Packing For Paris in Summer (In Just A Carry On!)

Planning a trip to the French capital and wondering what to pack for Paris in the summer? I’ve put together the perfect Paris summer packing list for you!

Did I mention it’s a carry-on only packing list? I’ll show you how I pack for most of my trips, including tricks on how you can take EVERYTHING you need to pack for a summer in Paris in just a carry-on.

This carry-on packing list for Paris in summer works for short and long trips!

Packing in a carry-on, especially when visiting places during the summer is possible regardless of the length of your trip. My mantra is that dressing for a trip should be the same as dressing when you’re home. You don’t use a different piece of clothing every day, do you? Nope – you wash clothes, reuse items, and mix and match to create different outfits!

Plus, if you happen to feel like you’re lacking a piece of clothing, you can buy it anywhere (psst. I also wrote this post on my favorite thrift shops in Paris!) and 2) Washing your clothes is possible everywhere in France.

Here’s my carry-on packing list for Paris in Summer:

Clothes + Accessories

  • Underwear
  • 7 pairs of socks
  • 5-6 t-shirts
  • 1 pair of jeans
  • 2 skirts/shorts
  • 2-3 dresses (one maxi dress – they always help you look put together and they’re great for pictures!)
  • 1 cardigan or a light sweater
  • 2 bikinis (optional)
  • 1 pair of comfortable sandals
  • 1 pair of sneakers.  Wear them on the plane so they don’t take up space in your luggage.
  • 1 pair of nice shoes for nights out (optional).
  • 1 pair of nice shoes. For nights out or photos, I like packing a pair of heels. The older I get, the more I focus on looking good and a pair of nice shoes does the trick when traveling! Even though lots of places in Europe are awful for walking around in heels, I love traveling with this set from Dream Pairs. They’re super comfy (even for broad feet like mine) and easy to walk around with. The pointy toe instantly elevates any style so they’re my new go-to!
  • A day bag. I travel with a 20-liter backpack from Quechua (I love their products and have been using them for years already. I also use my Quechua day bag pretty much on a daily basis when I’m home and after a few years, it’s still going strong!).

Don’t forget to get travel insurance for your trip! As always, I recommend Safety Wing for great prices and coverage abroad. It starts at only $45 USD per month and will have you covered with everything you may need during your trip! Check them out here.

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Toiletries

I never pack too many toiletries because Paris has supermarkets and you can find everything here. Here’s what I do bring:

  • Travel-sized shampoo or dry shampoo.
  • Travel-sized conditioner
  • Travel-sized toothpaste
  • Toothbrush
  • Hand-sanitizer

Pro tip #1: If the brand of shampoo you usually use isn’t available in France, you can get this set of travel bottles and fill them with your shampoo or conditioner of choice. In case you’re wondering, that’s because you can only fly with liquid bottles that are less than 100 ml for security reasons. Using those travel bottles will ensure they don’t get thrown away at the airport when you go through security.

Electronics

  • Phone + charger
  • Universal travel adaptor. France uses a Type C plug, so you’ll need an adapter. I recommend getting a universal travel adapter like this one.
  • Headphones
  • Portable charger so you can charge your phone on the go and never run out of battery, I’ve always used this one from Anker. I’m also currently obsessed with this phone-charging passport holder by Lovie Style.
  • Camera + accessories

Useful extras

  • Travel towel. If you plan on staying at Airbnbs and hostels when in Paris, I highly recommend bringing a travel towel. They’re super light and take almost no space in your luggage. I recommend this one from Youphoria.
  • A book (if you don’t have a Kindle).
  • Pen (always useful)
  • Travel-sized umbrella and/or poncho. An umbrella like this one or a poncho are always good to carry just in case it rains.

 

Organizing

Packing cubes. Packing cubes are key when it comes to packing carry on as they compress air and save you tons of space. I love this set of packing cubes from Ebags.

Travel Insurance For France

→ If you’re still on the lookout for travel insurance for your trip, I highly recommend Safety Wing.

 

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