12 Best Things to Do on Christmas in Paris

While there are usually plenty of activities and places to see in Paris, during Christmas its charm is multiplied. The French capital dresses up for the holidays with elegant lighting and offers its residents and visitors an endless array of entertainment for both adults and children.

During this time of year, the Christmas spirit takes over the streets of Paris, to the point where it is difficult to choose what to visit first. That is why I have prepared this short list of ideas and key points so that you can organise your visit and choose according to what you like best.

Christmas is possibly the best time to visit nearby Disneyland Paris to put the finishing touch on your trip to the French capital. Regardless of your age, the park offers excitement, magic and a unique experience to all its visitors during this season.

In addition to sharing its streets with all the Disney characters and riding the attractions at Disneyland Paris, at Christmas the whole park shows its best side with its garlands, Christmas baubles and lights.

The huge Christmas tree that is put up at this time of year stands out, decorated with a fantastic set of lights that envelop it in colour and brightness. Don't miss the special parades that take place several times a day along the main street. The Christmas season at Disneyland Paris usually begins in November and lasts until after Three Kings Day. But beware: I recommend buying tickets for Disneyland Paris in advance, as they sell out quickly at this time of year.

There is perhaps only one activity more romantic than a cruise on the River Seine: doing it at Christmas or, better still, on New Year's Eve.

Although various types of cruise are available throughout the year (day cruises, night cruises, cruises with dinner included, etc.), on New Year's Eve some companies organise a small party on board their boats.

This celebration includes New Year's Eve dinner, party favours and a dance afterwards that lasts well into the night. All this, moreover, with spectacular views of the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, all decked out in special Christmas lighting.

Christmas in Paris is not only experienced in its streets, but all kinds of establishments offer special activities. The best known is possibly the one organised by the most famous cabaret in the city: the Moulin Rouge.

At this time of year, tickets for the Moulin Rouge with dinner offer the opportunity to attend a special show that reflects the best of its essence. In addition, dinner is included, which is on a par with the best restaurants in the city.

To spend Christmas Eve at this legendary venue, you need to plan ahead, as tickets tend to sell out quickly. If you are unable to attend, you can always try to see another popular show that is being held during this period. This is the show offered at the Lido Paris Merveilles, and you have the option of purchasing a standard ticket or a special ticket that includes dinner.

An essential plan for Christmas is to take a guided tour to Versailles The most convenient option is to find one that includes bus transport so you don't have to worry about how to get there.

You will also be accompanied by a professional guide who will tell you all about this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which served as the residence of the royal family between 1682 and 1789, when the French Revolution took place.

On this tour, you will visit iconic rooms such as the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, marking the end of the First World War. You will also stroll through the 800-hectare gardens, with their endless array of plants, flowers, fountains and ponds.

Christmas is a great time to take a trip to the Loire Castles. I recommend visiting the castles of Chenonceau, Chambord and Amboise.

This 12.5-hour excursion is an excellent option because it includes transfers from Paris. You will also be accompanied by an expert guide who will tell you all about the history and architecture of these three castles.

You can visit Leonardo da Vinci's tomb and the residence where he spent the last years of his life. And to round off a spectacular day: a tasting of three wines from the region.

Parisians celebrate Christmas with great intensity, and this is evident in the effort they put into decorating the entire city, both public and private spaces. In recent years, the decorations in shops and shopping centres have become one of the city's main attractions at this time of year. Walking through the streets and looking at the shop windows is an experience that makes everyone feel like a child again, as the lights, colours and excitement are everywhere.

One place you must visit is Galeries Lafayette. Not only does this department store have a fantastic Christmas tree, but its shop windows also feature some of the most spectacular decorations in the city. The window dressers have created a display that includes movement and music to achieve a hypnotic effect.

Some Parisian boutiques also have fantastic automatons and devices in their shop windows that tell stories and fairy tales for all ages. Among the most notable are Printemps Haussmann, Le Bon Marché and BHV. At the latter, children can also have their photo taken with Father Christmas.

If there is one time of year when the City of Light lives up to its nickname, it is Christmas. Strolling through its streets to admire the lights is a must if you are visiting the French capital during this season. Each of its avenues is filled with multicoloured lights forming a wide variety of shapes, projections and luminous arches. Likewise, all its buildings and historical monuments are also filled with these lights and show their best side.

Although you will find unforgettable Christmas lights throughout the city, there are some areas that you cannot miss: the Champs-Élysées, the Place Vendôme, the entire Montmartre district and Bercy Village are some of these areas.

To enjoy these decorations, all you have to do is take a leisurely stroll or book an organised tour of Paris. Another way to see the lights is on one of the Paris tourist buses that tour the city.

During Christmas, several neighbourhoods in Paris set up Marchés de Nöel, Christmas markets that are one of the city's biggest attractions when you visit in December. As you stroll through them, with their smells and colours, you will feel transported to a magical world.

The tradition of Christmas markets in Paris comes from Alsace. These markets, which I discuss in more detail in the article on Christmas markets in Paris, consist of small huts offering products such as crêpes, roasted chestnuts (marrons), waffles and mulled wine. They are also ideal places to buy decorations, gifts and many other items.

The Christmas markets begin to open in mid-November. Among the most popular are those located on the Champs-Élysées, in the Tuileries Garden, at Notre Dame and on the Champs de Mars, although there are also some smaller ones in other neighbourhoods of Paris. If you can, don't miss the one in the Montmartre neighbourhood, where you'll find stalls selling handicrafts and products from all regions of the country.

Music lovers will have plenty of options to enjoy their visit to Paris during the Christmas season. Various venues around the city, as well as some churches, host a range of high-quality concerts.

Those organised at the Maison de la Radio, a building constructed in the 1960s, are particularly well known. Over several evenings, you can enjoy performances by some of the country's most important orchestras, including the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France. Another concert that traditionally takes place at this time of year is the one offered by Radio Classique, held at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.

The concert held each year at Notre Dame Cathedral was one of the highlights of the Christmas music programme. While it remains under repair, it has been moved to the Church of La Madeleine, the capital's best-known neoclassical temple, and to the Church of Saint Germain de Pres. After the concert, I recommend visiting the Latin Quarter (or booking a tour there) to sample the cheeses on offer.

If you're travelling to Paris with children, it's almost impossible for them not to want to enjoy the many carousels that are set up in some districts of the capital. These merry-go-rounds are also completely free, and riding them is an experience that children (and many adults) will never forget.

Although you will find quite a few in the streets of the capital, I recommend you don't miss the one in the Place du Trocadéro, with its wonderful views of the Eiffel Tower. You can also take the opportunity to visit the Christmas market set up at the tower itself.

On the other hand, it is also very interesting to visit the Place de la Concorde. Here you will not find a carousel or merry-go-round, but a large Ferris wheel from which you can see part of the city. At night, you can enjoy the Parisian lights in all their splendour.

If you are a bit skilled or if you want to have fun, one of the most popular entertainments at Christmas in Paris is ice skating. The ice rinks are generally free to enter, but bear in mind that you will have to pay to hire skates and equipment if you don't bring your own. Some of them also have a special area for children. Recently, however, some skating rinks have appeared that do require a fee to use.

The appeal of these rinks lies not only in skating with varying degrees of skill, but also in the spectacular locations of some of them. Among these is the one installed in the Grand Palais, under its impressive glass dome, which is the largest non-permanent rink in the world. If you can and are enjoying Paris at night, I recommend you go to this rink when night falls, as it becomes a kind of disco with DJs and strobe lights where you can dance on your skates.

On the other hand, Galeries Lafayette also has its own ice rink on its terrace, offering beautiful views of the Opera and the Eiffel Tower. And finally, I can't help but recommend the rink located in the Eiffel Tower itself, more specifically on its first floor. The experience of skating there while enjoying the views from the Eiffel Tower is something you won't forget.

The big days of Christmas are, without a doubt, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. For several years now, Paris has been celebrating the turn of the year with a number of activities that are well worth experiencing, both for the show that is organised and for the atmosphere in the streets.

On the night of 31 December, the Champs-Élysées in Paris is decked out for the party. Thousands of Parisians and tourists gather there to welcome in the new year with a spectacular light and sound show, including a video projection on the Arc de Triomphe. To finish off, you can enjoy fireworks.

The next day, a grand New Year's parade is held on the same avenue. Floats, musicians, clowns, dancers and acrobats parade down a street packed with spectators. And if you're looking for more things to do, be sure to check out our post on activities and places to see in Paris.

Joaquín's Traveller Tip:

New Year's Eve is a night to enjoy, but be careful not to drink too much. According to the country's laws, if the police find you drunk on the street, they can fine you more than €100. It is also forbidden to set off firecrackers.