La Défense Christmas Market – the Biggest Christmas Market in Ile-de-France!
Located in the business district of La Défense, at the foot of La Grand Arche, La Défense Christmas Market is the largest winter fair in the Paris region, with an impressive number of around 300 chalets!
This pop-up seasonal venue is packed with fun activities and delicious local foods.
One of the locals’ favorite places to be in Paris at Christmas time, keep reading to discover all the magic of La Défense Christmas Market.
La Défense Christmas Market Dates 2024 and Hours
La Défense Christmas Market dates 2024 are from Thursday, 14 November 2024, to Sunday, 29 December 2024, which means 46 days to enjoy this spectacular market!
La Défense Christmas Market Hours
La Défense Christmas Market hours depend on the day of the week:
- Monday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The exceptions to these market hours are Tuesday, 24 December (from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and Wednesday, 25 December (closed).
Because this is Paris’s business district, the most crowded times differ from other Christmas Markets in Paris. The best times to visit La Défense Christmas Market to avoid the crowds are on weekdays, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. During the lunch break, the market is fully packed!
How to Get to La Défense Christmas Market
There are many ways to get to La Défense Christmas Market by public transportation. I will only mention the main ones.
The fastest way to get to La Défense Christmas Market is by RER A train. The closest RER A station is La Défense – Grande Arche. In Paris, you can catch any RER A train heading west at Nation, Gare de Lyon, Châtelet – Les Halles, Auber, and Charles de Gaulle – Etoile stations.
You can also use the Paris metro, line 1. The closest metro station is La Défense – Grande Arche (terminus). The journey from Paris to La Défense by metro is much longer, though.
To use the metro in Paris, you can buy a carnet de 10 (a set of 10 individual tickets) that you will charge on a plastic card (Navigo Easy) or on your mobile. If you plan on using the metro often, check out the different Paris metro tickets for a cheaper option.
La Défense Christmas Market – Things to Do
1. Christmas Shopping
One of the best things to do at La Défense Christmas Market is visit the charming Marché Artisan (Artisan Village) for some unique Christmas-themed shopping!
You will find 50+ wooden chalets where artisans sell precious, hand-made items, from crafted jewelry to handbags, house ornaments, and food products.
If you have an eye for style, this market is the ideal place to spot awesome high-quality accessories embodying French chic essence that will make for lovely gifts.
Noëlle is another must-visit place for your Christmas shopping. Located in front of the Christmas tree, it’s a giant indoor shop offering decoration objects and unique gifts.
Most stalls feature items made in France, but you will also have the chance to shop for hand-crafted items made from India! There’s also La Cabane à Mario (more on this below) selling products from Québec.
2. Travel Virtually to Québec
Every year, La Défense Christmas Market has a guest of honor. This year 2024, visitors can travel virtually to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, to Québec in Canada!
Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Québec at Place Ville de Québec. Here, you will find La Cabane à Mario, offering typical products like cookies, all kinds of maple-based products, local beers, and more.
Not far from La Cabane à Mario, you will find a typical restaurant where you can enjoy traditional dishes from Québec in a warm atmosphere.
Last but not least, the six themed shop windows will surprise you with the incredible diversity of Québec culture. Try to win a trip to Québec City by voting your favorite one!
- The Ice Hotel
- The sugar shack
- The Dufferin Terrace slide
- Nature nearby
- The longhouse in Wendake
- Ice fishing
3. La Défense Christmas Market for Kids
If you visit Paris with kids, they will surely love the fairground part of La Défense Christmas Market, especially the youngest ones.
In addition to the ice rink and the different shows (more on this below), there are two merry-go-rounds and a giant Christmas tree sponsored by the City of Québec.
Kids (and adults) can also meet Santa Claus in his illuminated chalet. Hand him your Christmas wishlist and take pictures with him!
You will find Santa Claus on Wednesdays from 2:30 p.m. à 6:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 12:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Santa will also be there on Monday, 23 December, from 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Tuesday, 24 December (last chance!) from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
4. Ice Skating for Kids and Adults
An activity that can’t be missed from a proper Christmas market is an ice rink! At La Défense Christmas Market, you will find the ice skating rink on the west side of the market, at the foot of La Grande Arche.
With an impressive measure of 450 m2, this ice rink is much bigger than the one at the Tuileries Christmas Market! Lace up your skates and get ready to have a blast around the giant deer.
The ice rink at La Défense Christmas Market is open from 22 November 2024 to 5 January 2025. The opening hours are:
- Sunday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The exceptions to these opening hours are 24 and 31 December (from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and 25 December (closed).
The entrance fee is 5€ for kids (up to 13 years) and 10€ for adults. Skate rental costs 2€ and wearing gloves is compulsory.
5. Special Events at La Défense Christmas Market
On weekends, La Défense Christmas Market hosts several events for kids and adults, from Christmas carols and gospel to music and dancing shows.
The events take place on Saturdays from 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 2 p.m.
What to Eat at La Défense Christmas Market
There are many fun things to do at La Défense Christmas Market, and sampling local food specialties is one of them!
Browse the chalets to find the ones selling delicious food that you can enjoy on the go, or head to the Christmas Market’s different restaurants for a sit-on meal.
The venue offers “a culinary tour of France” with many regional French specialties on offer, from Alsace to Brittany and from Normandy to the French Antilles.
Among the fantastic savory foods you will find are wursts and tarte flambée from Alsace, many hearty soups, and the must-try tartiflette from Savoye. Tartiflette is a French-style cheesy potato bake with pickled onions, cream, and charcuterie.
If you love cheesy stuff, you should also try raclette, which is the name of a dish and its main ingredient. This packed-flavored cheese (mostly French reblochon cheese) is melted on a raclette grill and put on top of boiled veggies like potatoes or grilled meats.
During our visit to the market this year, we also saw chalets offering American food, Indian food, Brazilian Food, and Tibetan food.
For those with a sweet tooth, food stalls offer mouthwatering deliciousness like gauffres (hot waffles), crêpes, nougat from France, all kinds of chocolate, and fairground sweets like the barbe à papà (cotton candy).
To wash all this delicious food down, you can choose from a wide variety of drinks, like local beers, grog (a drink made from hot water, lemon, honey, and rum), and the famous vin chaud (mulled wine).
Restaurants & Food Courts at La Défense Christmas Market
Here’s the list of indoor restaurants in La Défense Christmas Market 2024:
- Délices du Sud-Ouest – Southwest Delicacies
- Spécialités Québecoises – Specialties from Québec
- Cuisine Bourguignonne – Cuisine from Burgundy
- Saveurs Créoles – Flavors from the French Antilles
- Grillades Brésiliennes – Grilled food from Brazil
- Mets Savoyards – Dishes from Savoye
- Plats Alsaciens – Dishes from Alsace
In addition to these restaurants, there are two food courts: a small one, more cozy, and a bigger one for groups.
