City guides
Business events in Paris: what is worth attending in 2026–27
Paris trade shows and conferences for 2026–27 month by month: the flagship fairs by industry, the two main venues, badge prices and tips.
By the atndr teamPublished 6 min read
The short answer
Paris's main business events in 2026–27 are VivaTech (16–19 June 2027) for technology, Maison&Objet (14–18 January 2027) for home and design, JEC World (2–4 March 2027) for composites and Milipol (16–19 November 2027) for security, plus sector fairs almost every month. Nearly all run at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in the city or Paris Nord Villepinte near Charles de Gaulle airport, and most are for registered professionals only.
Key takeaways
- The busiest periods are January to April and September to early December; July and August are almost empty.
- Most big shows run at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (metro line 12) in the city or Paris Nord Villepinte (RER B) near the airport, so book a hotel near the right one.
- Many fairs are free for professionals who register online; some charge a badge, such as SIMI at €770 excl. VAT.
- Several shows are biennial: Milipol, EQUIP AUTO and the World Nuclear Exhibition return in 2027, Expoprotection runs in November 2026.
- Most Paris trade shows are closed to the public and may ask for proof of profession.
On this page
When is the business event season in Paris?
Paris runs trade shows almost all year, with three busy stretches: November to early December, January to April and September to October. July and August are close to empty, and the second half of December is quiet.
| Month | Notable events on atndr | Industries |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | Rendez-vous Carnot | R&D partnerships |
| Nov 2026 | EquipHotel, Expoprotection, Heavent Paris, Tech Show Paris, Salon des Maires | Hospitality, safety, events, IT, local government |
| Dec 2026 | SIMI | Real estate investment |
| Jan 2027 | Maison&Objet, Who's Next & Bijorhca, Première Vision, Pharmapack Europe | Home and design, fashion, pharma packaging |
| Mar 2027 | JEC World, Franchise Expo Paris, SITL, Paris Space Week, SITEM | Composites, franchising, logistics, space, museums |
| Apr–May 2027 | INTERMAT, SantExpo | Construction, hospitals |
| Jun 2027 | VivaTech, ALLFORPACK | Technology and start-ups, packaging |
| Sep–Oct 2027 | SILMO, Big Data & AI Paris, IFTM, EQUIP AUTO | Optics, data and AI, travel, automotive aftermarket |
| Nov–Dec 2027 | Milipol Paris, World Nuclear Exhibition | Homeland security, civil nuclear |
Several big Paris shows are biennial: Expoprotection and Milipol are held every two years, and EQUIP AUTO and the World Nuclear Exhibition, whose last editions ran in 2025, return in 2027, so check the edition year before planning.
Which Paris business events are worth attending?
Paris's strongest shows are international sector fairs where buyers place orders and source suppliers. The best-known, by industry:
Technology and innovation
VivaTech 2027 (16–19 June 2027, Paris Expo Porte de Versailles) is the city's flagship tech and start-up event, with attendee, start-up and investor passes. Tech Show Paris 2026 (18–19 November 2026) is the practical one for IT decision-makers: one free badge covers five co-located shows on AI, cloud, cybersecurity, DevOps and data centres. Big Data & AI Paris 2027 (29–30 September 2027) targets CDOs and data teams.
Fashion, home and design
Maison&Objet (14–18 January 2027, Paris Nord Villepinte) is the home and lifestyle fair, held every January and September and open to professionals only. Première Vision Paris (26–28 January 2027, Villepinte) is where brands source fabrics and manufacturing for Autumn/Winter 27-28, and Who's Next & Bijorhca (16–18 January 2027) is for fashion and jewellery buyers.
Industry, construction and transport
JEC World 2027 (2–4 March 2027, Villepinte) is the composites industry's main show. INTERMAT 2027 (21–24 April 2027, Villepinte) covers construction equipment with an outdoor demo area. SITL 2027 (23–25 March 2027) is for shippers and logistics providers, and EQUIP AUTO Paris 2027 (12–16 October 2027) for the automotive aftermarket.
Security, defence and energy
Milipol Paris 2027 (16–19 November 2027, Villepinte) is held every two years under the aegis of the French Ministry of the Interior. Expoprotection 2026 (3–5 November 2026) covers workplace safety, fire and security. The World Nuclear Exhibition 2027 (7–9 December 2027) is for professionals of the civil nuclear industry only.
Hospitality, travel and real estate
EquipHotel 2026 (2–5 November 2026) is the hotel and restaurant equipment show; IFTM 2027 (5–7 October 2027) is France's B2B travel market; SIMI 2026 (8–10 December 2026) is the real estate investment show.
Health and pharma
SantExpo 2027 (25–27 May 2027), run by the French Hospital Federation, is free with online registration. Pharmapack Europe 2027 (27–28 January 2027) covers drug packaging and delivery devices.
Which venues host business events in Paris?
Almost every big Paris trade show runs at one of two Viparis exhibition centres, and they sit on opposite sides of the city, so check the venue before booking a hotel.
| Venue | Where | What it hosts | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Expo Porte de Versailles | 15th arrondissement, southern edge of the city | VivaTech, Tech Show Paris, EquipHotel, SIMI, IFTM | Metro line 12 to Porte de Versailles; trams T2 and T3a |
| Paris Nord Villepinte | Villepinte, north-east, near Charles de Gaulle airport | Maison&Objet, Première Vision, JEC World, INTERMAT, Milipol | RER B to Parc des Expositions |
| Espace Champerret | 17th arrondissement | Rendez-vous Carnot, Paris Space Week | Metro line 3 to Porte de Champerret |
| Carrousel du Louvre | 1st arrondissement | SITEM | Central Paris |
Paris Expo Porte de Versailles has 169,400 m² of exhibition space across five pavilions, according to Viparis. Paris Nord Villepinte has about 250,000 m² of indoor space and is about 15 minutes from Charles de Gaulle airport; Viparis notes that metro T+ tickets are not valid on the RER to Villepinte, so buy a zone 4 Île-de-France ticket.
What does it cost to visit a Paris trade show?
Many Paris trade shows are free for professional visitors who register online, but several charge a badge fee, and the price often rises at the door.
| Event | Visitor price published by the organiser |
|---|---|
| Expoprotection, Salon des Maires, SantExpo, Rendez-vous Carnot | Free with online registration |
| Tech Show Paris | Free for companies using the solutions; vendors' sales and marketing staff pay |
| Franchise Expo Paris | First badge free online until 11 February 2027; €34 at the show |
| ALLFORPACK | €45 online, €70 on site (incl. VAT) |
| SILMO | Free for opticians; €50 for manufacturers and others |
| SITEM | €55 incl. VAT; €11 for students and jobseekers |
| SIMI | €770 excl. VAT for a 3-day badge |
Most shows are strictly for professionals: Maison&Objet, Heavent and ALLFORPACK ask for professional identification and do not admit the public.
How do you make the most of a Paris trade show?
Register online before you travel: it is usually free or cheaper than at the door, and badges for some shows are sent only after the organiser checks your profession.
- Book meetings in advance. SIMI opens its business-meeting platform in mid-November, Rendez-vous Carnot is built on pre-booked one-to-one meetings, and Paris Space Week gives qualified buyers and investors pre-scheduled meetings.
- Pick the right day. Some shows keep a day for students or late opening: Expoprotection admits students only on its last day, and Heavent stays open until 10 pm on its first day.
- Stay near the right venue. For Porte de Versailles, the 15th arrondissement and the south-west of the city are convenient; for Villepinte, hotels near Charles de Gaulle airport or on the RER B line save the cross-city trip.
- Get a visa letter early. Visitors who need a Schengen visa should ask the organiser for an invitation letter; SILMO, for example, offers one through its badge request form. Apply through the official France-Visas service.
- Watch the edition year. Biennial shows such as Milipol and EQUIP AUTO return in 2027, so a show you remember from last year may not be on this year.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the biggest business event in Paris?
- VivaTech, held each June at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, is Europe's largest technology and start-up event. By industry, the leading fairs include Maison&Objet for home and design, Première Vision for fashion sourcing and JEC World for composites.
- When is the best time to attend trade shows in Paris?
- January to April and September to early December are the busiest periods. July, August and late December have almost no trade shows.
- Are Paris trade shows open to the public?
- Most are not. Shows such as Maison&Objet, Heavent, Who's Next and ALLFORPACK are reserved for professionals, who register online and may have to prove their profession.
- How do I get to Paris Nord Villepinte?
- Take the RER B towards Charles de Gaulle airport and get off at Parc des Expositions. You need an Île-de-France zone 4 ticket, because a metro T+ ticket is not valid on that route.
- Which Paris trade shows are free to visit?
- Expoprotection, the Salon des Maires, SantExpo and Rendez-vous Carnot are free with online registration, and Tech Show Paris is free for companies that use the solutions on show.
Sources
Written and fact-checked by the atndr team. Dates, venues and organizers are checked against each event’s official website; the figures in “At a glance” come live from the atndr calendar. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
