Canicule

The hot period between July and early September; a scorching heat wave that lasts for at least three consecutive days, with no relief from intense temperatures at night.

One of the worst things about renting an apartment in Paris can be the lack of air conditioning for those “dog days” – the best part, just have to stay in the hotel for a few more days.   It’s been crazy hot the past week, so we have retreated to our 16^th haven (heaven, whatever) and haven’t even been leaving to cruise the city until late afternoon. 

This does highlight a tourist insider bonus – there are practically no lines at any attractions this time of day.  Hidden inside these solid stone edifices are cool sanctuaries of even cooler works.  Sure there is the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, the Pompidou, Rodin and Picasso Museums, but my absolute favorites lie in the Jardin des Plantes.  The Museums of Natural History, especially the Grande Galerie de L’Évolution and the Galleries D’Anatomie Comparée et de Paléontologie.  For something a little off the grid, my husband recommends the Musée des Art et Métiers, or way off the grid, his favorite Musée Dupuytren, hidden inside the School of Medicine.