Paris in August

and how we found the best air conditioning in the city of light

I’ve been enjoying the Seine river swim and the bike to Versailles from my couch. Unless it’s 2024 and you are an Olympic athlete, or someone who loves an Olympic athlete, there is no reason to go to Paris in August. But if you must go, you will find that the most air-conditioned establishment in Paris also serves one of the city’s best milkshakes.

First, some context: We touched down in Paris in August of 2018 in the midst of a historic heat wave—107 degrees Fahrenheit. We were moving to Paris from California. We’d never seen our apartment. We’d never even seen photos of our apartment. We were taking a leap of faith.