Paris events during January ring in the New Year with celebrations and good cheer.

Although days are short and the weather can be damp and chilly, you'll find plenty of warmth inside cozy Paris bistros, jazz clubs, museums, and concert halls, making January the perfect month to explore the "real" Paris without lines of tourists everywhere.

The eagerly awaited January Winter Sales markdowns bring a lot of excitement almost as soon as the New Year's celebrations end, with discounts offered on almost everything in the city: designer fashions, decorative items, jewelry. 

Two favorite events focus on food:  Epiphany Day, which means bakery shelves will feature special galettes des rois (kings' cakes), and a scallop festival in Montmartre that you should not miss!

If you don't want to brave the colder January weather days, you'll find plenty of climate-controlled tours and cruises to keep you warm and dry while letting you experience top Paris attractions.

Find out about the best places to stay in Paris in the winter

Top photo: Signs in Paris stores in the Marais neighborhood announcing savings for the biannual sales, (c) Paris Discovery Guide®

Paris Discovery Guide is a reader-supported publication.  When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost for you.  Thank you for your support!!!

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Winter Sales on Designer Fashions

The famous Paris winter sales for 2026 run from January 7 - February 2.  (to be confirmed)

As always, savings will be spectacular.

Look for Soldes signs in store windows all over the city, often followed by the amount of the reduction - typically 30-40% at the beginning but soaring as high as 70-80% at toward the end. 

Best places to find bargains?  Everywhere!  Luxury labels such as Chanel, Valentino, and Armani draw huge crowds - ditto for the designer boutiques in the "Big 4" department stores:  Galeries Lafayette, BHV, Bon Marché, and Au Printemps.  But don't ignore smaller boutiques (head to the Marais, Les Halles, Saint-Germain-des Prés) and even global mid-market chains like Zara and H&M.

As usual, coveted Hermès bags, ties, scarves, jewelry, and other goodies go on sale for only 2-3 days at the special Hermes sale at Palais de Congrès near Porte Maillot - and yes, the Hermes sale often begins one day before the regular sales. 

Again this year, the Hermès sale in Paris is a private invitation-only event.  Invitations reportedly went out only to selected prior customers in France.  If you are a customer but did not receive one, your best chance (if you live in France) is to contact your SA (sales associate) and ask (or beg) to be put on the list.  In the U.S., getting on the list appears to be a corporate-level (not store-level) decision.

Find out more about Paris Winter Sales 2026

Paris Tours for Fashionistas

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Paris Concerts & Musical Events - January 2026

January Concerts in Paris

Welcome the New Year with music at Paris concerts during January at the Eiffel Tower, in historical churches, in top musical halls, ballet and opera at Palais Garnier and Opera Bastille as well as contemporary artists. 

Get your tickets now:

January 2026 Concerts in Paris

• Vivaldi's Four Seasons & Mozart's A Little Night Music - La Madeleine Church - Jan 1
• Concert: Vivaldi, Schubert, & more - Saint-Germain-des-Pres Church - Jan 1, 2, 3
• Candlelight Concerts: Tribute concerts, special events - Various Paris venues - Throughout January

More Paris classical concerts, opera, & dance performances during January

More Paris rock, pop, jazz, rap, indie, & other concerts during January 

Find Paris concerts for other months

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Saint-Jacques Scallop Festival in Montmartre

As seafood-loving Parisians know, the annual Coquille Saint-Jacques Festival at Place des Abbesses in Montmartre should be on the must-do list for all scallops lovers for the last weekend of the month, January 24-25 this year.  (to be confirmed)

Although this pop-up festival offers lots of free and fee-based tastings to showcase the fresh scallops as well as oysters, and other seafood from Brittany from about 20 specialists (this year, the focus is on scallops from the Bay of Saint-Brieuc), you'll find a lot more to love here:  crepes, buttered caramel, traditional Breton charcuterie, culinary demonstrations and tastings, musical entertainment, and even a fish pavilion. 

Festival hours are 9am - 8pm on Saturday and 10am - 7pm on Sunday. 

For even more choices, check out all the seafood, cheese, wine, produce, and chocolate shops along Montmartre's Rue des Abbesses, one of Paris's great market streets.

In addition to the yummy seafood, look for traditional Breton folk dances and music around Place des Abbesses.

More Fun Things to Do While You're in Montmartre

Looking for interesting things to do in Montmartre on chilly January days?  Check out our suggestions:

• Montmartre Macaron Baking Workshop - This class gets rave reviews!
• Sample Montmartre's best cheese, wine, and pastries - Delicious food plus a fun way to see Montmartre
• Montmartre Guided Tour for Kids & Families - This child-friendly walking tour includes stops at local playgrounds - it's a lovely way to experience this iconic neighborhood

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Paris Museum Exhibitions for January

Here are just a few of the top exhibitions you can see in Paris this month:

• Orsay Museum: Sargent: The Paris Years - With over 90 major works, this exhibition brings together some of this famous American painter's most seminal works.
  Dates:  September 23, 2025 - January 11, 2026
  Musée d'Orsay Tickets:  16€ adults.  Book a reserved access ticket for skip-the-line access, or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry
  Musee d'Orsay Location: 1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur, Paris 7;  Metro: Pont de l'Alma; Invalides
• Musee de l'Orangerie:  Berthe Weill: Art Dealer of the Parisian Avant-Garde - This exhibition pays homage to Weill's exhibitions promoting Picasso, Matisse, Diego Rivera, Modigliani, and other young artists who would go on to become the giants of their generation.
  Dates:  October 8 - January 26
  Tickets:  12.50€.  Get your Musée de l'Orangerie tickets at the door or online (includes permanent collections and special exhibitions), save with a combo ticket for skip-the-line museum entrance and a Seine River cruise, or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry
  Musée de l'Orangerie Location:  Tuileries Garden (southwest corner), 75001

Find complete ticket and other information, plus more Paris museum exhibitions

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Paris Museum and Attractions Passes

Get free admission and skip-the-line access to 60+ museums in and near Paris when you have a Paris Museum Pass for 2, 4, or 6 days.  More info

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Recommended January Day Trip from Paris:  Champagne Tour & Tastings!

What's the best way to welcome January and the New Year? With Champagne, of course! 

On our recommended day trip from Paris for January, you'll visit 2 or more Champagne houses (including a world-famous choice and 1-2 small traditional Champagne houses), savor Champagne and food pairings during lunch, tour the champagne cellars, and join a masterclass conducted in a vineyard (or inside in case of bad weather). 

By the end of your trip to the Champagne region near Paris, you'll have tasted 8 different Champagnes and will have a new understanding of how Champagne is made.  Pickup from your hotel or apartment in central Paris is included, and you can choose a small group (8 people max) or private option.

Find out more about this Champagne Wine Day Tour from Paris

Learn about other popular Day Trips from Paris

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Epiphany Day & Galette des Rois in Paris

Paris (and the rest of France) celebrates Epiphany, the arrival in Bethlehem of Three Wisemen bringing gifts to Baby Jesus, on January 6.  Less commonly in France, some people may instead observe this Catholic and Orthodox event on the first Sunday after January 1st - but in Paris, the celebrations take place on the 6th.

The tradition in France is to celebrate with Champagne and galette des rois - Kings' Cake.  This delicious confection is traditionally made from buttery puff pastry and almond paste with a tiny porcelein figurine or bean - la fève - hidden somewhere inside. 

Some Paris bakeries feature creative variations, such as using sweetened pistachio nut paste or even fruit/nut mixtures instead of the almond version.

When the cake is sliced and served, whoever finds the fève (hopefully without breaking a tooth in the process) gets to wear a golden paper crown for the rest of the day and even better, enjoy good luck for the coming year. 

Even though Epiphany is only one day, bakeries keep their windows filled with tantalizing displays of galette des rois in all sizes throughout most of January, because who can stop after sampling just one? 

Then the cakes disappear for the rest of the year - but if you're not in Paris during January, you can enjoy a somewhat similar taste with an almond croissant at any time.

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Chinese New Year Parades in Paris 2026

Although Chinese New Year (also called Lunar New Year, or Têt) occasionally begins in January, this year it starts on Tuesday, February 17, which marks the Year of the Horse.  According to traditional beliefs, people born in the Year of the Horse are healthy, flexible, outgoing, and cheerful - especially if they're the center of attention, which they enjoy. 

Paris celebrates with a couple of big parades plus several smaller events - check our February events and Chinese New Years articles for details.

Future Chinese New Year dates:  February 6, 2027, January 26, 2028, February 13, 2029, February 3, 2030

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Aura at Les Invalides - 2025

The Aura immersive show takes place during evening hours and brings to life the architecture and history of the Invalides Dome with spectacular lighting effects, imagery, and music designed to showcase the site's beauty and heritage.

For about 50 minutes, brilliant video projections inside the interior of Les Invalides will take you through the creation of the dome and the panorama of events associated with this important monument. 

Please note:  This is walking experience as you move to different parts of the dome; you will need to take stairs outside and inside the dome, so not accessible for wheelchairs; also, please know that no restrooms are available onsite.

Book your Aura tickets

Dates: Through 2033
Location: Invalides Dome, 2 Place Vauban, 7th arr;  Metro: Ecole Militaire, Tour Maubourg, Varenne, Saint-François Xavier

Want to visit Les Invalides, Napoleon's Tomb, and the Army Museum during regular visiting hours?  Book priority entry tickets online.

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District 13 Art Fair @ Hotel Drouot

Thirty two international galleries will exhibit works of the best established and emerging contemporary urban street artists at the District 13 International Art Fair held at the prestigious Hotel Drouot auction house from January 9-11, with a preview on January 8. (to be confirmed)

Look for subversive and innovative works by Obey, Stool, Olivia Ferrand, D*Face, Brusk, Maye, Invader, and L'Atlas presented by numerous top galleries such as Galerie Itinerrance, Bonobolabo, and Galerie One, as well as talks by artists and live performances. 

Location:  Hotel Drouot, 9 Rue Drouot, Paris 9th arr 
Tickets:  10€ for 1-day pass; 15€ for a multi-day pass; 25€ for multi-day pass + opening
More information:  Event website

More Ways to See Street Art in Paris

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Paris Fashion Week - January

Fashion Week brings a special buzz to Paris during January, when designers, celebrities, and fashionistas from around the world converge to see the latest trends in Haute Couture (January 26-29) for the Spring/Summer 2026 season.  (to be confirmed)

This is when renowned and trending fashion houses such as Hermès, Agnès b., Jil Sander, Pigalle Paris, Victor & Rolf, Fendi Couture, Isabel Marant, Dior, Chanel, Stéphane Rolland, Zuhair Murad, Valentino, Ungaro, Courrèges, and Ami reveal their newest collections.

The best places to glimpse the models (assuming you're not going to the invitation-only shows) are around the venue locations - the Grand Palais in the ritzy 8th arrondissement (although temporarily relocated to Champs de Mars), Palais de Tokyo and Palais Galliera in the 16th, Espace Eiffel near the Branly Museum in the 7th, Palais Brongniart in the 2nd, and at a variety of smaller, hipper venues scattered around the city.  The trendy Marais neighborhood, especially around Place des Vosges, and Palais Royal are always good model-spotting locales. 

Even if you're not remotely interested in these shows, here's what you need to know:  every hotel in central Paris neighborhoods fills up with attendees and rates soar (unlike Paris hotel rates during the rest of January) - so if you're planning a visit during this period, book as early as possible to get the best rates - shift your dates a bit to miss this period.

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More Outdoor Exhibitions & Strolls during January

Embrace the fresh air of crisp winter days and nights with these fun outdoor exhibitions and strolls while seeing lesser-known parts of Paris:

• Jardin d'Acclimatation - Stroll along the trails in this popular children's amusement park on the edge of Bois de Boulogne in Paris's 16 arrondissement, and explore the exquisite Korean Garden, Norman "hamlet" complete with farm animals, aviary, and wooded slopes.  Admission is 8€ (6€ seniors) at the gate (5-minute walk from Les Sablons Metro station).
  Bonus:   Entrance to the park is free when you have a ticket to Fondation Louis Vuitton (access the park directly through the doors near the restaurant). 
  Special Evening Experience: During January and through early March, the new Dinasaur Ball Stroll lights up the garden for a fabulous family-friendly from 6pm-10pm from Wednesdays through Sundays, excluding holidays.  Find more information and tickets here. (Not included with regular entrance tickets.)
• Street Art - On this 90-minute street art walking tour, you'll view the some of Paris's best graffiti art and learn about the artists who created it.  Get your tickets

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Festival d'Automne (Autumn Festival) Paris

The Paris Autumn Festival (which extends until the end of January) showcases the latest creations and artists (international as well as French) in contemporary dance, theater, music, cinema, and visual arts at a variety of venues around Paris, including Galeries Lafayette in the 9th, the Grand Hall at Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement, the Pinault Collection at Bourse de Commerce and Louvre in the 1st, and Pompidou Center in the 4th, just to name a few.

This is a hugely popular festival, with over 50 events (many of which extend over several or more days) at over 70 venues in and near Paris.

Most events are ticketed, and many sell out quickly, so don't wait to book, which you can do through the event's website.  (Tip:  To see both the venues and the schedule, click the "Venues" tab on the nav bar.)

Dates:  Through the end of January 

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Festival of Lights at Paris's Jardin des Plantes

The annual winter Festival of Lights continues at the Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Garden) in Paris's 5th arrondissement, with giant illuminated statues of animals creating a magical experience during the evening. 

The topic this year is the Jurrasic Age.   You'll encounter monumental brilliantly lighted prehistoric creatures from land and sea as you stroll through the immersive exhibits while holiday lights sparkle around you.

Although the exhibition attracts almost 400,000 visitors each year, the garden never feels crowded.

You can see the creatures unilluminated during daytime hours without a ticket (in other words, for free), but the ticketed event which begins after dark is much more spectacular.

Dates:  Through January 19, 6pm - 9:30pm, with last entry at 8:30pm, and until 11pm (last entry at 10) on Friday, Saturday, & school holidays   (to be confirmed)

Location:  Jardin des Plantes, 57 Rue Cuvier, 5th arr
Tickets for evening strolls: 16€-18€, with reduced prices for children and families; tickets must be bought online (and get yours early, as they will sell out on many nights, especially during the holidays)

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More Fun Things to Do & See in Paris in January

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Need a Paris Hotel or Apartment for Your January Visit?

Planning a trip to Paris?  Use this hotel booking map to find hotels and apartments during your travel dates: 

Booking.com

Check out the newest Paris hotels

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