Paris at Christmas — Two Parts Italy

One last holiday post – this time from Paris!

Paris is magical at any time of year, but especially so during the Christmas season. There are beautifully decorated shop windows, sparkling lights all around the city, and an abundance of Christmas markets. Add in the Eiffel Tower, a museum visit, stunning Parisian architecture, and wonderful French delicacies in pastry shops around town and it is all pretty perfect.

Along with all of that, the air is crisp (well, that is putting it gently – Paris was incredibly cold in December), the early sunset means the lights come on by about 4 pm, and everyone seems to be in a festive, friendly mood. Street musicians play Christmas music and people dressed up as Santa dance in the streets. Fun!

Vin Chaud (hot mulled wine) at the Christmas market in Place St Michel.

Some seasonal highlights:

The Christmas Markets.

Visiting the holiday markets was the main reason that my friend and I went to Paris in winter. They did not disappoint! The biggest
Christmas market is at the Tuileries Garden, along Rue de Rivoli and surrounding the Ferris wheel that takes passengers high above the rooftops of the city. The market includes a large food court filled with German and French specialties. Picture roasting sausages, large pretzels, escargot, raclette, vin chaud (hot mulled wine), and steaming cups of hot chocolate. There is a carnival-like atmosphere with lots of rides and games for children, an artisan market with handcrafted items, and Christmas decorations galore.

My two favorite markets were both near Notre Dame. The first is a Parisian institution - Le Marché aux Fleurs (The Flower Market) in Place Louis Lépine. Open year round as a plant and bird market, in December it adopts a holiday theme. The stalls are filled with gorgeous wreaths, trees large and small, ornaments, candles, and garden items. This is THE place to get your Parisian Christmas tree and holiday decorations. It is enchanting and festive and very Parisian.

The Marché de Noël Notre Dame Market lies just across the Seine in Square Viviani. This is not the largest holiday market in Paris but it is surely the most beautiful. Père Noël greets visitors at the entrance to the market which is arranged around a central winter wonderland. Artisan and regional specialty booths offer beautiful crafts, wonderful scents, classic foods, and lots of opportunity to buy gifts. This was definitely my favorite Christmas market.

Shop Windows and Shopping Centers

The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is amazing even when not decorated for Christmas. The 100 year old building is crowned with an ornate stained glass dome and ringed with arched balconies around an open central area. At the very top is an outdoor viewing platform with spectacular views over Paris. The building itself is one of Paris’s top attractions. At Christmas it becomes even more incredible. There is a giant Christmas tree rising from the main floor towards the dome. Throughout the store are holiday themed displays sprinkled among the exclusive brand name merchandise. It is a unique and very glamorous Christmas experience.

By contrast, the smaller shops throughout the city have displays that are more restrained but very charming. This includes the pastry shops with their Buche de Noel (Yule logs), gingerbread cookies, and other delicious looking confections as well as wine shops, and a host of other merchants.

The Lights

It is hard to imagine how Paris, the City of Lights, can shine even brighter.

And yet, at Christmas, the addition of lights overhead and in trees along famous boulevards adds an extra measure of brightness.

My Christmastime visit to Paris was a brief 4 days, just long enough to give me a taste of the holiday season. Walking through a very cold Paris, from one market to the next, past churches, monuments, and beautifully decorated shops, was a joy. Taking warm-up breaks with a glass of hot chocolate, a coffee, or a glass of wine was a much-appreciated necessity in the frigid weather. Sampling wintertime dishes (onion soup!) was part of the fun. And while I am now back at home and ready for my Lucchese Christmas, I very much enjoyed my brief Parisian holiday escape.