How to Enjoy Christmas & New Year in Paris

Paris celebrates the festive Christmas and New Year holiday season from mid-November through New Year, when sparkling lights and decorated trees brighten the streets and public squares, department stores unveil elaborate holiday decorations and store window displays, Christmas markets pop up around the city, and churches host seasonal concerts.

Christmas in Paris is truly a magical time of the year - but with so much happening, you may be wondering what is especially worth seeing and doing, and when the festivities actually begin.

In the Sunday edition of my free Paris Discoveries Newsletter, I answer reader questions about planning travel to Paris, including lots of questions about what to see and do during the Christmas and New Year holiday season.

This article brings together my answers about visiting during the Christmas and New Year holiday season, including favorite seasonal activities, Christmas lights and decorations, Champagne experiences, and other ways to make the most of a December visit. 

Whether you're arriving before the holiday crowds or spending Christmas or New Year in Paris, these reader questions can help you decide what to add to your own plans.

I've lightly edited, expanded, and updated my original answers, and added photos to make this a more complete Paris travel resource. 

Here's what you'll find in this article:

• What Are Your Favorite Things to Do in Paris During the Christmas Season?
• What Should We Do in Paris in Mid-December - and What About Champagne?
• When Do Christmas Lights & Decorations Appear in Paris?

Top photo:  Christmas lights on the Champs-Élysées near the Arc de Triomphe, (c) Paris Discovery Guide

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What Are Your Favorite Things to Do in Paris During the Christmas Season?

Janice's Question:

I am off to Paris in early December and will stay with friends near the Arc de Triomphe. I will have 18 days in France. For the most part I will be traveling solo.

I've already signed up for an Art Lovers tour of Montmartre and a tour at Notre Dame Cathedral as well as the Toot bus to see the Christmas lights.

If you were there at that time, what would you recommend?

Susan's Answer: 

That sounds like a fantastic trip during this festive time of the year.   I'm also often in Paris at that time, sometimes solo and sometimes with my husband or one of my daughters, and do the same types of things that you're doing.   On the night that I arrive, I love taking the Toot Bus Christmas Lights tour - always magical, plus the lights in various neighborhoods differ somewhat each year.  The pause to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle always feels like the perfect "welcome to Paris" moment.

I also usually sign up for at least one food tour - fun, good things to eat, and the guides are always informative about the neighborhood and places we visit, and now that Notre Dame Cathedral has reopened, that's also one of my stops.

Whenever I have time, I also go inside every other church I happen to pass to admire their beautiful architecture and seasonal decorations including the unique and lovely Nativity scenes that most display during this special time of the year.

I also book at least one of the classical or Christmas concerts hosted by Paris churches in December (when I'm on solo trips, I usually squeeze several into my schedule). 

I also enjoy the holiday concerts at the Eiffel Tower in the Salon Gustave Eiffel room on the first floor (2nd floor American), where you can enjoy wonderful Paris skyline views as a bonus. 

The holiday concerts typically take place in late November and December, and occasionally on New Year's Day, and the schedule is usually announced by early fall.

I also recommend visiting a few of the city's historical covered passages as most of them put up festive decorations - Galerie Vivienne's holiday lights are especially lovely - plus they're a good refuge on a rainy day.

The city's grands magasins (big department stores) also display fanciful Christmas windows that typically take a year or more to create that attract large crowds.  Their elaborate indoor decorations draw even more visitors (and shoppers). 

Although Galeries Lafayette Haussmann's spectacular gigantic Christmas tree beneath its Coupole is the most famous, each of the other major stores - Printemps Haussmann, Bon Marché, BHV Marais, and to a lesser degree, La Samaritaine - also feature beautiful holiday decorations that are well worth seeing as part of the magical experience of Christmas in Paris.

Depending on which side of the Arc your friends' apartment is, you're probably a reasonably close walk to Parc Monceau, which is always lovely at this time of the year, and a good place to enjoy a crepe from the stand near the carousel.

What Should We Do in Paris in Mid-December - and What About Champagne?

Georgette's Question:

My son and I are coming to Paris in December around the 12th.  Any suggestions for us?  I have read about the Champagne tours.

Susan's Answer: 

Hi Georgette,  I'm sure you and your son will have a fantastic time, as you'll see festive Christmas lights and decorations everywhere when you arrive in mid-December. 

For things to do, my article from the website about Christmas in Paris will be a good place to start discovering all the possibilities and see which ones especially appeal to you and your son. 

The decorations and gigantic Christmas tree in the Galeries Lafayette big department store are lots of fun to see, and I highly recommend taking a Christmas Lights Tour on a double-decker bus for the wonderful views from the top - a special highlight is seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle. 

December in France is a month that's almost synonymous with Champagne, and you can order a glass of it in almost any café, wine bar, brasserie, or restaurant.  "Happy Hour" (yes, they adopted the English term for the traditional 5pm apéro hour for drinks and snacks awhile back) provides the perfect time to find a sidewalk table at a café or brasserie near where you're staying and order glasses of bubbly to toast your arrival in Paris.

Some Paris Christmas markets also offer Champagne as a holiday treat.  The biggest of the Paris Christmas markets, the Tuileries Garden Fête de Noël, even has a Champagne bar shaped like an igloo.

For a different type of experience, consider booking the 1-hour Champagne Tasting Cruise on the Seine River offered by a local Parisian wine bar.  

In addition to seeing many of Paris's most historic attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame along the way, you'll also try 3 different Champagnes in the company of a wine guide/sommelier, who will talk about what makes each one distinctive - and good!

Finally, you might check out the Champagne day trips described in this article.  Many operate during December, so check availability for your dates.

Wishing you and your son a fantastic time in Paris at this special time of the year!

When Do Christmas Lights & Decorations Appear in Paris?

Shanee's Question:

Good morning! Would love to know the date when the shops will be decorated for the holidays. Coming to Paris mid-November for 10 days and hope to see the city ablaze with decorations and lights!!

Susan's Answer: 

Hi Shanee, The timing of your trip is perfect for enjoying Paris's holiday lights and decorations, which typically start their brilliant seasonal display around mid-November.  One or two of the major department stores such as Printemps and Bon Marché may reveal their famous decorated windows even earlier in the month.  

You may find that some displays are already up when you arrive, with others being unveiled during your stay.

Check out the Christmas in Paris article for more information (including dates, as soon as they're available) about Paris's dazzling displays of holiday lights, Christmas Markets, and other festive activities, celebrations, and events.

Although some of the most famous lights cluster along Champs-Elysees and around Place Vendome on the Right Bank, you can see sparkling lights in every Paris neighborhood at this wonderful time of the year.

Enjoy your visit to Paris at this magical time of the year!

More Questions & Answers about the Christmas & New Year Holidays in Paris

How to Plan Your Paris Christmas Market Visits

Wondering if you should visit a Paris Christmas Market, and if so, which ones are the best? 

With so many different markets scattered across the city, deciding which ones to visit can be surprisingly difficult - plus, "best" depends on the kind of experience you want to have.  Find my Christmas Market planning tips

Where are the Best Places for Holiday Dining?

coming soon

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