budget accommodations.

Layering fails without insulation that packs small under a coat.

Thirteen rain days this month soak leather and leave salt stains.

Eleven hours of daylight means sun angle stays low and glaring.

Shared metro poles and museum railings carry cold germs daily.

Bites itch worse when you cannot scratch without burning skin.

Charging ports in budget hotels are few and far from beds.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

International travel requires documents protected from rain and spills.

Hostels and shared accommodations need locks on your bags.

Bathroom space in Paris hotels is tight and poorly lit.

Long flights to Paris go easier with neck support.