We will be in Paris for 11 nights in mid-December this year. The primary focus for this trip will be to enjoy the Christmas decoration (in addition to a few Fodors GTGs). We’ve been to Paris many, many times before – 3 weeks just last year, plus accumulatively around 2-3 months in the previous 30 years. My wife has around 1,000 pictures available on the multiple chips on her camera, so she is ready to photograph a lot of stuff.

We assume that the obvious venues will be decorated for Christmas:
1. Galleries Lafayette & Printemps
2. Place de la Madeleine
3. Severes-Babylone/Bon Marche/rue du Bac
4. Joan Grace’s recommendation of across Pont Alma, up Montaigne, Rond Point & Champs Elysees
5. Eiffel Tower (our apt has a great view from the windows)
6. Opera Garnier

Does anyone know of any other areas, buildings, or stores that have exceptional decorations?

Are there any “passages” (Vero-Dodat, Jouffroy, etc) that have special decorations or lighting for Christmas? Any ice skating rinks?

We are staying in the 7th, on the corner of R St Dominique & Av de la Bourdonnais.

Thanks!!

Stu Dudley

Stu,

I quite enjoyed the Christmas Market at La Defense. Same standard European Xmas market fare, but it's large, well decorated and in a wonderful location.

I will be in Paris Nov. 18-27. Will there be any Christmas decorations up by then?

Paris Christmas Markets | Europe Forum | Fodor's Travel Talk Forums
A little tour of the Paris Christmas Market in La Defense. Pull up a chair and grab some vin chaud. A little tour of the Paris Christmas ...
http://www.fodors.com/community/.../...s-367860-2.cfm

hi pal,

sadly, that link didn't work for me.

regards, ann

Stu, when we were there two years ago there were beautiful decorations in Place Vendôme. I don't recollect the details, but they were small and quite elegant.

AA

Stu, here is my new website.

Click link below and then Click on Paris 2006 Video for a nine minute music video of our 2006 Trip. The last song is entirely devoted to pictures of Christmas decorations in Paris (and a few from Reims). Let the video load for about five minutes before hitting play. Have a great trip.

http://web.me.com/tomfielding1/Tom_%...e/Welcome.html

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-367860-2.cfm

annhig - a lot of my copied and pasted links don't work - perhaps this one will?

anyway the Noel market at La Defense is the largest in Paris, according to the Paris Visitors & Convention Bureau

The BHV inaugurates its decorations tomorrow.

Among my favorite decorated streets are rue Saint Charles in the 15th and rue des Abbesses/rue Lepic in the 18th and also rue Championnet in the 18th -- but there are lots of others. Last year, I remember being impressed by Place Félix Eboué in the 12th when happening upon it at random.

Every year, the city of Paris subsidizes the decorations of at least one street in each arrondissement. But of course many more merchants' associations also do very nice decorations, such as (one more) rue Montorgueil in the 1st.

well for ice skating rinks (Patinoires) there have been i think ones in front of the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), Montparnasse and last year at least under the Eiffel Tower

Patinoires de Noël : la saison 2008 - Paris.fr - [ Translate this page ]
Venez profiter des plaisirs de la glace en plein air sur les 3 patinoires temporaires installées par la Ville. A l'Hôtel de Ville et à Montparnasse : du 20 ...
www.paris.fr/portail/Sport/Portal.lut?page...

(Ice Skating Eiffel Tower) - Paris ...
Patinoire de la Tour Eiffel (Ice Skating Eiffel Tower) - Paris, France Thing to Do, Things to do in Paris, France, trips to Paris, France, activities in ...
http://www.tripwiser.com/trip_thing_..._Paris_France?...

Don't know if it still occurs but several years ago when our return flight from Paris was canceled due to weather (keep hoping it will recur!) we visited the town of Versailles and the merchants got together to choose a theme which they followed in decorating the streets and their shop displays. Very cool.

Sorry I didn't get back sooner - Mrs Stu has been hogging the PC today.

Thanks for all the great suggestions. Actually, I didn't even consider visiting a Christmas market. The one in La Defense seems like a fun day - we've never visited a Christmas market - don't know what to expect. We had kinda been focusing on pretty window displays, lights, etc.

Has anyone taken an evening Bateau Mouche during Christmas?? Is it anything different from other times of the year.

Anyone know if any special Christmas stuff in the 16th??

Maitaitom. I tried to open your video using AOL/IE - but had some troubles. I'm trying Mozilla Firefox now and it seems to be working, although it is taking much longer than I expected.

Thanks

Stu Dudley

Hi Stu,

At about five minutes of loading it should be about 1/2 way loaded. You can hit play at that time and it should work al the way through. Have a great time in Paris!

maitaitom - your pics are fantastic. After seeing your "production", my wife is even more excited about experiencing all the Christmas stuff (I am too). She noted, however, that you seemed to be pretty cold & "bundled up". Should I buy gloves (I'm a life-long Californian).

Stu Dudley

"Should I buy gloves (I'm a life-long Californian)."

As a life-long Californian myself, my answer is a definite "yes." It gets pretty cold and gloves make life much more bearable. Of course, watching me try to get my gloves and overcoat off in a restaurant was painful. Practice your cold weather techniques. Paris before Christmas is a wonderful experience. Enjoy Stu, and thanks for all the info you have provided on the board. You have been a wealth of information.

Pal, your link didn't work?
Mait, I think I saw my friend, Michael, in one photo?
Stu, lucky you to see Paris a Christmas time

"Mait, I think I saw my friend, Michael, in one photo?:

Yes, in front of the Absinthe shop with Tracy. Remember, Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder.

Tom, and then there was the poet Dowson who said "Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder."

AA

We Foster City residents spent Christmas in Paris one year and it was cold and WET. Be sure to wear good solid shoes that keep your feet dry(and warm socks). Scarf, gloves and hat are musts. My favorite memory is starting at the top of the Champs Elysee at dusk and walking to Place de Concorde as the lights went on. Lots and lots of Christmas lights along the way. Stop for vin chaud along the route.

Stu, You might want to go to a ski shop and pick up some silk thermal underwear..tops and bottoms. Gloves, scarf..wool sweater.

They have Champs Elysees market buildings on both sides of it now. I saw them when here last year. Here is one website:
http://goparis.about.com/od/shopping...masmarkets.htm

Photos up and down Champs Elysees are great..Ellen will get plenty of photos. Everyplace is well decorated, wherever you go.

The St. Sulpice was nice..they are all over.

If you walk across Alma after dark..which is early and on up Montaigne to Rond Point, it will be chilly most likely. It was last year.

I will probably have some pics posted before you leave.

Joan