Paris in December- and where else?
 

My husband and I are in the very beginning stages of planning a week-long trip to Paris this December (or possibly January/February, schedules depending). This would be the first trip for both of us, and given the trajectory of our current lives, will probably be our last European trip for several years. I'm trying to decide if we should add another area/city to our itinerary. Friends have recommended the Loire Valley, but we are also considering London or Amsterdam (also never been to either). We know that the weather will be very cold and not ideal, but we are used to cold weather and I would enjoy what I think might be fewer crowds.

For reference, we went to Italy for our honeymoon in May last year, and spent 2 nights in Venice (stayed in Dorsoduro), 3 in Lake Garda (Malcesine), 3 in CT (Monterosso- at an airbnb walking distance from the town), 3 in Tuscany (Montepulciano), and 4 in Florence (stayed in the Oltrarno district). I loved Malcesine the most, because it felt more off-the-beaten path. I loved the beauty of CT, but especially in May, it felt swarming with loud tourists- I'd love to go back someday in the off-season.

Any suggestions on whether a first-time trip to Paris is worth a week in the off season, or whether adding one other place (and which one!) may be more enjoyable?

I love Paris and have been many times. For me a week is barely enough for repeat visits let alone a first visit. If you go in Dec you will see all the holiday decorations which make a beautiful city even more enchanting. That said we have done a few days in AMS and then moved on to Paris. It's a nice combo and easy to take the train from one to the other. The same could probably be said for a London Paris combo. If you enjoy being in one place, packing and staying put I would just stay in Paris. There will be pelnty to do for a week. If you think you'd like to move around & see a different culture then do a combo. Have fun - you cant go wrong with either choice.

I don't agree that a week is barely enough time, it's plenty for one city. But if you are going in early December, you aren't getting the holiday buzz, I just think it's a pretty dull time of year to travel myself.

I can't imagine why you'd go to the Loire in December, or Jan or February. I think your friends have questionable taste.

London sounds like a good idea. Amsterdam, sure if you want to go there. I think it's pretty gloomy in the winter and would prefer London myself.

I don't think any of these places can even be compared to Italy in May.

You could stay in Paris the whole week or mix with say a few days in Amsterdam or London -fly into one and out of the other. Takes trains in between -www.thalys.com for Paris-Amsterdam and www.eurostar.com for Paris-London - booking early can yield huge discounts over just buying once there. For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

The Loire Valley in winter -NO - oh the chateaux are still marvelous but many are on shortened hours - Versailles would make an easy short day trip by train.

Lyon. Love Lyonnaise cuisine, especially pike quenells.

The old town is interesting, reminds me of Firenze.

Thin

Just to correct a statement above, "<i>going in early December, you aren't getting the holiday buzz</i>. - most holiday decorations are up all of December. One year we were there beginning Thanksgiving and they were already up.
https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering...tions-in-paris

Lyon would be a nice place to visit also -- we had a great week there in January.

I agree with yes travel re early December in Paris. We've gone several times at that time of year and have enjoyed the "holiday buzz" all over the city. It works for us as we can enjoy Paris and still be home with family later in December.

I would stay a week in Paris but perhaps do day trips....Versailles was lovely the year we went in December and we enjoyed the Christmas markets in Reims and Strasbourg.

We were in Barcelona and Madrid in late November a couple of years ago and all the lights, decorations and Christmas Markets went live on Black Friday. They even called it Black Friday (in English!) and had sales, even though the day before (Thanksgiving in the US) was just an ordinary day. I wouldn't be surprised if Paris is similar.

We always travel to Paris the first weekend in Dec for our anniversary and love the holiday atmosphere and lights. Late November doesn't have the same buzz though.

You can see our Paris pics here, most are from the first few days of Dec.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gi...57636716043473

Thank you all for the feedback so far! I hadn't done much research on the Loire Valley when I posted, but now that I've read a bit more, I don't think we will visit on this trip.

Any thoughts on Provence in December? Again, we don't mind when things are off-season.

@jamikins- loved the photos- thank you for sharing! And if your name indicates that you have a pug, we are picking up ours in less than two weeks- so excited!

With only one week, I would only do Paris.

Kmb1116 - enjoy every minute of you pug! We love ours so much!!

Happy planning! I would love to have a week in Paris this year!

We've visited Paris twice during late November & early December. Ten nights each trip. The holiday stuff is certainly in full swing. December is our favorite time of year in Paris - by far.

We were also there for 2 weeks in September on one trip, 10 days in June on another, 10 days in Sept on another, 1 week in June on another, 3 weeks in Sept/Oct on another, and 2 weeks in Oct just 2 years ago. We'll be there for 3 weeks in Sept/Oct next year. I had extensive plans for day-trips outside of Paris on all of these past visits. We did not do any of them. We found it impossible to leave Paris.

Stu Dudley

I know what you mean, Stu. We couldn't tear ourselves away from Paris to do any day trips.

day trips can be left in flux -usually regional trains that give no reduction for booking weeks early like on long-distance trains. If you feel after X days in Paris you want to do a day trip then do it -trains like those are always easy to get on. Chartres for the great Gothic cathedral or Reims for Champagne tours and another famous cathedral would be easy -but I think for you limited time yes spend it in Paris -Versailles to me is part of Paris and makes a great excursion (as said by someone above).

Just one more who has been to Paris in late November and early December and really loved it; it was one of my favorite Paris trips. There were Christmas markets.

I too would vote for staying put with possible day trips, with just a week.

I must add that if you go to Reims, please make a point to visit the Cathedral of St Remi, one of the most beautiful churches I've ever been lucky enough to visit. Our traveling companion took a champagne tour while we went to St Remi, and I think we had the better experience. She was disappointed, and we were thrilled.

While you have considered the chances of damp cold -- pretty good chance -- you should also take into account that these will be the longest nights and shortest daylight of the year. Short, because Paris is further north than North Americans recognize.
France is famous for its verdant countryside which will be far from green and pleasant on the verge of winter. Any time is the right time for Paris and the other cities but your trip will necessarily be one based on the indoors.

One of the fun things in Paris during December is just walking around and looking in small shop windows, particularly groceries. You'll see many holiday delights featured and elegant displays. Don't miss the gourmet section at the Bon Marché department store and be sure to see the window displays at Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette.

Ditto Underhill.

We loved picking up a dozen oysters already shelled at an Oyster stand on Rue Cler, & taking them back to the apt & having them before a dinner of moules au Curry. An Epoisses after the moules was quite enjoyable. The apt stank for several days after.

Here is a little trip report I made after our first December trip.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-was-paris.cfm

Stu Dudley

Thanks so much for all the helpful feedback! We are now sold on staying put (and visiting Versailles), with the potential for a day trip if we feel the urge.

Any suggestions on neighborhoods? Friends have suggested the Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés. We definitely prefer quieter areas that are still walkable (I lived on the Upper West Side for several years and loved that area for its residential feel with easy access to parks, good restaurants, etc.). We loved the Oltrarno and Dorsoduro areas in Florence and Venice.

I have also since found out that I'm expecting our first baby, and if all goes well, will be about 26 weeks along. I don't know how much/if this will impact our ability/desire to explore. We are used to walking many miles a day, especially on vacation, but I understand I may feel a bit slower by then.

You could visit Strasbourg's Christmas market from Paris, if you want more bang for your buck than you'll get from the Marchés de Noël on the Champs-Elysées.
Two days should do it, then back to Paris.
Buy tickets 90 days ahead for best prices.

Congratulations! How exciting for you!

Paris is a very walkable city. You can walk for hours and when you get tired take a bus or the metro. Its very easy to get around Paris. We have also enjoyed staying in Oltrano in Florence. In NYC I'm a bit more LES and used to really like SOHO. In Paris I like the 3rd or 4th arrrondisement, but for a first visit any of the single digit arrondisements would be a good choi as its more in the center and closer to the attractions. Read some descriptions of each arrondisement and decide which best fits you. It's like NYC in that each area has a personality of its own. Here are descriptions by a former NYC'er, but if you google you'll find lots.
https://youngadventuress.com/2013/02...nts-guide.html

https://www.google.com/search?q=la+d...w=1920&bih=950

Some say the Chirstmas Market in Paris' La Defense is as good as any in France at least.

Some say the Chirstmas Market in Paris' La Defense is as good as any in France at least.>>

But the point isn't just what can you buy, I presume, La Defense may be fine in that regard. But it's a modern business complex and a shopping mall, it's not the same ambiance as central Strasbourg at all. So it depends why you are going. If just to buy more "stuff", sure, it would be fine.

Any part of Paris is walkable within the neighborhood, pretty much, but it is denser in the center as that was the first part of the city. So outer edges of the 15th, for example, aren't so exciting to walk around, and same for 16th-20th, things just can be farther apart.

Marais and St Germain would be fine, though, can't go too far wrong for first-timers. I think there are more hotels in St Germain. Even the 7th arrondisment arouned rue Cler and Ecole Militaire would be fine as it's very walkable in the surrounding area, sure you need to take metro or bus to go to Louvre, etc., but you aren't going to be able to walk to everything from anywhere, unless you didn't do much, of course. Around Ecole Militaire is more quiet and residential than heart of St Germain, also. Plus, hotels are a bit cheaper around there.

I would never pick the Marais or St Germain as a "quiet" area in particular, although parts can be, but not if you are near the main busy streets with all the tourists and traffic.

Have been to the La Defence Christmas markets recently as well as the London Christmas market and was underwhelmed by both. A a pale imition of the German markets such as Berlin, Munich etc. Have not been to Strasbourg but have heard good things about it

Thank you for the well wishes, yestravel, and thank you for that helpful link! My husband is a former LESider himself :)

I'm not sure I've ever been to a proper Christmas market (do the ones in NYC count?), so I'm enjoying this debate. We are not big shoppers, even around the holidays, so we would be going more for the ambiance.

You could go to Strasbourg's market - Google this year's dates, they do change.
Then, you could take a 30 minute train ride to Colmar and explore the area, which is charming.
Go on the earliest available train or maybe spend one night in either city.

I'd recommend staying in Paris in a hotel in the 10ème, 11ème or 12ème arrondissements.
Good outdoor markets, inventive restaurants, etc.