Hello,
I’m going to be in Paris Dec. 5-8. I’d love to go to a church to hear Christmas music. I can’t find anything like this, only classical concerts in churches, which I will get tickets for if I can’t find anything “christmasy”. Does anyone know of something along the lines that I’m looking for? Thanks so much.
Posted by
Savannah, GA
1404 posts
You're not going to really find this sort of culture in France. Sure, you'll find Christmas decorations but anything "traditionally" Christmas will be tied to a church as France is very secular nation. (Vive la France!)
That's why you rarely see French artists release a Christmas album. Pop artist Louane has some bonus tracks on one of her albums that were Christmas tracks but they were even in English. Céline Dion released 2 Christmas albums in Québec back in the early 1980s with Traditional Christmas songs in French but they've never been released digitally. And Christmas music is a bigger deal in Québec.
So if you hear Christmas music, it's probably going to be the same stuff you hear at home but played in the beautiful space of les Galeries Lafayette
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Interesting! I would have imagined churches to be different than the culture at large. Thanks for your response.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1524 posts
kellieleigh,
You won't find a concert, but attending mass at a church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, you will hear some hymns/songs sung for Christmas, just like here. I don't know if any are French versions of what we hear in the US at mass or not, such as Handel's Messiah.
If you go to mass times.org for a city you will find websites for the Catholic churches there. Perhaps they will have Christmas mass times up, although it may be too soon.
Best of luck.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
1524 posts
OOps! I just realized you will be there Dec. 5-8. Ignore my comments.
Posted by
France Southwest
2507 posts
I confirm Alexander's answer. Anyway there are very few musical events in churches specific to Christmas outside of Christmas Eve.
Christmas carols are rather broadcast in the PAs installed in the streets or in department stores :))
However you will find the agenda of the few concerts in Paris more or less dedicated to Christmas on the website below (in French):
Posted by
Paris
10423 posts
I would guess (but can't guarantee) that if you attended one of the services at the American Church of Paris on Sunday, December 8, carols would be part of the service.
They have a Christmas concert scheduled for Dec 14, but that is long after you leave.
Posted by
Solana Beach
115 posts
Thank you kellieleigh for the question and Kim and JoLui for the links.
I was looking for something similar for the second week of December.
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thank you, everyone!