Christmas in Paris. What do I need to know?
 

Serendipity. Earlier this week I chatted with a friend who was looking for non-hotel lodging for her visiting family, when I mentioned that we were hoping to travel somewhere for Christmas, if we could find a sitter for DDog.

The "children" (17 and 22) chorused, "Lapland!" but at this late date only soggy igloo lodging remains, so the Arctic Circle was off the table. I spent too many hours yesterday building a matrix of the "to where" and the "at what cost," before the light bulb went on. Why not Paris? Though we have visited collectively more than a dozen times, we have not spent Christmas in this beautiful city.

Flights? Cheap. Lodging? Affordable apartments remain at this late date! It was a sign.

But before I push the buttons that will spring all the Euros from my pocketbook...

We would arrive late morning on 23 December. Presumably we could still procure items for Christmas dinner (e.g. duck? goose?) Would I need to order ahead? If not, pasta it will be.
Museums and the like are open on 24 December, correct? What about Grocers?
25 December closures are not a problem.
26 December. Museum closures won't be a problem, will they?

And, can we find a Christmas tree on 23 December?

In advance, thank you!

I noticed my florist shop still had Christmas trees out front on Christmas Eve.

Have you checked on the museum web sites for opening hours? My neighborhood doesn't do much in the way of duck or goose but friends serving those have had to order in advance from their local.

Up until 7pm on Christmas eve, all of the food commerces will be in a frenzy of gastronomic sales.

And there is Picard for extraordinary stuffed capons, lobster tails and other such necessities.

Thank you, everyone! The "important" parts for this last-minute holiday will be the Christmas tree and something delicious to eat on 24 December (I'm liking stuffed capons and lobster tails...).

Museum closures aren't so much of an issue; we have visited many, so a day or two spent wandering Paris and perhaps a trip to Disney Paris (entirely the idea of the "children") will more than fill this impromptu holiday.

fourfor, since you live in Europe, I assume you know about the problems with illegal apartment rentals in Paris, so know to look for the registration number in the ads.

Spending Christmas in Paris sounds just wonderful! Have a great time and do check out the "extraordinary stuffed capons, lobster tails and other such necessities." and report back!

Some museums closer early on Christmas Eve, even if they are open. Dec. 26th is not a national holiday, no reason museums would be closed abnormally, and Wednesday isn't a typical closing date for any I know of.

There are Christmas trees available at the florist shops even after Christmas, since Orthodox Christmas is two weeks later and there is no lack of the faithful in the Paris region.

I had no problem finding a legal apartment for next month. Picards at Christmas!! So glad I have an oven and microwave. I think Christmas in Paris would be wonderful. We will be there the first couple weeks of Dec. Check out Denisea's trip reports. Friend's booked Lapland for 2019. Christmas day with everything closed might be very fun. I am sure a few places will be opened.

Yes, come to Paris for Christmas! This will be my 3rd year in a row in Paris. It is simply wonderful for the holiday. It's so festive with excitement in the air. You won't have any problem finding a tree and food stores will be open the 23rd and 24th albeit quite busy. But, that's part of the fun. Enjoy!

What do you need to know?
It's magical.
Absolutely magical at Christmas.
I "skipped" Christmas and escaped the holidays at home. Dealing with grief and some really hard knocks. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. No regrets.
You'll figure out the tree. You'll figure out the food.
Christmas Eve was a concert at St. Chapelle -
https://www.classictic.com/en/christ...d060943ae92fa5
After wandering Rodin's garden -
Plan your visit - Paris | Rodin Museum
Dinner was absolutely fabulous.
Christmas Day was services at the American church -
https://www.acparis.org/
Walking to the restaurant for lunch, I passed a bakery open with workers busily making Yule logs. I regret not buying one.
Wandering at the base of the Eiffel tower, through the Christmas market and watching families ice skate, the kids using sleds. I don't think they still have the ice skating rink there any longer.
Everything about Christmas in Paris was marvelous. Do go! I don't think you will regret it.

So many "Thank yous" to extend up and down this thread! Great information all around. :)

Just purchased the airline tickets. Lodging is next. Friends have offered their home, which sits on the avenue leading to Versailles, but I am disinclined because I/we want to be in Paris for Christmas. We have only ever stayed in the 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th and twice in the 16th (friend's house) and will probably stay in either the 4th, 5th, or 6th again for convenience, which I know will come at a price this late in the game.

As others have said, there are Christmas trees all over. Last year we stayed outside of Paris and shopped at the largest Carrefour in France (multiple times). Their Christmas assortment (in addition to their normal 'stuff') was unbelievable. I would add that the place was an absolute mad house on the 23rd and 24th. If you could go on a weekday morning, there were few people there. Loved it !

Just as a side note, if you will be in the need for boxes to put presents in, I found those harder to locate. You could always find wrapping paper and gift bags (at what I considered a high price), but gift boxes were nearly impossible to find. The gift bags were cheapest at the small shops that sell all kinds of cheap stuff. There is also a HUGE Tati in the 9eme that would be a good source for this type of thing on the cheap.

1994, thank you. The "children" are 17 and 22; aside from a few small gifts that "Santa" will leave for them on Christmas morning, they are quite thrilled to have Paris be their Christmas gift. I'm not sure I could find a box large enough to gift wrap Paris, anyway. :)

The afternoon of 23 December is now dedicated shopping time in order to prepare for Christmas. Should be crazy fun!

In that case, wear your knee pads, shoulder pads and helmets!

Have a wonderful time! I am envious.

Picard's wonderful foods come frozen--keep that in mind when planning cooking times. Oh, those appetizers!

I was in Paris one Christmas Day and was shocked to find many shops and cafes and restaurants open and even some museums! People were all about strolling around. The French celebrate Christmas Christmas Eve with a traditional meal Christmas Eve - nothing much family wise on Christmas Day - I spent several Xmases with French in-laws and none ever did any family thing on Christmas Day. They always at Christmas Eve dinner after the older folks returned from midnight mass- a tradition in their family and many.

And if into skating check out the large ice rink put up in front of the Hotel de Ville - rent skates and skate around in beautiful surroundings:

https://www.google.com/search?q=hote...w=1269&bih=610

And IME the elaborate Christmas-themed decorated windows of the Grands Magasins - Galeries Lafayette and Au Printemps by the Opera are the best and draw throngs of folks: https://www.google.com/search?q=gran...w=1269&bih=610

And hit the Christmas Markets - though you see plenty of these in Austria - many are open thru Jan 6 or so: https://www.google.com/search?q=chri...w=1269&bih=610

"In that case, wear your knee pads, shoulder pads and helmets!" I have shopped the NYC Bloomingdales on the day after American Thanksgiving. Paris will be a breeze. :)

I am excited for Picards! So many delicious choices; I just hope there will be something remaining when we arrive.

We have found an apartment in Saint Germaine through Vacation in Paris, so no worries about improper apartment-letting. Not the one I really wanted, but I was willing to sacrifice a four-story climb (no lift) for the one we settled on: bright and spacious, lovely kitchen and with room for a (small) Christmas tree. We'll have the holiday dinners in the apartment.

Thank you, Pal. The Christmas markets are something I shall research for the closing hours. The "children" are all in for iceskating at Hotel de Ville, too; talking them into looking at holiday windows might be a stretch, we'll see.

That will be a lovely holiday.

Just one thing >>We have found an apartment in Saint Germaine through Vacation in Paris, so no worries about improper apartment-letting. <<

Is the registration number included in the listing? Simply being offered by an agency doesn't mean it is legal.

Absolutely! Too many Euros floating out of the pocketbook to cut corners on an illegal rental. :)

Vacation in Paris, If they give you Joseph as your meet and greeter tell him you will get to the apartment on your own. He will want you to use his driver who is not legal for Airport pickups, did not have a sign, kept us waiting for over an hour, texted while he drove, did not know where he was going and charged us 65.00 My husband was mad but I was even madder when he basically said I lied about where we were to meet. Car rental was the meetup and he was there but waiting outside the gate, not at the inside counter or even the outside building. Freezing cold, we had a person at both locations. My husband finally went asking random people if they were our driver. Then he did not want to give me two sets which we had agreed on. He is a nightmare. We had been in France for a week and had returned our car at 2 and never got to the apartment till five.

I swore I would use hotels from then on but found a legal apartment for upcoming trip with Airbnb.

The "children" are all in for iceskating at Hotel de Ville, too; talking them into looking at holiday windows might be a stretch, we'll see.>

Well all ages love the Christmas windows and they can do some shopping too!

We have found an apartment in Saint Germaine through Vacation in Paris,

It is actually Saint Germain, US tourist usually pronounce as Germaine, which is the female form in French. Germain was a man, it is pronounced closer to 'German' than 'Germaine'.
- I know that this doesn't bring anything to the topic ;-) but since I mentioned it I join the life of Germain, Bishop of Paris in the 6th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germain_of_Paris

I don't think that the fans of "Saint Germaine" will ever pay attention, not even if we tell them if it were really Germaine, it would be Sainte Germaine instead of Saint Germaine. Just a silly detail for them.

Some tourists DO know it is more like 'german' than 'germane'

​​​​​​​

Overheard from a (very loud) young Canadian tourist on a train in Italy: "They made us study French for four years in school. A complete waste of time! I just didn't get it. What's this gender thing, anyway?"

thibaut, thank you for the correction. I know the correct spelling is Germain; must have been a typo. And, I also know how it is pronounced; though if I did not, our DD who is B2 is French would have promptly corrected me. :)

Macross, thank you. We plan to take the RER to Sainte German (see what I did there?) and can easily walk to the apartment.

Joseph Ran***** I don't want to type his whole name out. If you have not received his emails then you are all good. We have rented with them three times and he was our meet and greeter once. My husband has a medical issue and sometimes needs to go back to the apartment and rest, also likes to do different things than me, why we like having two sets of keys. I saw pictures last night of the Christmas lights going up. So exciting. I am not even a Christmas person.

Macross, our "meeter and greeter" is David Somebody, so I think/hope we're good.

I am totally a Christmas person. Though, I did feel a bit like a slacker at the grocery today when the Oma behind me hoisted a case (12kg) of flour; 6 cartons of eggs; and around 12 packages of dried fruit onto the conveyor. I will probably smell the baking Stollen on my afternoon outings with DDog this week. :)

Well, I went to see the Christmas windows on boulevard Haussmann today, and as usual they have spared no expense.

Kerouac, I'm looking forward to viewing your annual videos of the Christmas windows!

We've got a four-week holiday in Paris coming up that will cover Christmas and New Year's...
already some good recs here but a couple more: pre-order a bûche de Noël from a recommended patisserie and try to go for an afternoon holiday tea at a special salon, if you like that kind of thing. We do and have reservations at two places.
We plan to order and pick up a good roast chicken for Christmas Eve. NYE we have tickets for the gala at the Garnier opera house, so no dinner plans, but will lay in charcuterie favorites for eating at home on New Year's Day.

Or buy one of the amazing bûches at Picard and save a bundle.

Okay, I'm no expert but this is one of my favorite memories. Paris at Christmas. Walking from the service at the American Church in Paris to the restaurant where I made a reservation for lunch. I was shocked to see a patisserie open on Christmas afternoon and a team busily working on more! So I googled to find the name and location -Aux Merveilleux De Fred
94 Rue Saint-Dominique, 75007 Paris, France

http://www.auxmerveilleux.com/home_en/

Here are some photos -
https://lechocolatdanstousnosetats.c...de-fred-paris/

But more amazing than anything else, I just learned they have one in NYC!!! I've always regretted not buying one on Christmas Day then. But now I'll have a second chance! ((l))

After lunch, I walked another block to sit on a bench and gaze at the Eiffel Tower and pinch myself. Visited the Christmas market at the base (no longer there I understand) and watch kids ice skate.

Honestly, an amazing way to spend a Christmas Day.

Edited to add a link to a photo from the NYC FB page -

And learned they were chosen as the top bakery in NY state. Excited to visit them soon!

How many are on the trip? 3 or 4.
If 3, I have a fabulous idea!

If you are interested in the bouche de Noël you might want to look into taking the special class offered at La Cuisine Paris. I took it last year and brought home my masterpiece to bring to Christmas Eve dinner at my friends house.

Bûche de Noël, not bouche. Une bouche (d'égoût ?) is not that appetziing, Xmas or not.
I also recommend the Picard one.

Entrance to a bouche de Noël:

Sorry it was a typo