Paris in January

With a trip to Amsterdam, and another to Normandy beaches, in 5 days, I'm not sure this thread should be titled "Paris in January." Just when will you be IN Paris? ;)

Whether in Paris or Amsterdam for NYE, you won't be invited to parties because you don't know anyone. Restaurants and nightclubs will be busy everywhere. None of that is my idea of fun, but it is for some people. The reason Amsterdam is promoting a big light show is because they are trying to compete with Paris. Because Paris is always lit up pretty. And because Paris has this giant tower thing that goes all sparkly-like at midnight. Stay in Paris.

Being on the Champs Elysées on New Year's Eve was a lot of fun the year we were there. It was very mild so we sat on the sidewalk with our bottle of wine, and watched the singing and dancing that all the others were enjoying. The gendarmes were greatly in evidence but did not interfere with the goings-on. They stood back, with arms crossed, seeming to be observers only, but everyone knew that if things got out of hand they'd be on it in a minute.

Since this is your first trip, you should slow down and enjoy Paris. I'd forget going to Amsterdam, which will eat two of those days, or Normandy because you'll have very little daylight in January. It's best to stay in Paris, enjoy the lights, markets, art work, food, and take a real vacation. You have only five days, enjoy them instead of running around.

I agree with Norma, Bets, and the rest. (And Karen - hah! Excellent comment! As for you noale.berger... great idea! Never heard of it. Thanks!)

Stay in Paris. It is ENTRANCING over the New Year's holiday. And romantic?! Fuggedaboutit! Sooooo romantic. I encourage you to skip the side trips and just concentrate on the most beautiful city in Europe (IMHO) when she is all dressed up in tinsel and colorful flocking and magical lights.

Hang out at the wonderful Christmas market along the Champs-Élysées: it's chockablock with stalls hawking gifts, local cheese and sausages and savories, roasted chestnuts, warming delicious mushroom soup, and hot mulled wine. Take in the light show on the Eiffel Tower - it happens every night, starting at dusk. The perfect place to watch is from Trocadero, looking over the river.

If you like shopping, the "grands magasins" (Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, etc.) are all spectacularly decorated for Christmas and well worth a visit. Actually, at this time of year, there's hardly a shop that isn't gotten up with cheerful decorations.

And of course there's everything else in Paris to do... hang out under a cozy heat lamp at an outdoor cafe, people-watching and sipping vin chaud... stroll along the Seine and check out les bouquinistes... see Notre Dame in her holiday finery.... visit Sainte-Chapelle and marvel at the eye-popping stained glass (or catch a concert)...

As for New Year's Eve itself? NOT "underwhelming." I am sure Amsterdam has a light show. And I know that recently Paris hasn't done "official" fireworks. But it's a huge party all along the Champs-Élysées, or you could head up to Montmarte and get a stunning view of the skyline at night, then go someplace and grab a glass of champagne...

Anyway, that's just me. I love Paris, and visit almost every year at Christmas, so I am partial. :-)

Paris is a great winter city. All the cultural events are in full swing like the opera and such. Weather is lousy and daylight ends early but there are great indoor venues from small museums to large museums to covered shopping passages to great restaurants to small intimate restaurants and bars. There are no fireworks but I sure wouldn't waste two days traveling to Amsterdam for a light show. This is also a terrible time of year for a quick trip to Normandy; we did 5 days in Normandy in late October and that was okay with drizzly weather but reasonable daylight -- by January it will be cold and gloomy -- not the right time of year for what is basically an outdoors visit. To do the Normandy beach/cemetery visit would take more than a day from Paris.

Get a nice restaurant reservation for New Year's Eve (early) and plan to spend a bit on it -- or if you rent an apartment the shops are full of cool holiday treats. We, one year, had a boned pate stuffed duck trussed up and ready to go in the oven from our local butcher.

This is why I love this forum! I really appreciate all of your responses, I hear you loud and clear! We will be staying put in Paris and enjoying our short time there. You know when you are in the planing stages of a trip you can get over zealous, it really helps to be brought back down to earth.

THANK YOU.

Steve

All your fairy godmothers are giving a sigh of relief. We look forward to any other questions and reading your trip report after the vacation.

I'm sure you'll never regret focusing five days on Paris.

Bets, now I'm picturing you, me, Norma, Kira, and Janet as Steve's fairy godmothers, looking like the cartoon ones in Disney's Sleeping Beauty! We'll sprinkle some fairy dust on you, Steve.

You all are so fun to read!