What to do in Paris over Christmas and New Years
If you are traveling to Paris in November, Armistice Day is November 11 so be sure to check what is open/closed in advance.
Beaujolais Nouveau is November 15. The Festival takes place on the third Thursday of November every year. Make sure to check for here for bars in Paris that are participating by Arrondissement.
Create your own Buche de Noël at La Cuisine in a special class on December 20. Spots will fill up quickly so book in advance.
High Tea for Christmas
Le Meurice To book reservations contact here for more details.
Where to Eat on Christmas
Café Constant is open and they will be serving a Christmas menu (close to the Eiffel Tower)
La Reserve has a Christmas menu (close to Champs Élysées)
Le Comptoir du Relais will be serving their regular menu (Close to St Germain de Près/Odeon)
Both Café Constant and Le Comptoir dur Relais are in my Where to Eat in Paris Guide and I enjoy them both.
Ice Skating
Le Grand Arche – December 15-January 14. 10 euros per adult and 5 euros for kids. Bring gloves!
December 15 – February 19. Free with access to Eiffel Tower costs between 3 euros and 11 euros. Bring gloves. Visit the official Eiffel Tower website for more details.
Christmas Lights in Paris
Visit the Grand Magasins
Galleries Lafayette at Christmas
Make a visit to Printemps and Bon Marché on the Left Bank to look at the Christmas windows and see the decorations. Galleries Lafayette has a huge display in the center of the store.
Christmas Markets in Paris
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Christmas Markets at Notre Dame Cathedral
from 14 December 2018 to 23 December 2018
Square René Viviani – 2 rue du Fouarre, Paris
December 14 – 23rd
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Hôtel de Ville
December 14 – January 6th.
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St Germain de Près Christmas Market
In front of the Church
December 1 – January 1
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Gare de L’Est
Traditional Alsace Market
Bretzels, Gingerbread, and decorations
December 5 – December 21
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Les Halles
A Christmas Village under the canopy at Les Halles
December 1 – January 6th
Where to Celebrate New Years Eve coming soon!
If there is anything I missed or you have specific questions about celebrating the holidays in Paris, please comment below and I will add them to the post.
Merci xo
P.S. Don’t miss what to pack in the Winter. If you are still searching for accommodations for the holidays, I recommend these 10 Hotels in Paris.
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Bonjour, I’m Rebecca!
I’m a photographer, blogger, croissant-lover, and world traveler. I hope that Everyday Parisian inspires you by bringing a bit of France into your daily life and helps you plan the best trip to Paris with personalized recommendations for places to stay, explore, and eat.
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My husband and I are planning a trip over New Years. Do you have any recommendations on what to do?
If you are planning to go to evenving mass at Notre Dame on Christmas Day, Cafe St Regis on the "island" right near the church is open Christmas Day. Even had some tasty Buche de Noel! In fact, it’s our favorite stop year round.
I went to Paris the first week of December last year and there were very few Christmas markets set up that early. But there were so many other things to do! Taking the metro to Arc de Triomphe and walking up to the top and then walking back down Champs Elysee and seeing all the Christmas lights was one of my favorite things.
I would recommend some fleece lined leggings to wear under pants if it’s really cold….makes a world of difference when you’re walking around and trying to stay warm. 😁
Would love to know your thoughts on what to do in Paris over Easter! 🙂 (One day I’ll be in Paris over Christmas, that is for sure.)
Thanks for the beautiful article!
Hi Barbara,
I have been to Paris over Easter. Everything runs pretty much as usual. If you are thinking more specifically for services, I don’t know much about that to give you advice. I will take a look at Easter approaches and let you know if I find anything going on in the city that you might be interested in.
Sorry, this is not Jason, I’m Barbara Livieri. I have manage 2 squarespace accounts. One started by Jason. LOL