Christmas Holidays

I%26#39;m thinking of visiting Paris for a few days between Christmas and New Year ( about Dec 26th - 30th) and would like to know if shops, restaurants, museums etc. generally open during this period. My partner and I enjoy good food and cultural amenities so any advice regading activites which may be of interest to us around this time

would be much appreciated.

Pat.

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It%26#39;s family time, most srores close early on Christmas eve, and New Years eve but there are always some Mom and Pop stores open but it is really not a very active period during this holiday. Restuarants I have not noticed open, but there may be some. Unless you have family in France it is not the best time to visit, just my opinion. Personally, I love the quiet, the ability to explore, find new routes to new places. Find a cafe%26#39; for cafe%26#39; or wine. Have fun.

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Many thanks Ancey. Could you please let me know how long the holiday lasts in Paris-i.e does everything close on Christmas eve and not reopen until New Year ?

In Dublin most shops start their Winter sales around Dec 28th and so there is a buzz of activity until NYE and then another couple of quiet days before people go back to work.

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Museums and business usually close for the 25th and the 1st, but are open between the two, with the exception of smaller Mom and Pop restaurants. No sales until mid-January-ish.

Mostly lots of people on holidays, strolling around and enjoying hte city. Ice skating at Hotel de Ville, drinking decadently rich hot chocolate and taking the ferris wheel are some of our seasonal highlights. Oh yes, and the free merry go rounds throughout the city.

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sounds perfect!! I know that a lot of the better restaurants in Dublin close for the whole holiday ( usually to give their staff time to recover from the previous six weeks of madness!!). Is it the same in Paris or is it possible to find a good bistro or restaurant open between Christmas and New Year?

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Phread,

We are starting our honeymoon in paris from 23 - 26th December and can%26#39;t wait. Will try to arrange restaurants beforehand and hoping to book Vaudeville near the Bourse (ate their before and both love it). Others not sure about.

Just one question though, where can we find that decadent hot chocolate? Staying on Boulevard Montmartre.

Also, what is Sacre Coeur like on Christmas Day? Mass times etc?

Read your advice on other threads. Many thanks.

David

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That%26#39;s it - I%26#39;m going!! I%26#39;ve booked flights for the 26th and returning 30th - it%26#39;ll be a surprise Christmas present for my better half!

Just have to book a hotel now. The plan is to relax and soak up the atmosphere on the streets and in cafes, enjoy some nice food and wine and hopefully visit some museums if they are open. Any suggestions for an area to stay that will tick the boxes? Basically I%26#39;m looking for somewhere with plenty of people, cafes, restaurants etc.

Apologies to the regular posters who%26#39;ve probably answered thousands of variants of this question- I would query the archives but I don%26#39;t have a key word that will narrow the search. Many thanks.

Pat.

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I%26#39;m hoping to go to Paris the same time as you but the fares have shot up recently.....should have booked it when I saw a good price but will persevere.

We%26#39;ve been away the same time for the last two years, to Rome and to Barcelona. It%26#39;s a great time to go away, we seem to be making a habit of it now. We%26#39;ve found that everything%26#39;s open and full of tourists. You may even get lucky with the weather !

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Hey Honeymooners! From the rink you can stroll up the rue de Rivoli to Angelina%26#39;s and order an African, which is really just a melted chocolate bar served in a tea cup, with a serving of whipped cream on the side. Does not get much more decadent than that!

Actually, that one is a bit rich for my blood and we will usually continue all the way to the Place de la Concord and head up the rue Royale to Laduree, which is an elegant old tea salon with some excellent pastries. It is a long walk, but you have to burn it off some how. Afterwards, there may be a ferris wheel in the Tuileries for a nice view of the city.

When we are without kids, we skip the hot chocolate altogether and head from the ice skating rink to the Brasserie en L%26#39;Ile on the Ile St Louis (2-3 blocks south of the rink) and enjoy one of the best hot wines in the city.

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uncle pat - I%26#39;ve been twice around Christmas time and never had a problem finding something to do or someplace to eat. You will need to check the museums and make sure you don%26#39;t show up on days they are closed. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is the Musée D%26#39;Orsay which is closed every Tuesday (Dec 26th. for your trip.) As far as a search, try %26quot;Christmas%26quot;, %26quot;New Year(s)%26quot; and %26quot;NYE%26quot; and you should find plenty of posts about visiting Paris during holiday time.

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I second the Ladurée suggestion, but go to the rue Bonaparte location.

TWO of my Paris friends confirmed on my recent trip to Paris that they have seen MICE in the location on r. Royale.