Jardin des Tuileries Christmas Market – the Most Beautiful Christmas Market in Paris
One of the most beautiful Christmas Markets in Paris is, without a doubt, the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market “La Magie de Noël.” Located in the beautiful and historical Tuileries Garden, between the Louvre Palace and Place de la Concorde, the Jardin des Tuileries Christmas Market is also the largest winter fair in Paris, with an impressive number of around 100 chalets selling French products.
This pop-up seasonal venue is packed with fun activities and delicious local foods.
This fantastic Christmas Market replaced the Champs Elysées Christmas Market along the Champs Elysées in 2019, and it became the favorite of locals and tourists alike in no time!
Keep reading to discover all the magical things the Tuileries Christmas Market offers in Paris at Christmas time.
Tuileries Garden Christmas Market – Hours and Dates
The Tuileries Garden Christmas Market dates 2024 are not published yet. Last year’s dates were from Saturday, 18 November 2023, to Sunday, 7 January 2024.
The Tuileries Garden Christmas Market hours are:
- Monday to Thursday 11 am – 11:45 pm
- Friday and Saturday 11 am – 00:45 am
- Sunday 10 am – 10 pm.
If possible, we recommend visiting the Tuileries Christmas Market during the week before 5 pm. It’s definitely less crowded!
How to Get to the Jardin des Tuileries Christmas Market
The best way to get to the Tuileries Garden is by metro. The closest metro stations are Tuileries (line 1) and Concorde (lines 1, 8, and 12).
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 or on your mobile. If you plan on using the metro often, check out the different Paris metro passes for a cheaper option.
What to Do in the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market
1. Christmas Shopping
One of the best things to do at the Tuileries Christmas Market is visit the charming Artisan Village for some Christmas-themed shopping!
You will find 30 wooden chalets where artisans sell precious, hand-made items, from crafted jewelry to handbags, house ornaments, and food products.
Most stalls feature items made in France, but you will also have the chance to shop for hand-crafted items made worldwide, including in North Africa and Asia.
If you have an eye for style, this market is the ideal place to spot awesome high-quality accessories embodying French chic essence and that will make for lovely gifts.
2. See Paris from the Ferris Wheel
The symbol of the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market is the giant Ferris Wheel that adds that touch of allure to the whole ambiance.
Sure, this is not one of the biggest Ferris Wheel in the world, nor the most spectacular, but a spin on it is a must! Besides being super fun, you will enjoy incomparable views of the Tuileries Garden, the Seine River, and the Louvre Museum from its top.
To have the best time, ride the Ferris Wheel at night to see the Louvre Glass Pyramid illuminated and the light show at the Eiffel Tower: there is nothing better than seeing them brightly lit against the winter night sky.
3. Fairground
If you visit Paris with kids, they will surely love the fairground part of the Jardin des Tuileries Christmas Market!
You will see beautiful decorations like igloos, dozens of sparkling Christmas trees, big-sized plastic Santas and sleighs with reindeer, and giant candy canes.
Besides the gorgeous venue, the fairground boasts a wide range of activities that will entertain kids of every age.
For the little ones, there are classic merry-go-rounds, slides, and the fun Puppet Theater, while older children can have fun on bumper cars, flying chairs, and all sorts of rides and roller coasters.
4. Ice Skating for Kids and Adults
An activity that can’t be missed from a proper Christmas market is an ice rink! At Jardin des Tuileries, that winter wonderland is in full force thanks to the huge ice skating rink (for Paris standards) that awaits on the Concorde-Rivoli side of the Christmas Market.
With the impressive measure of 1200m2, this year the ice rink is bigger than ever! Lace up your skates, and get ready to have a blast while swirling and admiring Paris’ famous landmarks all around you.
The ice rink at the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market is open every day from 10 am to 7 pm. The entrance fee is 6€ for kids and 10€ for adults.
What to Eat in the Tuileries Christmas Market
There are many fun things to do at the Tuileries Garden 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 big food venue for a sit-on meal.
Among the fantastic savory foods you will find are wursts and tarte flambée from Alsace, many hearty soups, and the must-try tartiflette and raclette. 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.
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).
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).
(Indoor) Things to Do Near the Jardin des Tuileries Christmas Market
The Tuileries Christmas Market is so much fun, but sometimes you may need a break from the freezing outdoor temperatures of winter in Paris.
From incredible museums to charming Seine River cruises to a Christmas-themed Hop-On Hop-Off Bus, here are some ideas of more things you can do during your winter holiday in Paris.
- Visit the Louvre Museum. Check out how to visit the Louvre in 2 hours or less
- Take the Christmas-themed Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
- Take the Hop-On Hop-Off Seine River Cruise (it has a stop near the Tuileries Garden)
- Take a hot chocolate at beautiful Le Café Marly, with views over the Louvre Pyramid
- Admire Monet’s Nympheas (water lillies) at Musée de l’Orangerie
- Wine-tasting at Les Caves du Louvre, built by King Louis XV’s sommelier
