Christmas in Paris | What to do in Paris at Christmas

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, CHRISTMAS MARKETS AND CONCERTS ARE SOME THINGS TO DO IN PARIS:

Champs-Elysées at Christmas

When it comes to things to see and do in Paris, it would take a lifetime of visits to cover all the attractions that Paris has to offer. And if you are visiting at Christmas time, there are some additional festive events that should not be missed.

Christmas Illuminations

Paris is usually referred to as the “City of Lights” and its Christmas Illuminations seal the French capital’s reputation as the most romantic city in the world! More than 125 of Paris’ streets, squares and avenues are decked out in festive decorations and fairy lights to celebrate Christmas and to usher in the New Year.

Go to the Champs-Elysées and you’ll be dazzled by the Christmas lights here. From the Arc de Triomphe all the way down to the Place de la Concorde, 2.4 km of lights cover the plane trees along this famous boulevard giving it a fairyland appearance. When you reach the Place de la Concorde end of the Champs-Elysees, you can go across to the Tuileries Garden and enjoy the Christmas market there.

Boulevard Haussmann Christmas Lights

And it’s not just the capital’s streets that are decorated, the Eiffel Tower, public monuments and the big department stores like the Galeries Laffayete, Printemps Haussman, BHV and le Bon Marché are also decorated in Christmas lights and decorations. If you don’t have time to explore all the streets on your own, you can see the Christmas Illuminations on a Paris Christmas light tour. You’ll most certainly see more from the top of the open-top double-decker bus.

Christmas in Paris

Marchés de Noël

The traditional Christmas markets or Marchés de Noël add another dimension to the Paris Christmas atmosphere. At the Christmas markets you can mingle with the locals and get into the festive mood by doing some of your Christmas shopping there. At these market stalls, you can pick up Christmas gifts, crafts and decorations as well as to try some of the traditional regional festive foods. Christmas markets can be found in most arrondissements. Do check with the tourist office as some of the markets have changed. The very popular Champs-Elysées market has now found a new home in the Jardins des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden).

Sainte-Chapelle Christmas Concert

Christmas Concerts in Magnificent Paris Churches

Paris’s beautiful churches are regular venues for classical music performances and many of these hold special Christmas concerts – see here for the locations and dates. A stunning chapel at which to enjoy a Christmas concert is Sainte-Chapelle with its amazing stained glass windows.

Concert at the Eiffel Tower

This exciting performance offers the chance to hear some of the most popular works of classical music in Europe’s most famous landmark: the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The Orchestre Paris Classik and their excellent soloists, the people who brought you the esteemed Sainte-Chapelle church concerts, present favorite classic masterpieces at this most iconic Paris landmark.

Paris Food Walking Tour

With all the food stores stacked with Christmas goodies, this is a good time to do a Food Walking Tour of Paris. You will be taken through a number of Paris neighbourhoods to visit a French bakery, pastry shop, French caterer, wine shop, cheese shop, fruit and vegetable shop and market. The French have a great respect for their food and your expert foodie guide will give an overview of French culinary habits. Being Christmas, you will no doubt get an introduction to selected Christmas specialties in the shops. There is also a specialized Small Group Gourmet Christmas Tour where the focus is on Christmas specialities. Yum, I’m hungry already!

Christmas dinner at Moulin Rouge

Paris Dinner Cruise

One of the highlights of a Paris holiday is a cruise on the Seine River and what more romantic time than at Christmas. Enjoy French gourmet cuisine, champagne and the beautiful Christmas lights on this cruise.

Paris Dinner Shows

Since its beginning, the Moulin Rouge and its Cancan dancers have been thrilling customers who come to experience this famous Parisian cabaret. You can enjoy a lively Moulin Rouge Christmas Dinner and Show or the the glamorous Lido de Paris Christmas Dinner and Show or any of the other famous cabarets in Paris.

Disneyland Paris at Christmas

For children and the young at hear, a stay at Disneyland Paris would be one of the best Christmas gifts ever. Disneyland Paris has many special offers to make this Christmas dream come true.

Traditional Christmas Mass

For those who wish to celebrate Christmas in the purest tradition, the Parisian churches are some of the most beautiful in which to celebrate Christmas Mass. On December 24th and 25th, you can participate in prestigious memorable celebrations at the Notre Dame de Paris, l’Eglise de la Madeleine and La Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre and many others.

For the complete list of things to do in Paris at Christmas and New Year see Here.

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