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Christmas 2024 in Paris

Hi My family and I will be in Paris over Christmas week. We are a group of 8 and all adults ranging in age from 21 to 70. This is my third time to Paris but never in winter. Does anyone have suggestions for things to do on Christmas Day? Also, I would really appreciate restaurant recommendations especially for Christmas Eve/Christmas.

We plan on getting the museum pass and hiring a private guide for our group of 8 but I am not sure what the best sight would be to have a guide. I was thinking maybe Versailles might be good to have a guide. Any ideas or suggestions that anyone has would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You, Denise

Posted by
1327 posts

You will probably have a hard time finding an open restaurant on Christmas Day, and maybe on Christmas Eve after early afternoon. Perhaps restaurants in international hotels will be open for meals. Whatever you find, make reservations well in advance. Many sights will be closed.

I don't think you need a private guide for Versailles. Please look at the website for Versailles for options about tours there. Many people do not buy the museum pass because you can no longer make multiple entries to a museum with the pass due to timed entry requirements. Just reserve your time (as early in the day as possible for the Louvre orOrsay) and order tickets online. Take a look at what is covered with the museum pass and see if you can or want to or have time to go to all the places. Once you have an idea of what you can see, check out the prices individually. And remember, a museum pass doesn't get around security check lines and a timed entry is required for the Louvre, Orsay, Ste. Chappelle and many other places. "Skip the line" passes do not mean you walk right in to most places. You can guess that I am not a fan of the pass since the "one use only" rule came into being and made it less of a bargain.

Winter will mean early sunsets, so walking tours (say, with Paris Walks) need to be done earlier on the day. There should be some great Christmas decorations in the city and in stores, etc. Pore over some guidebooks (There are many in the library. They don't have to be the latest issue.) to make a rough plan for your time in Paris. Then you will see if or when you need a private guide.

Oh yes! Notre Dame will be open by then. You might want to attend a mass there (it will be crowded, but the church is huge) on Christmas Day. St. Sulpice church is beautiful and has wonderful music. Of course, you may not want to attend a service that doesn't fit your comfort zone. It will be a religious service first and foremost. And I would try to find a concert somewhere over Christmas. Paris has lots of music venues. I don't know about Christmas Eve/Day though. But after dark you could do a lot worse than an organ or chorale concert.

Best of luck and I hope you have a joteux Noel!

Posted by
172 posts

You might consider saving the Eiffel Tower for Christmas Day, in case that was in your plans. It’s always open on Christmas.

I’d be happy to share restaurant recommendations with you, but they’re mostly in the 11th and 12th, where I choose to stay in Paris. Not sure you’re interested in traveling that far for dinner.

Posted by
1004 posts

We ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant in Paris on XMAS Day. Later in the day, we ate at a bar/bistrot near our hotel, one of the continuous service joints...

We found plenty of places to eat in Montmartre on XMAS Eve, no reservations needed (but probably smart to have one for a group of 8)...

Life goes on, even in Paris, on XMAS Eve and XMAS Day...we found ourselves on the Champs Elysee on XMAS, enjoyed the stroll, plenty of shops and stores were open for business. Fun day...