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Paris in December 2025

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Top things to do in Paris in December

Stroll the Champs-Élysées under Christmas lights

  • When: Nightly throughout December
  • Tags: Outdoors, Seasonal

Strolling beneath the Champs-Élysées' famous light display is a Parisian December rite. The avenue glows in festive LEDs from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Go after 5 pm for full effect; shops stay open late during the season.

See the Galeries Lafayette Christmas tree

  • When: From late November through Dec 31
  • Tags: Family-friendly, Seasonal

Galeries Lafayette's central dome houses a dazzling tree installation each year. Surrounding floors offer holiday windows and French gourmet gifts. Climb to the rooftop terrace for panoramic views (free, until ~8 pm).

Cruise the Seine with mulled wine

  • When: Evenings in December
  • Tags: Tour, Seasonal

A nighttime Bateaux Mouches cruise pairs city lights with hot drinks. Blankets are provided; dress warm. Tours last ~1 hour. Book early for Christmas Eve or NYE slots.

Recommended experiences:

  • Bateaux Mouches Seine River Dinner Cruise with Live Music & French Menu
  • 1-Hour Paris Illuminated Evening Sightseeing Cruise
Browse all Seine river cruise tickets

Warm up with raclette and vin chaud

  • When: Anytime in December
  • Tags: Cultural experience, Food

Cold evenings call for raclette—melted alpine cheese over potatoes and charcuterie—and vin chaud at street stalls or cozy brasseries. Look for heated terraces with blankets.

Catch a holiday concert at La Madeleine

  • When: Weekends and holidays in December
  • Tags: Cultural experience, Seasonal

La Madeleine Church hosts festive performances in its grand neoclassical nave. Programs range from classical to gospel. Buy tickets early; shows often sell out by mid-December.

Explore covered passages decked in decor

  • When: Daytime or early evening
  • Tags: Explorer, Cultural experience

Paris’s 19th-century covered arcades (like Galerie Vivienne or Passage des Panoramas) offer sheltered strolls, quirky shops, and vintage bookstores—perfect for cold days.

Visit Sainte-Chapelle's stained glass in winter light

  • When: Daytime (closed Dec 25)
  • Tags: Cultural experience, Tour

Low winter sun enhances Sainte-Chapelle's kaleidoscopic stained glass. Entry lines are short in early December. Arrive at opening (9 am) for quiet views.

Recommended experiences:

  • Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie Tickets
  • Île de la Cité Guided Tour with Sainte-Chapelle Tickets
Explore Sainte Chapelle tickets

Take a patisserie class indoors

  • When: Weekdays in early December
  • Tags: Tour, Family-friendly

Join a French pastry class and learn to make festive treats like macarons or bûche de Noël. Many are held in home kitchens or atelier studios across the city.

Offbeat experiences in December

Sip mulled wine at Marché de Noël Alsacien

Cozy vibes at a regional-style market near Gare de l’Est. Expect regional specialties and wintry treats.

📍Where: Square Valérie-Renaud, 10th arrondissement

Tour Paris sewer museum (Musée des Égouts)

Underground history with fewer crowds in winter. Dress warm—it’s chilly down there!

📍Where: Pont de l’Alma, 7th arrondissement

Read in silence at Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève

Gorgeous reading room, warm refuge with rich interiors. Ideal for literary solitude or quiet journaling.

📍Where: Place du Panthéon, 5th arrondissement

Photograph snow-dusted rooftops from Parc de Belleville

On crisp mornings, the view over central Paris sparkles—bring gloves and your camera.

📍Where: Rue Piat, 20th arrondissement

Browse the artsy Passage Brady

Lesser-known covered street with Indo-Pakistani cafés, eclectic shops, and steam rising into frosty air.

📍Where: 10th arrondissement

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Highlights for different traveller types

Couples

  • See the lights along the Seine at night, then cozy up with fondue in a Marais wine bar.
  • Window-shop at Printemps Haussmann and steal kisses under the rooftop tree.
  • Take a moonlit carousel ride near the Eiffel Tower for a classic photo.

Families with kids

  • Ride the Ferris wheel at Place de la Concorde, open just for the holidays.
  • Take kids ice skating outside Hôtel de Ville with rental skates and helmets.
  • Book a chocolatier workshop where little ones can mold and decorate sweets.

Culture vultures

  • Catch festive classical concerts at La Madeleine or Sainte-Chapelle.
  • Take advantage of museum quiet in early December—no lines at Musée Rodin.
  • Enjoy intimate theater shows (with English surtitles) at Théâtre de la Huchette.

Your perfect 3-day Paris in December itinerary

Fireworks over Arc de Triomphe during Champs-Élysées New Year Party in Paris.
  • Morning: Wander Rue Cler’s market street for breakfast goods and décor photos.
  • Breakfast: Sip hot chocolate at Angelina near Tuileries.
  • Midday: Explore Louvre's winter exhibitions—lines are short in early December.
  • Lunch: Crêpes and cidre at Breizh Café in Le Marais.
  • Afternoon: See Galeries Lafayette’s tree and shop for gourmet gifts.
  • Evening: Walk the Champs-Élysées light trail and grab vin chaud at the Tuileries market.
Orsay Museum painting of Van Gogh's "Starry Night Over the Rhône" with stars and reflections.
  • Morning: Visit Musée d’Orsay —arrive at opening for Monet in peace.
  • Breakfast: Grab viennoiseries from Poilâne bakery.
  • Midday: Head to Sainte-Chapelle’s stained glass when the sun’s highest.
  • Lunch: Cozy bistro fare at Le Comptoir du Relais.
  • Afternoon: Wander covered passages like Galerie Vivienne.
  • Evening: End with a Seine cruise, blankets and hot wine included.
Canal Saint-Martin in Paris with a yellow boat and people relaxing by the water.
  • Morning: Join a patisserie class to make festive macarons.
  • Breakfast: Coffee and tartine at a café near Canal Saint-Martin .
  • Midday: Ride Metro Line 1 to Parc de Belleville for city panoramas.
  • Lunch: Eat Alsatian bites at Gare de l’Est’s holiday market.
  • Afternoon: Explore Paris Sewer Museum or Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève.
  • Evening: Book a holiday concert at Saint-Eustache or La Madeleine.

Best day trips from Paris in December

Versailles

🚆 Travel time: ~45 min by RER C

The palace’s Hall of Mirrors dazzles in low light, while gardens offer peaceful walks in bare, symmetrical beauty. Bundle up—it’s chilly and fountains are off.

Explore Versailles Tickets

Provins

🚆 Travel time: ~90 min by train from Gare de l’Est

This medieval town hosts a small Christmas market with fire-jugglers and torch-lit processions. Great for a festive day with kids.

Chartres

🚆 Travel time: ~1 h by train from Montparnasse

The cathedral’s stained glass shines even brighter against gray skies. December weekends may feature Christmas concerts.

Reims

🚄 Travel time: ~45 min by TGV

Sparkling wine season: visit Champagne houses for tastings and holiday décor. Book cellar tours ahead.

Go shopping in Paris in December

Galeries Lafayette interior with ornate glass dome and multiple shopping levels in Paris.
Tour guide leading a group past Pub St Germain in Saint-Germain-Des-Prés, Paris.
  • When: Early Dec–Jan
  • Where: Boulevard Saint-Germain
  • Small market with elegant décor, artisanal crafts, and gourmet regional foods.
Le BHV Marais department store illuminated at night during Le Marais Walking Tour, Paris.
  • When: Early Dec–Jan
  • Where: Rue de Rivoli
  • Curated Christmas corners inside the department store; check upper floor for eco-friendly and French-made brands.
Paris shopping mall window display with various gifts and souvenirs.

Frequently asked questions about visiting Paris in December

Early December is fairly calm, but crowds surge from around December 20 through New Year’s. Book major attractions and dinners ahead during this period.