Paris in February

What will the winter be like and can anyone make any recommendations.

Is the snow ice rink on the effiel tower still open?

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There is often an ice rink in front of city hall. We were there last February and I sure don%26#39;t remember an ice rink on the Eiffel Tower.

Keep watching the weather on the computer for trends. But expect damp, rainy and cool. Last year in February it froze and snowed the week after we were there. The week we were there it rained A LOT of and on and was very windy. There were a few snowflakes thrown in.

I took our light winter coats and WISHED I had brought the down coats for the kids because it was right around 30 degrees much of the time, but it can be VERY windy in Paris, particularly near the Eiffel Tower and Champs du Mars. In fact, we were on the Eiffel Tower and were FREEZING! Because it is all open, you are unprotected from the wind. The only heated spot is one little shop on one level. Brrrrr. I remember the bottoms of my feet being numb with cold, even though I had on thick soled shoes (and we%26#39;re from Michigan so we%26#39;re used to the cold). We did a lot of walking in Paris and would have appreciated the extra warmth of our heavier coats.

The nice thing is that all the shops and cafes are toasty warm, so you always have the option to pop in somewhere and warm up.

Here%26#39;s what you need to take.

1. Very small compact umbrella because you%26#39;ll probably be carrying it everywhere with you %26quot;just in case%26quot;.

2. Layer sweaters over shirts so you can strip down through layers when you get into museums, cafes, etc.

3. Warm coat. Watch the weather and decide before you go if you%26#39;ll need a heavier winter coat or a lighter one.

4. Gloves and scarves. Everyone in Paris wears scarves and I never really appreciated them until I got there. But wrapping a scarf a few times around your neck not only looks so %26quot;oooh la la!%26quot; but also is as warm as putting on another sweater!

5. If you%26#39;re taking kids....warm hats!

6. Shoes with thick soles to keep the cold pavement from coming right up through the bottoms of your feet. Warm socks!

You%26#39;ll have a great time!

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We were there the first week in December and I think the advice given already is just about perfect. The only thing I would add to the list of items you%26#39;ll need is a hat. I took a fleece one with a brim and wore it every night when the sun went down. We went to Strasbourg for a day and it truly felt like it would snow at any minute...that really dry cold...and I was SO happy to have had that hat! On one occasion I wore the hat and pulled up the hood from my zip out lining raincoat...which was the perfect coat for that particular trip. Additionally, I brought 2 pairs of the best socks I%26#39;ve ever owned. They%26#39;re called SmartWool and I bought them at our local sporting goods chain store. SO warm and comfortable. Not scratchy at all as I had feared since they%26#39;re made of wool. I was very happy that my toes were always toasty. And at that time, the ice skating rink at the Hotel de Ville was open! Have a wonderful trip!