Experience the magic of Christmas in Paris: 5 good reasons to come to Paris for the Christmas vacations!

Illuminations, store windows, traditional markets, fairy-tale shows and Parisian entertainment: celebrating Christmas in the French capital is an incomparable experience. Whether you’re coming from the other side of the world or the rest of France, prepare to be dazzled by the splendor of Christmas in Paris. Close to the Montparnasse train station, our 4-star hotel is the ideal place to experience this enchantment.

Marvel at the Christmas lights in Paris

Take a stroll along the capital’s most famous avenues, which offer magical illuminations for the winter and Christmas season: Avenue des Champs-Elysées and Avenue Montaigne. The Champs-Elysées is famous for its stores, cinemas, theaters, cafés, restaurants and famous monuments such as the Grand Palais and the Arc de Triomphe. For the festive season, shopkeepers promise window displays and decorations over a length of more than 2 km, making it Europe’s busiest shopping street.

Avenue Montaigne is the luxurious avenue that concentrates the greatest couturiers, jewelers, designers, palaces, restaurants and theaters that make tourists dream for the winter season. Ideal for Christmas shopping and admiring the fairy-tale decorations, it is located in one of Paris’s most beautiful districts, offering a unique experience to all who visit, thanks to its 200-year history. 

The famous Iron Lady remains the capital’s most famous landmark, and you can admire her illuminations in the evening from the private terrace of your room overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Up close and personal, she’ll transport you into the magic of Christmas. What could be more sparkling?

As the City of Light lives up to its name during the festive season, don’t miss the chance to admire the lights in the lesser-known areas of Montmartre, Bercy Village and the famous Place Vendôme.

Find the perfect gift for your Christmas in Paris

What would Christmas be without a Christmas tree? It’s been a Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann tradition since 1976. Every winter, the Coupole welcomes its majestic Christmas tree of the year, to delight young and old alike. Ready for another edition?

Printemps Haussmann comprises three buildings: the nine-storey Printemps de la Mode, the seven-storey Printemps de la Beauté et de la Maison and the seven-storey Printemps de l’Homme. Printemps du Luxe was created in 2001 to enable tourists and the French to shop year-round, especially during the Christmas season in Paris.

Just a 10-minute walk from the Hôtel Le Littré, in the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, is the historic Le Bon Marché. Located on the corner of rue de Sèvres and rue du Bac, it was one of the first Parisian department stores to appear. Women’s, men’s and children’s fashions, accessories, tableware and design pieces, as well as cultural exhibitions and collections of furniture and contemporary art. Whether you’re looking to give a gift to your loved ones or prepare a fine meal for the festive season, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for among the high-quality products on offer. Let yourself be carried away to the streets of Sèvres Babylone, where you’ll find plenty of stores to shop for your Christmas Eve dinner.

Enjoy typical French Christmas dishes during your stay in Paris

Taste the delights of gourmet Christmas markets: gingerbread, chocolates, fine cheeses. Visit the Christmas markets in the Tuileries, Notre-Dame, BHV Marais or at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. The Gare de l’Est Christmas market is ideal for discovering Alsatian specialties. Explore the Christmas markets not only in Paris, but also in the Ile-de-France region, where you’ll find beautiful French handcrafted gifts. Enjoy them on the spot, or serve them for the traditional New Year’s Eve party!

To sample the specialties of the festive season, explore the best addresses in Montparnasse: Le Petit Littré, La Grande Ourse, La Rotonde… Looking for an original Yule log? Push open the door of the patisserie La Meringaie to discover its succulent Christmas wreath.

Restaurants in the Montparnasse and Saint-Germain-des-Prés districts offer an elaborate menu for Christmas in Paris, perfect for diners looking to savor good seasonal produce. In the heart of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, Brasserie Lipp, recognizable by its varnished mahogany façade, serves traditional French cuisine. The dishes are of the highest quality, and include Osciètre Petrossian caviar and Perles de l’Impératrice du Cap-Ferret oysters. 

Next to the Opéra, the Grand Café des Capucines offers a wide choice of seafood platters, as do the Café de la Paix, La Coupole and La Closerie des Lilas in the Montparnasse district. Last but not least, Paris boasts two Bouillon Chartier restaurants, a historic one on the Grands Boulevards and a more recent one in Montparnasse Bienvenüe. The traditional menu at reduced prices remains a safe bet for Christmas Eve with family or friends.

Parisian shows and entertainment for the Christmas season

The Nutcracker is definitely one of the world’s best-known and best-loved ballets, a great idea for an outing with your children, as a couple or with friends. During the 2023 Christmas vacations, discover a ballet of enchanting colors in a live concert at the Seine Musicale Auditorium. From December 26 to the end of the year, enjoy this Tchaikovsky composition. Be surprised by the music, enchanted by the costumes, and fall back into childhood.

Come and see the Lion King musical, a worldwide success that enchants young and old alike, playing until May 2024 at the Théâtre Mogador in Paris. Hans Zimmer’s musical talent, Garth Fagan’s captivating choreography and Julie Taymo’s meticulously designed puppets and costumes bring the animals of the savannah to life.

The most enchanting show of all is at Disneyland Paris, where you can experience the park’s enchanted Christmas through the illuminations of the Christmas tree and the musical show. Enjoy the magical play of light and color right into the New Year. Meet Santa Claus in the company of Disney characters dressed in their finest holiday costumes. Many surprises await you on this family outing.

Ice rinks fill up at Christmas time, and of course during the school vacations. In the heart of a Christmas market or perched on a rooftop: try your hand at this sliding sport at one of the many ice rinks in Paris and the Ile de France region. Whether it’s for a romantic rendezvous, a competition between friends, or a moment of sharing with your children, this is the must-do winter activity!

Christmas enchantment at the Hotel Le Littré, a hotel in Montparnasse close to Saint Germain des Prés

Make the most of the Christmas vacations at the Hôtel Le Littré by booking a room with a view of the Eiffel Tower or the Sacré-Coeur. If you’re coming as a family, our Deluxe Family rooms are ideal for welcoming parents and children in the same room for a warm and welcoming experience worthy of a 4-star hotel. For the Christmas season, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree will be set up in the hotel lobby, along with decorations to welcome you. Hotel Le Littré wants to be its guests’ second home, especially for Christmas in Paris. To delight children, little treats will be hidden under the Christmas tree on December 25.