About the Paris Christmas Markets
And just like that, it’s the Christmas market season again. Get the most out of Paris at Christmas time with its markets and seasonal cheer. Find the perfect Christmas gifts for loved ones and enjoy plenty of street food, twinkling lights, and entertainment throughout the festive season.
If you are looking for a Christmas Market, Paris won’t disappoint. Check out this quick guide to the best Christmas Markets in Paris 2024 with what to shop, what to eat, and my top tips.
All these Paris Christmas Markets are worth a visit if you ask me. Whether you want a riverside stroll or to be transported to a cozy Alsace Chrismas Market, Paris has you covered.
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Paris Christmas Market Dates 2024
When do Christmas Markets open in Paris?
The Christmas Markets in Paris usually open from the third weekend of November until the end of the year.
The Tuileries Christmas Market is usually the first Christmas Market in Paris to open. This year 2024, the Tuileries Christmas Market will open on 16 November 2024.
Get the Most Out of the Christmas Markets in Paris
TOUR | DURATION | AREA | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
3 hrs | Central Paris | ||
1.5 hrs | Central Paris | ||
2 hrs | Central Paris | ||
2.5 hrs | Central Paris | ||
2 hrs | Central Paris | ||
3 hrs | Central Paris |
Best Christmas Markets in Paris 2024
I can’t think of anything more quintessentially wintery than a stroll through a Christmas Market. Here, I list the very best Christmas Markets in Paris 2024 for festive food, Christmas decorations, and last-minute gifts.
For things to do before or after visiting these Christmas Markets, check out my quick guide to the Arrondissements of Paris.
1. Tuileries Christmas Market, Paris 1
The Tuileries Chrismas Market is my favorite Paris Christmas Market. Located inside the Tuileries Garden, it replaces the Champs Elysées Christmas Market.
From Place de la Concorde to the Louvre Museum, you will find 100 wooden chalets or so offering French products. There’s also a 20-meter Christmas tree, an ice skating rink, a Ferris wheel, and fun activities for children. This is the best Christmas Market Paris has to offer because of its location, size, food stalls, and offer for kids and adults.
How to get there: Metro station Tuileries, line 1; Metro station Concorde, lines 1, 8 and 12.
2. Les Halles Chrismas Market, Paris 1
Located in the Forum – Les Halles shopping center, in the heart of Paris, you can admire a 20-meter Christmas tree surrounded by a forest of lights.
On the street level, you will find around 20 wooden chalets offering food, drinks, and handicrafts, in addition to all the existing shops all year round.
While you are there, don’t miss visiting the (recently restored) Saint-Eustache Church, built in the XVth century in a mix of styles. Its pipe organ is the biggest in France, and there is a free concert on Sunday afternoons. The Old Stock Market is also worth visiting, at least from outside.
How to get there: Metro station Les Halles, line 4; RER A, B, and D, station Les Halles.
3. Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market, Paris 4
Located just in front of the Hotel de Ville, this Paris Christmas Market always has fairytale decorations, with a magical forest, a lovely ancient carousel, and free activities for kids (the giant slide was very popular last year).
There are also a few stalls selling local products and handicrafts, as well as food stalls for quick eats and hot drinks.
How to get there: Metro station Hôtel de Ville, lines 7 and 11.
4. Notre Dame of Paris Christmas Market, Paris 5
The Notre Dame Christmas Market is located on the Square René Viviani, by the Seine River, and offers a spectacular view of Notre Dame Cathedral in the background.
Here, you can find regional products, handicrafts, performances for children, and the oldest tree in Paris (400 years and still counting!). The view of Notre Dame Cathedral in the background is always special, especially at night.
How to get there: Metro station Saint Michel – Notre Dame, line 4; RER B and C, station Saint Michel – Notre Dame.
5. Saint Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market , Paris 6
Located along the Boulevard Saint-Germain, in the iconic neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this market has the honor of being the smallest Christmas Market in Paris! There are 20 chalets or so where you will find regional products, handicrafts, performances for kids and adults, and even Santa hanging around!
You can also find a few vendors selling inexpensive, practical items such as warm hats, scarves, gloves, and even umbrellas, which can come in very handy if you travel to Paris unprepared! The Saint-Germain-des-Près Church and its lovely square are the perfect backdrop for this Paris Christmas Market.
Last Christmas, the Saint-Germain square was under renovation, and there were fewer chalets. Let’s hope this market will be more lively this year!
How to get there: Metro station Saint Germain-des-Prés, line 4.
6. Eiffel Tower Christmas Market, Paris 7
With about 35 chalets, this is one of the best mid-sized Christmas Markets Paris offers. You will be doing your Christmas shopping with close-up views of the Eiffel Tower, which is super special!
This market specializes in delicious gourmet foods and local cuisine ready to be eaten on the spot. Look for the Alsatian and Savoyard chalets, which offer delicious regional specialties, and sip hot mulled wine as you shop.
Here, you will also find a skating rink, free performances, traditional French products, and gift ideas from the neighboring countries.
How to get there: RER C, stations Champs de Mars – Eiffel Tower or Pont de l’Alma.
7. Alsace Christmas Market, Paris 10 Gare de l’Est
Don’t you have time to go to the Christmas Markets in Alsace during your trip to Paris? Don’t worry! The Gare de l’Est Christmas Market is a Christmas Market 100% Alsatian. Find regional products from Alsace and enjoy free tastings.
This is the oldest Alsatian Christmas Market out of Alsace. In this place, 20 or so Alsatian artisans offer charcuterie, regional wines and cheese, and delicious Christmas sweets like gingerbread, Männele, and bredele. You can also try smoked pork, sauerkraut, and the famous tarte flambée without leaving Paris!
How to get there: Metro station Gare de l’Est, lines 4, 5 and 7.
8. Montmartre Christmas Market, Paris 18
This picturesque Christmas village is set up very close to the Sacré Cœur Basilica, on the iconic Place des Abbesses, in Montmartre.
French artisans and local producers will showcase all their know-how: embroidered pashmina, Christmas decorations, lamps, and other French artisanal products perfect for Christmas gifts.
Visitors can also taste specialties from different regions of France: honey from Paris, foie gras from Périgord, bretzels from Alsace, raclettes and tartiflette, tapenades from Provence, cheeses from the Pyrénées, and of course, mulled wine with spices!
For kids, there’s a brightly lighted carousel, and usually appearances by Santa on the weekends. Adults will prefer the Champagne Bar, which is usually set up here during the holidays.
How to get there: Metro station Abbesses, line 12.
9. La Défense Christmas Market
La Défense Chrismas Market is the biggest Christmas market in the Parisian region! It is located at La Défense, Paris’s business district.
At the foot of La Grande Arche, you will find 300 wooden chalets or so, offering French handicrafts and food delicacies. There’s also a Christmas tree, an ice skating rink, activities for kids, and two food courts.
You can also meet Santa Claus in his illuminated chalet. This is the perfect occasion to hand him your Christmas letter and take pictures with him!
How to get there: Metro station La Défense-Grande Arche, line 1; RER A station La Défense-Grande Arche.
Paris Christmas Markets 2024 – What to Eat
All the Christmas Markets in Paris have stalls offering typical Christmas food and comfort food in general for a few euros, so they are well worth a stop during your Parisian wanderings.
The most common food staples in the Paris Christmas Markets are crêpes, cheese, sausages, and savory tarts.
Raclette is a dish of melted cheese, usually served with potatoes, meat, and other vegetables. It’s traditionally a Swiss dish and is also popular in the French Alps and all the ski areas in France.
Tartiflette is another winter dish from the Savoie region in France. It is a gratinated potato dish with Reblochon cheese, onions, bacon, and white wine, baked in the oven until the cheese browns and melts. Believe me, it tastes better than it smells!
Both raclette and tartiflette are typical comfort food in the Paris Christmas Markets. Their calories keep you going and shopping in the cold days of November and December!
There are also sweet treats like chocolate, candies, gingerbread, and cotton candy (we call it barbe à papa in France).
Along with beer, vin-chaud (mulled wine) is the most popular beverage at any Christmas Market in Paris, and it is a spiced mulled wine served hot.
Christmas Markets Paris 2024 – Practical Tips
1. There are multiple Paris Christmas Markets, but most of them are very similar
Apart from a few exceptions, all the Christmas Markets in Paris offer similar foods, drinks, and decorations. So, in the end, the experience in each market will be broadly similar.
Unless you want to do a “market crawl,” I suggest ticking off one or two of the following Christmas Markets: Tuileries, Hôtel de Ville, and Trocadéro, and perhaps the Christmas Market near your hotel, if there’s one.
2. Weather in Paris in December
Paris in December is usually cold! Expect daily highs of 8°C and nighttime temperatures near freezing. Snow occasionally covers the rooftops of Paris, but it does not last long. For your Christmas market wanderings, bring a good jacket, warm shoes, gloves, hat, and scarf.
- Check out our Paris Packing List for December
- Paris Winter Style Guide for Men
- Paris Winter Style Guide for Women
Beware that sunset time in Paris in December is very early, so plan carefully your time in Paris to get the most out of the city!
3. If Possible, Avoid Weekends
Weekends are when the locals go to the Christmas Markets, and they can be very crowded. If you have a flexible schedule, visit your favorite Paris Christmas Market on weekdays. You will have a much more enjoyable experience!
4. Beware of Pickpockets
Christmas Markets are one of the most popular Christmas events in Paris. Most of them are touristy and attire the crowds and the pickpockets.
Paris is a safe city to visit, but for peace of mind, I recommend using an anti-theft shoulder bag or an anti-theft backpack so you can wander around the markets and do your Christmas shopping without watching your belongings every 5 seconds.
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