If you're arriving for your first visit to Paris in mid-to-late November or December when festive holiday lights, Christmas markets, and sparkling decorations make the city feel even more magical than normal, what are the best ways to experience all of this during your first few days while learning your way around the city?
This question and my answer below first appeared in the "Ask Me Anything about Paris Travel" edition of Paris Discoveries, my free twice-weekly newsletter, and is from John, who asked for feedback about his planned activities for his first evening and the following couple of days in Paris. I'm archiving it here for everyone who might have a similar question.
John's 3-day itinerary for a Paris visit in late November would work well for anyone visiting the city from mid-November through December when all the dazzling holiday decorations are in place.
John's plan includes only one significant activity per day, which gives John and his wife plenty of free time to enjoy some of the less-structured pleasures of being in Paris, such as exploring other parts of the city, enjoying leisurely meals in cafes and bistros, and perhaps visiting a Christmas market or two.
John's Question about his 3-Day Paris Itinerary for Late November
"Should I book the Paris Tootbus Open-Top Christmas Lights Bus Tour for the evening when my wife and I arrive in Paris in late November? It departs at 6pm.
And should we take the Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off tour the next morning?
We are staying at Hotel Pullman Paris Montparnasse.
For the following day, we have booked the Montmartre Cheese, Wine, and Pastry Guided Walking Tour."
Susan's Feedback & Suggestions about John's Paris Itinerary
John, all of your itinerary plans for your and your wife's first night and next two days in Paris sound right on target for getting familiar with the city, enjoying the holiday lights that make this season so perfect, and immersing yourselves in one of Paris's iconic neighborhoods while sampling the local food.
Here is my specific feedback about each activity you're planning, plus a few tips and additional suggestions:
Day 1, Evening: Open-Top Christmas Lights Bus Tour of Holiday Lights Plus the Eiffel Tower at Night
Paris's Christmas lights cast a truly magical glow over the city, and the Toot Bus Open-Top Christmas Lights tour gives you an ideal way to experience this - a perfect activity for your first night in Paris. Plus, sitting on the upper deck puts you high above the city streets so you'll have excellent views.
I've taken the open-top Christmas bus tour a couple of times on my first evening in Paris when arriving at this time of the year, and loved it both times.
Touring around the city at the top of the double-decker bus provides the perfect antidote to jet lag if you've arrived from another time zone.
The Open-Top Christmas Lights tour is also a lovely way to soak up the beauty of the city's holiday lights such as the famous displays along Champs Elysees and Avenue Montaigne, see a few famous monuments such as the Eiffel Tower (the driver times the trip so that you get to see it sparkle, and experience Christmas lights along the streets of several different Right Bank and Left Bank neighborhoods.
Plus, by departing at 6pm, you'll arrive back in time to enjoy a good dinner and perhaps toast your first night in Paris with Champagne.
Tip #1 for the Bus Tour - Dress warmly - and then add another layer or two. You'll feel noticeably colder at the top of the bus than at street-level, plus the bus will be moving and thus creating a slight breeze.
Tip #2 - The fastest way to get from your hotel to the tour departure point on Boulevard des Capucines is by metro, but if you feel jet lagged and don't want to deal with getting tickets, etc, you can also take an Uber or taxi - but allow lots more time than you can possibly imagine would be necessary because traffic in Paris is always slow and at any time close to rush hour, it will barely crawl.
The tour ends up where it began on Boulevard des Capucines, so if you'd like to see more holiday lights, here's a short itinerary you can follow:
1. Walk down Rue Daunou, and turn left onto Rue de la Paix, known for its gorgeous street decorations and store windows.
2. In a couple of short blocks, you'll reach Place Vendome, famous for its spectacular Christmas trees. A kiosk across from the Ritz Hotel serves delicious hot chocolate.
3. Once you leave the square, walk half a block and then turn left onto Rue Saint-Honoré to see more lights and holiday window displays.
4. By this point, you'll see a gigantic lit-up Ferris wheel on your right. It's in the big Tuileries Garden Christmas market - so you can also stop by there if you want. If you're hungry, the market has several chalets with casual winter food such as raclette (melted cheese on bread) and tartiflette (melted cheese with potatoes and optional ham), and of course hot mulled wine (vin chaud).
5. Walk the length of the Tuilieries Marché de Noel (ie, east to west), and you'll end up at Place de la Concorde where you can hop on the metro back to your hotel in Montparnasse.
Day 2, Morning: Hop-On Hop-Off Bus - Why It's a Perfect Activity for Getting Familiar with Paris
Hop-on hop-off buses give you the perfect way to get an overview of Paris, see some of the top monuments, and get a sense of the city's layout. They're my own favorite thing to do on my first day in any new (to me) city.
The tickets give you access for a day, plus an optional second day.
You might want to consider riding the bus for the entire circuit first, and then on the second round, get off at all the places where you want to explore.
Should you book the optional second day?
Maybe, maybe not. One day is usually enough to get an overview of Paris, but if you want to limit how much you walk or not try to master the city's metro and bus system just yet,* the bus does provide a convenient although sometimes slow way to get around the city.
*Tip: If you plan to use Paris's metro or buses, download the RATP app. It makes getting around Paris easy by showing you the closest metro or bus to take, based on your location and destination, as well as the fastest way to get there.
Another option similar in concept to the HO-HO bus is the Batobus, a hop-on hop-off shuttle boat that goes up and down the Seine River, making 9 different stops near top attractions on both sides of the river. A single ticket allows you to ride all day.
A "pro" to the Batobus is that it doesn't get slowed down by street traffic - but a "con" is that not all major monuments are along the river. If, for example, you want to see the Arc de Triomphe or Champs Elysees, you'll need to get off the boat and walk about 10 minutes. By comparison, the hop-on hop-off bus definitely lets you see more of the city with less walking.
Still, on a beautiful day when the sun is shining, the Batobus can be the ideal way to get around while enjoy a relaxing river cruise.
Day 3, Morning: Montmartre Cheese, Wine, and Pastry Tour: Great Choice - and Why You'll Enjoy It
The Montmartre Cheese, Wine, and Pastry Tour is a fantastic way to see and learn about Montmartre's special attractions and fascinating history while sampling many delicious neighborhood specialties including cheeses, charcuteries, chocolates, pastries, and wine - one of my own personal favorites.
Your tour guide will show you a lot of the neighborhood's unique and unusual sights, including the famous Rue des Abbesses food street, the Wall of Love, a few windmills, a small vineyard, as you walk up Rue Abreuvoir, a winding cobblestone lane along the gently upward-sloping western side of Montmartre's highest hill and then pass through Place du Tertre, with its artists, cafes, and perhaps another food tasting.
Then, you'll continue walking for a short distance and soon spot the domed roofs and gleaming white stone exterior of Sacre Coeur Basilica.
More to Do after Your Montmartre Tour
The Montmartre Cheese, Wine, and Pastry Tour typically ends at Sacre Coeur, where your guide may point out the best spots to enjoy the views.
After your tour, I'd suggest spending a little more time in the neighborhood if you have time.
At the very least, linger for awhile to enjoy the spectacular panorama of the Paris skyline stretching out in front of you.
Once you taken a few photos and can pull your gaze away from this mesmerizing view of Paris, then take a closer look at Sacre Coeur.
As your guide may have mentioned, Sacre Coeur is relatively new compared to other Parisian churches, as its construction started in 1875 and completed not quite 40 years later in 1914, the year when World War I began. Its design was based on a loose interpretation of Romanesque-Byzantine architecture - a style that's quite unusual in Paris.
Do go inside Sacre Coeur if you have time. Entrance is free, although tickets for accessing the almost-300 stairs going up to the top of the dome or down to the crypt cost a few euros.
The mosaic dome at the front of the church is one of the largest in the world, and was created from around 25,000 small enameled and gilded pieces of ceramic tiles. It's one of my own favorite "hidden treasures" in Montmartre.
Since you'll be at Sacre Coeur in late November/early December, you might also want to look for the Basilica's nativity scene.
Although most Parisian churches display these during the Advent period that starts four Sundays before Christmas Day, the Sacre Coeur's ceramic figures are notable for being larger than most.
After your visit to Sacre Coeur, you may want to walk back to Place du Tertre, just to the west of the Basilica, for a closer look.
The square is known for its many cafes, wine bars, and artists, including some who will do your portrait on the spot, and while it gets packed with visitors during warmer and sunnier months, at this time of the year you'll have it almost to yourself.
As your guide may have mentioned, during the Belle Époque period (late 1800s - early 1900s) artists such as Utrillo, Dufy, Van Gogh, Renoir, Valadon, Toulouse-Latrec, and Matisse made their homes here thanks to the cheap rent and scrambled to sell enough of their work to buy food and wine. Today's artists are a reminder of this important part of Montmartre's history.
Tip: If you see a painting you like, it's perfectly acceptable to negotiate the price - aim for a 10% - 20% reduction, or even a bit more if the weather is exceptionally cold and/or rainy.
Finally, you might want to head back to the small but charming Abbesses Christmas Market, and spend more time there exploring the kiosks.
Rather than retrace your stops along Rue Abreuvoir, you can either take the funicular, a small cable car that glides down to the bottom of the hill in about 90 seconds, or walk down the 222 steps.
You'll need a ticket for the funicular. Use a metro "T+" ticket or Navigo pass if you have one, but otherwise, the ticket booth next to the funicular entrance sells them for the same price as a T+ Metro-Train-RER ticket.
Once you reach the bottom of the hill, you end up close to Square Louis Michel, a small garden known for its beautiful vintage Venetian carousel, on Rue Tardieu.
Turn right (assuming your back is toward Sacre Coeur) at Rue Tardieu and walk three blocks to Place des Abbesses to the neighborhood's Christmas market.
Some of the stalls offer nice gift items, while others have decent-quality scarfs, gloves, and warm hats.
The market's hot mulled wine is reasonably good, and Champagne is usually on offer too. In my own experience, the roasted chestnuts are perhaps an acquired taste but they do smell appealing. If you've never tried them, in the spirit of your recent food tasting tour, you might buy a small packet and see what you think.
Once you're ready to head back to your hotel, hop on the metro's Line 12 (Mairie d'Issy) at Place des Abbesses and get off at the Montparnasse-Bienvenue station (take exit 7 out of the station), about a 17-minute ride and then a 10-minute walk to your hotel.
My Overall Recommendation
I think your plan for your first night and first day in Paris is excellent.
The Christmas bus tour gives you and your wife a festive, low-effort way to enjoy the city and its many holiday lights after arrival. The hop-on hop-off bus the next morning is a smart way to get oriented. And your Montmartre food tour adds exactly the kind of neighborhood experience that helps Paris start to feel real rather than just famous.
In other words, I would absolutely do all three.
Please note: My answer includes my original response to John's question plus a few updates as well as the addition of photos. If anything significant changes going forward, I may add additional brief updates to keep the information current.
Top photo: Holiday decorations in Place Vendome, Paris in late November, (c) Paris Discovery Guide
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