The Holiday season in Paris is such a magical time to be in the city. Many neighborhoods are decorated with twinkly lights, along with intricate designs from businesses and department stores. Holiday markets can be found scattered throughout the city, along with a Holiday Festival right in the center of Paris. Mulled wine flows freely, and roasted chestnuts are a daily snack! Discover all the best things to do in Paris to get in the Christmas spirit!

Christmas Markets

There are many Christmas Markets scattered throughout the city, all offering different holiday festivities. Mulled wine and roasted chestnuts can always be found, along with raclette, crepes, and chocolat chaud! These are great opportunities to find unique gifts from local French artisans while tasting yummy holiday treats. In the larger markets, there are Christmas trees for sale, incredible decorations, and Santa might even stop by! Here is a list of all our favorite market locations:

• Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market: Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris
• Notre Dame Christmas Market: 25 Quai de Montebello, 75005 Paris
• Abbesses Christmas Market: 16 Pl. des Abbesses, 75018 Paris
• Saint Germain Christmas Market: 147 Bd Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris
• La Défense Christmas Market: Galerie Commerciale Défense 92800 La Défense

You can find more information and locations of Christmas markets here.

Department Stores

Many businesses and department stores go all-out when it comes to decorating for the holiday season. In particular, Galeries Lafayette, Le Bon Marché, and La Samaritan are my favorite places to go to. For more information on department store decorations, see here.

• Galeries Lafayette is the perfect store to go to for traditional, intricate decorations on a grand scale. The entire store is dripping with lights, and there is always a tree suspended in the center of the store! 

• Le Bon Marché is perfect if you like a bit more modern Christmas decor. Here, they really create an environment of holiday cheer that makes you feel like you are truly in a different world.

• Lastly, I recommend people to visit La Samaritan. After the recent renovations, this art-deco style store is beautiful any day, but it is especially picturesque during the holidays. However, I mention this location mostly because of their customer service. After making a purchase over 50€, you receive a gift of a free engraved bracelet along with personalized ribbon. This is all done by your personal shopping concierge! Shopping here is truly on another level. 

Holiday Lights

You really can’t miss the holiday lights no matter where you go! Neighborhoods around the Christmas Markets mentioned above will certainly have lights up, but of course, you can’t forget the most famous street in the world— avenue des Champs-Élysées! It will take your breath away. To find more locations of Christmas lights, see here.

Tuileries Winter Festival

Each year, there is also a winter festival in the Tuileries garden, complete with a ferris wheel, an ice skating rink, fair games, and lots and lots of food, of course! This is a really fun activity to do on a chilly afternoon after you have walked around the Tuileries. The ferris wheel offers an incredible view of the city, and the rides are fun at any age! For more details, see here.

Take A Weekend Getaway

If you’re looking for a weekend getaway outside of Paris, but still want to be in the Christmas spirit, then head to the Alsace region! On the border between France and Germany, there are many small cities that are renowned for their Christmas celebrations that take over the whole city! Strasbourg and Colmar are two cities in France that are just a 2-hour train ride away that are known as some of the best holiday destinations. For more info, click here.