Paris is always a charming, romantic and unforgettable city, but it is even more so at Christmas. Do you plan to go or do you like the idea and are seriously thinking of visiting the French capital?
Then our article today is for you: plans to enjoy Paris at Christmas.
paris at christmas
Christmas in Paris is a special time of the year because there are markets, lights and aromas or spaced wine and roasted chestnuts. Do you want a beautiful Christmas? Well, head towards Paris. The main streets and shops they light up especially for these dates, but the best luminaries are in the Elysian Fields. This year, 2022, they were lit on November 20 in a ceremony that began at 5 in the afternoon.
Here it is estimated that they are placed around a million lights, incredible!. The lights appear in about 400 streets between the Placa de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe. As people walk by they will also see festive decorations and even more lights, which are put up by each store. The lights stay on, in general, between 5 in the afternoon and 2 in the morning, but between Christmas and New Years they are not turned off.
Another interesting option is take a dinner cruise on christmas eve and christmas day. The special dinner consists of five courses cooked on board, with live music and great views of the illuminated city as the boat cruises down the Seine. The boat has a glass cover so the cold does not affect you. These cruises are usually super popular so maybe by these dates there won't be any more places, but book it for next year.
If you can no longer dine on the cruise maybe you can take the roofless bus and stroll through the streets of Paris enjoying the Christmas lights from the Opera House, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the best-known neighborhoods. Thousands of lights on!
Also, finally, in terms of lighting, there are organized Tour groups in the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysées area, with macaroni tasting included. Speaking of food, mulled mulled wine is a classic in Europe when the cold weather begins and you can try it in the Christmas markets in Paris.
These markets start in November and sell a bit of everything, from handicrafts to souvenirs to regional foods. Each market has its own atmosphere and seasonal activities and foods. You can take a walk through the following:
- Christmas market in René Viviani square: it is small, quiet and its vendors sell handicrafts, food and wine. Santa Claus also appears and the views of the Notre Dame Cathedral from the other side of the river are very beautiful.
- Christmas market of the Hotel de Ville: there is a grove of trees, soft snow falling and a beautiful traditional carousel. Great for children.
- Tuileries Christmas market: games, food, drinks and crafts.
- Alsace Christmas market: this is organized at the Gare de l'Est train station. All from Alsace.
You can also visit the Christmas markets in Montmartre, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés and in La Defense "Marche de Noel". One very popular and at hand for all tourists is the Eiffel Tower Christmas Market, on Quai Branly, with 120 stalls selling a bit of everything. Also It has an outdoor ice rink.
If you like the decorations and Christmas lights of the main stores then you cannot miss those of the Lafayette Galleries, super popular. Its windows are a spectacle and easily rival the Christmas decorations we see in New York, for example. They are different every year so you will never see the same one if you travel frequently. And inside they always place a 20 meter tall Christmas tree, under the glass dome. A beauty.
Another department store with lights and decorations is Printtemps Paris Haussmann. Create a magical world with 12 different scenery, which if you photograph you can win a contest, and on Saturdays and Sundays until Christmas Santa Claus appears. These two stores are not the only ones, they all decorate with objects and lights so that the whole city becomes a colorful wonder.
Ice skating It is a great experience and in Paris you can also live it. One of the clues is found in the roof of La Defense's Grande Arche. from up here the views are 360º and see the most emblematic monuments of the French capital. the track is at 110 meters high and open only for the holidays. The ticket opens the doors to visit the terrace, the exhibition that is there and the ice skating rink.
As well on the terrace of Galeries Lafayette there is an ice rink, on the eighth floor and with great views of the Paris Opera and the Eiffel Tower. and is from free accessor, what is even better. There can be 88 skaters at the same time. Another ice rink for skating is the Champs de Mars, the favorite for many Parisians because the Christmas village and the views of the Eiffel Tower on the other side of the Seine are added. Very romantic.
El Grand Palais des Glaces is another site that becomes a huge ice skating rink, the largest in the world, in fact, with 3000 square meters of space. It has a glass roof, which lets the lights through, but at night the track is illuminated with more than a thousand bulbs. And write this down from 8pm the floor becomes a dance floor with live DJ's and mirror ball.
If you want something quieter you can go to have tea in the Place Athénée in La Cour Jardin. The track here is 100 square meters and is ideal for children between 5 and 12 years old. While this site is aimed more directly at hotel guests you can book 5pm tea and skate too.
Another place to have tea with elegance, now that we're talking about snacks, is the Winter tea at the Mandarin Oriental Paris. Exquisite flavors by chef Adrien Bozzolo, the service includes drinks and sweet buns of your choice. It is served daily at the Camellia starting at 3:30 pm.
Ace 5 tea isn't your thing, alright british, but dinner? So, in addition to the cruises on the Seine, you can sign up for the dinner at the Moulin Rouge, the cradle of the can can since 1889. Today the show has more than 80 dancers with feathers and other beads, not in vain around 6 thousand visitors go each year. But Christmas is special, there is a menu that is only served on these datess, although the show stays the same. The special dinner is served from December 22 to January 4.
Apart from ice skating rinks and Christmas markets, what Plans to enjoy Paris at Christmas can we draw? Well, it occurs to me that take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage It is a good idea. The walk lasts an hour and a half and they invite you with a bit of champagne. Memorable? Obvious!
To end a dream Christmas in Paris, how about a classical concert at the Sainte Chapelle? This chapel is a dream. I had the opportunity to visit it a few years ago, in the middle of the restoration process. Beautifull. The chapel was built by order of King Louis IX and it is the first royal chapel built in France but it is also the best of all. She has more than 110 stained glass windows with scenes from the Old and New Testamento, but at Christmas it adds beauty.
And it is that I know organize classical music concerts in the Sainte-Chapelle. They serve you champagne and appetizers, for an extra price, but well worth it for a magical time in a gothic chapel.
Aim then these Plans to enjoy Christmas in Paris.