Restaurants Open on Christmas Day in Paris (Plus What to Do on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day)

Are you wondering where to eat in Paris on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day - well, that can be a bit of a challenge.

Here's why.  Parisians (and French people in general) typically celebrate Christmas Eve at home with their families, extended families, and friends with Réveillon, a long multi-course dinner featuring seven - or more courses - with Champagne and wine pairings, conversation, and laughter. 

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Traditionally, dinner started after everyone returned from midnight mass and continued past dawn (Réveillon literally comes from a word meaning "awake" - although today Réveillon may begin as early as 10pm or 9pm. 

At midnight, everyone steps outside to hear church bells ringing across the city - and then continues with the feast.

Needless to say, Christmas Day itself is devoted to recovery, plus perhaps a late afternoon stroll around the nearest park. 

As a result of this revelry, many Parisian restaurants either host private parties or close entirely on Christmas Eve so that the owner and staff can celebrate with family and many more - in fact, most - also close on Christmas Day since everyone is recovering from Reveillon.

But don't worry - some places do remain open, especially in Paris's touristic center as well as in parts of the city such as the 13th arrondissement's Chinatown neighborhood where Réveillon is less of a tradition, and there are plenty of other options for obtaining food.

That's what this article is about - finding Paris restaurants open on Christmas Day (and Eve), other places to eat, and other things to do on Christmas Eve and Day, whether you want to celebrate or just experience the city at this magical time of the year.

Spending the Christmas holidays in Paris lets you experience a magical time in the City of Light, thanks to all the festive holiday decorations, Christmas markets, and special foods such as Buche de Noël, the beautifully frosted cakes shaped like logs placed in every patisserie display window to tempt you as you walk by.

Top photo:  The Art Nouveau ceiling at Le Train Bleu, (c) Paris Discovery Guide

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Paris Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve & Day: What to Expect, Where to Eat, & What You'll Be Served

Even though relatively few Paris restaurants will be open on Christmas Eve and even fewer on Christmas Day, good options do exist at various price points ranging from very affordable to stratospheric.

Where to Eat On Christmas Day & Christmas Eve

Le Petit Pharamond

Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond dates back to 1832 but was redecorated in the style you see today in 1898; the woodwork, painted mirrors, and decorations are the original.  Bouillons became popular at that time for being affordable, convivial, and serving simple market-based dishes with an emphasis on "lesser" cuts of meat simmered overnight in broth to make them tender.  That's what is still served today. 

Similar to the other bouillons open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day mentioned in this article, Le Petit Pharamond features large halls with tightly packed tables (almost elbow-to-elbow), paper table coverings, fast service, and tasty traditional food.  You can go with or without a reservation, and long waits in line are normal - so book ahead if possible. 

Le Petit Pharamond is offering a special holiday menu for a fixed price of 41€ (plus beverages) or a la carte - you can see the menu online.  A refundable deposit of 25€ is required to hold your reservation.

Location: 24 Rue de la Grande Truanderie, 1st arr, near Les Halles

Au Pied de Cochon

Au Pied de Cochon is famous for its seafood, onion soup, traditional dishes such as frogs' legs, and pork selections (including pigs' feet, which is one of their most popular items based on what I've observed while eating there).

I don't see a specific Christmas menu but they're taking reservations on both Christmas Day and Eve; prices are reasonable, food is always delicious, and so is the wine list.

Plus, do you see "Ouvert jour et nuit" on the awning?  This is one of Paris's few 24x7 restaurants.

Location: 1st arr, near Les Halles

Le Petit Saint-Honoré

Le Petit Saint-Honoré will be open on Christmas Eve only; classic house-made French fare, special holiday menu (without wine) for €75/person - you can see the menu when you book for the 24th through their booking partner, Open Table (click the time you want, and only then will you see a tiny "learn more" link listing the 3-course menu).

Location:  158 Rue Saint-Honoré,1st arr, near the Louvre

Le Grand Colbert

Although fresh seafood is Le Grand Colbert's specialty, carnivores will also find a lot to love on their special "festive" a la carte menu; open for lunch only on Christmas Eve; beautiful early dining room with an Art Nouveau vibe (the restaurant opened in 1910), and the services is always gracious here; another one of my personal favorites.

Location:  2 Rue Vivienne, 2nd arr, across from Biblioteque Nationale and Palais Royal Garden

Cuisine l'E7

Cuisine l'E7, the onsite restaurant at Hotel Edouard VII, is offering a Christmas Eve menu only: a 4-course (2 appetizers, an entree, a slice of Buche de Noel for dessert, which you can see my photo above for €65/person. 

I stayed at Hotel Edouard VII a few years ago shortly before Christmas and ate in the restaurant one evening - very good meal, with a slice of the buche shown above for dessert.

Location: Hotel Edouard VII, 39 Avenue de l'Opéra, 2nd arrondissement

Bouillon Republique

Bouillon Republique serves traditional simple French dishes including a few involving "lower" cuts of meat you may not normally encounter, as is typical for bouillons. Good food at inexpensive prices in a fun setting.  "Sibling" to Bouillon Pigalle.

Location:  39 Boulevard du Temple, at the edge of Place de la Republique, 3rd arrondissement

Les Philosophes

Les Philosophes shares a kitchen (and owner) with several other nearby small Marais bistros: Au Petit Fer a Cheval, La Chaise au Plafond, La Belle Hortense).

These unpretentious but highly popular bistros are serving traditional French classics; no reservations; no holiday menu listed, but they appear to be open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  recommend stopping by a day or two in advance to confirm.

Location:  28 Rue Vieille du Temple, Le Marais, 4th arr

Bofinger

Historic brasserie Bofinger, located across from Place de la Bastille, and boasts a beautiful Art Nouveau.  The regular menu emphasizes Alsacian cuisine and fresh seafood, and the service is always gracious.  It's another of my personal favorites.

I don't see a special holiday menu on their website, but it is open on both Christmas Eve and Day; reserve online.

Location:  5-7 Rue de la Bastille, 4th arr

Fouquet's Paris Brasserie

Fouquet's Paris Brasserie, a classic brasserie on Champs Elysees, opened in 1899 and is the onsite restaurant of the 5-star Hotel Barrière Le Fouquet's.  

Although the brasserie doesn't show a specific Christmas menu on their website, they will be open due to the hotel.  Make reservations online.

The regular menu is on the pricey side ($40+ cheeseburger, $14 coca-cola) but this is an expensive street in an expensive neighborhood - and their food is always good.

Location:  46 Avenue George V at the corner of Champs-Elysees, 8th arr

Le Drugstore - (133 Avenue des Champs-Elysees, 8th arr) - I don't see a holiday menu, but they're taking reservations for Christmas Eve & Day breakfast through dinner.  Their menu has always included a few American and more recently Asian casual food favorites - it's my long-time favorite place, literally, since my student days, whenever I crave a croque monsieur.  I can also vouch for the deliciousness of their club sandwiches and burgers. 

Location:  133 Avenue des Champs-Elysees, 8th arr

Lucas Carton

Lucas Carton, open since 1839 and known for its gorgeous Art Nouveau woodwork hand-carved by sculptor Louis Majorelle, its Michelin-starred chef, and refined classic French bistronomic cuisine will be serving Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinner.

On Christmas Eve, you can enjoy a 7-course dinner for 350€/person plus 150€/person for wine pairings, and on Christmas Day, a 6-course lunch is offered for 250€/person plus 120€/person for wine pairings.  Book online as far ahead as possible.

Location:  9 Place de la Madeleine, 8th arr

Bouillon Julien

Bouillon Julien, one of Paris's most gorgeous Belle Epoque bouillons, will be open Christmas Eve and Day. 

On offer will be a special holiday menu with fancier selections than usual - 3 courses for €41/person or à la carte, so about double the typical cost, but still a bargain.  A deposit is required, which will be deducted from your check. 

This is one of my favorite bouillons, both for the food and the spectacular interior.  It truly lives up to the words on the sign at its entrance, which translates into English as "Here everything is beautiful, delicious and great value."

You can reserve online or wait in line at the door - although for the holidays, I'd strongly recommend reservations.

16 Rue Faubourg, 10 arr, near Passage Brady

Le Train Bleu

Le Train Bleu in the Gare de Lyon train station, will be open Christmas Eve only. 

Known for its ornate interior, it will be offering a 6 course dinner for 190€/person.  You can book online.

Location:  12th arr, Gare de Lyon

Ground Control

For a non-traditional setting, head to Ground Control, a multi-purpose food and entertainment venue located close to Gare de Lyon, where 6-8 stalls offer home-made ethnic cuisine made from local organic ingredients. 

It's nothing fancy, but the vibe is congenial and the food is quite good if you want a casual, very affordable meal in a fun space with communal tables.  According to their website, they open at 2:30pm on Christmas Day

Location:  12th arr, near Gare de Lyon

Le Dome

The Le Dome brasserie in Montparnasse, a favorite Left Bank hang-out of American author Ernest Hemingway, specializes in seafood and is taking reservations online for both Christmas Eve and Day. 

A meal here typically runs 100€-200+€/person without wine.  I'm not seeing special holiday menus, but the regular selections are excellent.  High-end shellfish such as lobster account for many of the higher-prices.

Location:  108 Boulevard du Montparnasse, 14th arr

Bouillon Pigalle

Bouillon Pigalle offers traditional simple French dishes including "lower" cuts of meat you may not normally encounter, as is typical for bouillons. Good food at inexpensive prices in a fun setting.  "Sibling" to Bouillon Republique.  Book online or wait in line; always crowded.

Location:  22 Boulevard de Clichy, at the foot of Montmartre, 18th arrondissement

How Much Will Your Réveillon Dinner Cost?

It depends. 

Bouillons, neighborhood Chinese and other Asian bistros, Indian restaurants in Passage Brady, the stalls at Ground Control, and other casual places usually maintain their regular pricing, where you can eat well for around 20€ or less, plus a few more euros for a glass of wine or tea. 

Nice, "not-too-fancy" neighborhood and some hotels restaurants typically run about 90€-200€ for a 3- or 4-course prix-fixe (fixed price) menu featuring traditional dishes and ingredients.  Fixed price menus are the norm on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  Champagne and wine can easily double the price.

Gastronomic Reveillon dinners at restaurants with Michelin-starred chefs, iconic views, famous reputations, or locations in 5-star or Palace hotels) featuring 5, 7, or more courses, expensive ingredients such as truffles, the finest foie gras, the freshest oysters flown in a few hours earlier from Brittany, highest quality beef, and time-consuming preparations can easily run 300€ - 1,000€ per person - plus Champagne and wine, which can double or triple the price - and again, that's per person.

Where to Find More Choices

 

Here are the general types of places where you'll find them (I'll recommend specific restaurants in a moment):

• Onsite hotel restaurants, including some with Michelin stars, at many-to-most larger 5-star and some 4-star establishments;  you should make reservations as far in advance as possible as some of these (usually the most expensive ones with the fanciest menus and the most stars) will book up quickly; almost all of these feature multi-course meals, special Réveillon menus, and leisurely service
• Other high-end restaurants, including those with Michelin stars, such as Le Jules Verne (2 Michelin stars) at the Eiffel Tower
• Mid-range neighborhood restaurants, especially in many of the more touristy areas such as Saint-Germain, the Marais, Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, and around the Eiffel Tower, and in parts of the 1st arrondissement, especially near the Louvre
• At least some of the wonderful Indian restaurants in Passage Brady, including Treasure of Kashmir (open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
• Some of Paris's "bouillon" restaurants - large mostly Art Nouveau-style food halls offering fairly fast service at communal tables, classic French dishes, and very affordable prices - generally lots of fun, and the food is usually quite good for the price
• Non-French restaurants in some of the "double-digit" neighborhoods - for example, the Chinese restaurants along the streets radiating out from Place d'Italie in the 13th arrondissement, and the Asian and African restaurants in Belleville
• Restaurants near train stations, such as Le Train Bleu (special Reveillon menu on Christmas Eve - 5 courses for 120€; closed on Christmas) and Ground Control (always very affordable) near Gare de Lyon in the 12th, and Lazare (by Michelin-starred Chef Eric Frechon) at Gare Saint-Lazare in the 10th (special Reveillon menu on Christmas Eve - 2 courses for 79€, 3 courses for 99€; closed on Christmas).

The Easiest Way to Find Restaurants Open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day near Where You're Staying

In addition to checking out the restaurants in this article, ask your hotel or Airbnb or VRBO host for recommendations about what's open, what's good. 

Most hotels, especially at the 3-star and higher levels, will know what will be open because this is a frequently-asked question.  Tell them your price range and the type of food you like, and they should be able to provide you with a few ideas.  Once you make a selection, as them to make the reservation for you.

Airbnb/VRBO/rental agencies may be less helpful - but if you're staying in an apartment, you can always buy food in the local market, bakery, or carry-out place on the day before.  This is a particularly good option for Christmas Day when far fewer places will be open.

Transportation to Restaurants on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Paris

The metro, RER, and Paris buses will maintain their usual weekend schedule - which means that service will be a little slower than during the week. 

So, for example, instead of metro trains being spaced at 2-3 minute intervals in central Paris, they may come at 4-5 minute intervals.

Taxi, Uber, and other similar services are also available.

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More Suggestions about Where to Eat & More Things to Do

If you're staying in an apartment, putting together your own Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners can be a lot of fun as well as the perfect excuse to sample special French Christmas treats. 

Seek out specialties in your neighborhood shops, or head over to Bon Marche's La Grande Épicerie de Paris (38, rue de Sèvres, 7th arr, or 80, rue de Passy, 16th arr) where you'll be surrounded by tempting displays of foie gras and caviar, glistening sides of salmon, and the world's finest Champagnes. 

Don't want to cook?  Explore the prepared food section at La Grande Épicerie or the nearest market street (such as Rue Cler in the 7th, Rue de Lévis in the 17th, Rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter, or Rue Montorgeuil in the 1st/2nd near Les Halles). 

That's what my family and I usually do for Christmas Eve dinner whenever we're fortunate enough to be in Paris for the holidays. 

I'll buy a rotisserie chicken or duck, roasted potatoes, already-cooked veggies, easy-to-serve hors d'oeuvres (olives, nuts, raw veggies, charcuterie), a couple of treats for a first course such as foie gras and smoked oysters, a few cheeses for a cheese course before dessert, a couple of bottles of special wine, and everything else necessary for an almost zero-effort gourmet Christmas Eve feast. 

And this is definitely the time of the year to indulge in your favorite artisan chocolates!

My family and I usually follow the Réveillon custom and enjoy this feast on Christmas Eve - and then on Christmas Day itself, we'll stroll over to the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market and just buy raclette (melted cheese on bread) and a hot cider for a snack.)

For even more easy-prep food choices, go to the nearest Picard store, where everything is flash-frozen and all you'll need to do is heat and serve.  Most Picards stay open until 7pm on Christmas Eve (verify before you go in case of last minute changes) but are closed on Christmas Day. 

If you wait to shop until Christmas Day itself, you still won't starve.  A few bakeries in each area will be open until early afternoon and will have their usual sandwiches, salads, and soups along with all the breads and pastries. 

The tiny epiceries crammed with basics such as cheese, fruit, and wine found in most neighborhoods may also stay open all day - although check ahead of time to be sure.

I've also bought wonderful breads, gourmet prepared foods, and superb pastries including Bûche de Noël at Maison Mulot (76 Rue de Seine, 6th arr) on Christmas Day (but similar to the epiceries, check with them a day or two in advance to make sure they'll be open).

For Christmas dinner dessert, a traditional (and delicious) Bûche de Noël yule log cake is a must!  

I usually buy two small ones, one for Christmas Eve plus another in a different flavor for Christmas, a day or two in advance at a nearby neighborhood bakery to be sure of getting them.

Learn how to cook an authentic French Christmas dinner from a Parisian chef 

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