OVERVIEW - CultureShock! A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette - page 22

Boulogne to the west and the Bois de Vincennes to the east,
provide respite at Paris' flanks. The Seine flows through the
city, joined from the northeast by the Canal Saint-Martin, itself
crossed at intervals by little metallic bridges and partially by
pleasant rows of trees.
Although the climate is fairly mild overall and Paris often
shines gloriously in the sun, the city's uneven weather can
bring problems in any season. In winter, the temperature
may hover below freezing for weeks, with the wind howling
down those wide boulevards and nipping at narrow corners.
Rains make the river rise, sometimes closing the banks to
traffic; occasionally there is snow. Spring, even well into
the supposedly romantic April, is often unpleasantly grey
and wet, but there are also splendid, almost warm, sunny
days. True spring begins in May—the first signs are newly
planted flower boxes on windowsills and the tables that
begin to reappear outside cafés. By the time summer is in
full swing late in July and August, the sometimes sweltering
temperatures and high pollution drive Parisians out of town
until the beginning of September, when they return in a
burst of energy. This is an event in itself, known as la rentrée .
September and October can be the best months, pleasantly
sunny and warm.
Tulips appearing at the fl orists usually mean Spring is round the corner.