Christmas in Paris (Your Ultimate Guide)

Okay, let’s be honest. Paris is beautiful any time of year, but Christmas gives the city an extra sparkle — perhaps even enough to make Scrooge forget about his famous “Bah, humbug!”

The shorter winter days, the twinkling lights, the decorated streets and shop windows, and the cozy cafés all come together and make you experience Paris in a different way.

And that’s probably my favorite thing about Christmas in Paris: you still get to experience all the things that make Paris, well, Paris — but with a little extra magic!

1. Visit a Christmas Market

One thing you should know before visiting Paris at Christmas is that there are a lot of Christmas markets to choose from. They’re spread across the city, and each one has its own atmosphere, location and character. But that doesn’t mean you need to visit them all to get into the Christmas spirit.

I decided to visit just three during my trip, mainly because I wanted to combine them with the places I already had on my itinerary. I’ll tell you more about the three I chose, and why, further down in this guide.

2. Experience Christmas at Galeries Lafayette

Galeries Lafayette is a must during the festive season. One of the highlights is the giant Christmas tree underneath the beautiful glass dome, which is different every year. If you want to take a photo from the Glasswalk, you’ll need to book a time slot in advance on the official Galeries Lafayette website. Also, during the Christmas season, the rooftop is transformed into an ice skating rink. So, if you want to skate there, you’ll need to book a time slot and purchase a ticket in advance.

And don’t leave Galeries Lafayette without trying a macaron from Pierre Hermé. They were honestly the best macarons I’ve ever tasted — and believe me, I’ve tried a lot of macarons in Paris.

3. See Paris’ Christmas Lights After Dark

Paris is at its prettiest once the Christmas lights come on. Head to places like the Champs-Élysées, Place Vendôme and Avenue Montaigne to see some of the city’s most beautiful festive decorations and enjoy Paris after dark.

4. Take a Festive Seine Cruise

If you want to see Paris from a different perspective, a festive Seine cruise is a lovely option, especially in the evening when the city’s landmarks are beautifully lit up. You can choose from different dinner and sightseeing cruises, depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for.

5. Spend a Day at Disneyland Paris

If you’re traveling with kids or simply a Disney fan, you can add a little extra Christmas magic to your trip by spending a day at Disneyland Paris. During the festive season, known as Disney Enchanted Christmas, the parks are filled with festive decorations, shows, Disney characters and Christmas celebrations. Keep in mind that Disneyland Paris is located outside the city, so it’s best to plan it as a full-day trip from Paris. It’s easily accessible by RER A, with the journey taking around 35–40 minutes.

One thing that I found surprisingly difficult when planning my Christmas trip to Paris was deciding which Christmas markets were actually worth visiting. Paris doesn’t have just one or two — there are so many different markets around the city, from small local ones to huge Christmas villages like the one at La Défense. In the end, I decided to visit only three, mainly because I wanted to combine them with places I had loved during my first trip to Paris, including Notre-Dame and Montmartre.

So, here are the three Christmas markets I visited in Paris and would recommend adding to your itinerary.

1. Tuileries Christmas Market

The Tuileries Christmas Market was the one I liked the most, and I actually visited it twice during my trip. It’s one of the largest Christmas markets in central Paris, with plenty of food, drinks, Christmas stalls and festive entertainment. The food was good and it had pretty much everything you would expect from a traditional Christmas market.

One thing to keep in mind, though: it gets busier and busier as the day goes on, so if you prefer a more relaxed experience, I’d recommend going earlier.

2026 dates: November 15 – December 31

2. Notre-Dame Christmas Market

The Notre-Dame Christmas Market is much smaller and has a more intimate feel. You’ll find French crafts, local creators and regional food, so it’s a nice place to stop for a little browsing while exploring the area.

I mainly visited this one because I wanted to see Notre-Dame again. After the cathedral reopened following its restoration, I simply couldn’t visit Paris without going inside — and combining it with a little Christmas market stop made it even better.

2026 dates: November 26 – December 27

3. Montmartre Christmas Market

The Montmartre Christmas Market is located right by Place des Abbesses, just outside the metro station, so you can’t really miss it when you arrive. It’s a much smaller market, but it’s a nice little stop before exploring Montmartre.

I visited in the morning, and one of my favorite little moments was grabbing a fresh baguette for breakfast before continuing my walk around Montmartre. Honestly, that’s exactly the kind of simple Parisian moment I was hoping for.

1. Dior, Avenue Montaigne

One of the prettiest Christmas photo spots in Paris. Go in the afternoon, when the lights start to come on and Dior looks even more impressive.

2. Chanel, Rue Cambon

Another Instagrammable Christmas photo spot is the iconic Chanel storefront on Rue Cambon, which looks even more magical at Christmas when the lights are on.

3. Le Village Royal

A little Parisian gem that gets a beautiful Christmas makeover. Definitely worth stopping by if you’re looking for something a little different.

4. Place Vendôme

Place Vendôme feels very Parisian and especially magical at Christmas, with its beautiful Christmas trees and lights. You can combine your visit with a stop at the Ritz Paris for a hot chocolate.

You can’t really visit Paris in winter without having a proper hot chocolate at least once. I tried quite a few during my Christmas trip, but these are the four places I enjoyed the most — including a couple of unexpected favorites.

1. Carette

Carette is one of my favorite places for hot chocolate in Paris. It was actually the first place where I ever tried hot chocolate in Paris, so there was no way I was going to skip it on my second visit.

2. Angelina

Angelina is probably one of the most talked-about places for hot chocolate in Paris, and opinions are definitely divided. Some call it too touristy because of the long queues, while others swear it’s the best in Paris. Personally, I really enjoyed it — it was exactly the rich, indulgent hot chocolate I expected from a classic Parisian spot.

3. Ritz Paris

I actually decided to try the hot chocolate at the Ritz because of its Christmas pop-up. The festive setup is adorable, with hot chocolate, marshmallows and little teddy bears that you can even take home as a souvenir — and yes, the hot chocolate was just as good as I hoped.

4. Lindt

Okay, I know Lindt isn’t exactly a traditional Parisian hot chocolate spot, but hear me out. Lindt has always been one of my favorite chocolate brands, and trying their hazelnut hot chocolate for the first time was honestly heavenly.

• Hôtel La Tamise — Stay here for a central location close to the Louvre, Tuileries and Place Vendôme.
• Hôtel Duminy-Vendôme — A great choice if you want to be close to the Tuileries Christmas Market.
• Hotel Saint-Petersbourg Opera & SPA — Perfect for Christmas shopping, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.
• Hôtel Duquesne Eiffel — Choose this one for beautiful Eiffel Tower views.
• Le Pavillon de la Reine — A lovely option for a romantic and charming Christmas stay.

• Bistrot des Tournelles — for a classic French bistro experience in Le Marais.
• La Jacobine — for traditional French food in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
• Brasserie des Prés — for a stylish and lively Parisian brasserie.
• La Tour Montlhéry – Chez Denise — for old-school French comfort food.
• Sacrée Fleur Montmartre — for a French dinner after exploring Montmartre.