has anyone been to paris in dec? we are thinking of going in dec for christmas. i know that the weather will not be the best.

Paris is lovely around the holidays. Charming decorations, good shopping, less crowds (tourists) than during the spring/summer. Also, a great time to drink rich red wines, eat all sorts fo daubes, stews, cassoulets...in terms of the weather, I guess it depends on where you're coming from. If you're in a warmer climate, it might seem bad, but coming from where we are (Northeast USA) it doesn't seem bad at all.

I went to Paris last Dec. over Christmas and New Years and the weather wasn't to bad. We had are unbrellas handy and it really only drizzled on and off (everyday), except for our 2nd day which it rained heavily for 30 min. Easily solved by ducking into a shop.

I live in CA and everyone kept telling us of how cold it would be, but with the amount of walking that we did it kept us warm. We just took our jackets that we use here in the Winter (must admit not wool). Would recommend a beret if it gets windy.

I agree with what Hadley mentions except that we found it to be more crowded than we expected. I would suggest that if you plan to go to the Lourve to purchase your tickets in advance(we waited in line for close to 2 hrs) and for Versaille (seperate lines for each tour, well over 1 hr. in each). You'll have a wonderful time!

I LOVE Paris at Christmas. The French really know hot to decorate their town. Screw the weather. It's so unpredictable. Just go prepared for bitter cold and rain.

Holiday shopping there is so much fun. They have such beautiful things you can't find anywhere else.

Let's not even speak of food. I could write a book and there are already too many.

It's true, there are still crowds in Paris at that time. But, perhaps not quite as bad as at the height of the summer tourist season (or maybe I've just been lucky!)

Here's a hint for avoiding some of the lines that Rohani mentioned: you can buy a card at the ticket booth in the Metro called a 'Card Visite' which you can use for both Metro fare and also for entry into many of the museums and attractions in the city. I'm not sure how much it costs at this point, but it's generally a good deal (if you plan on visiting several of the places covered) and allows you to wisk by all those people waiting on line to pay for entry into the Louvre, Pompidou Center, etc.

My husband and I would agree Paris in December is wonderful.

We were well prepared with hats and gloves and our warmest coats, and we occasionally looked like snowmen, but the only time we were not toasty warm was at a PSG soccer match at night. But what can I say, Hubby is footie fanatic!

Go and enjoy!

Oops. Just realized that the card (for the Metro, museums, etc.) I mentioned above is called 'Paris Visite' not Carte Visite.

Paris in the winter is a wonderful experience! We usually prefer May but last January we took the family for a post Christmas gift. There was snow and ice on the ground and one day we even experienced snow flakes! My best investment was Lands End silk thermal underwear! Light weight and very warm. I hope to return to Paris again sometime in the Winter!

I spent Christmas there several years ago, and it was warm (probably 45-50ish) and rainy when I arrived, ~ Dec. 21, and my winter coat was a drag. When I left 10 days later I was glad for the heavy coat and gloves. As with anywhere, it's "very variable"!

Xmas of '99 was a real anomaly when northern France, inc. Paris and environs, were hit with such heavy storms that many of the trees at Versailles and elsewhere were ruined.

Here are some great holiday photos

http://www.artday.com/ma_petite_lett...s_dec2002.html