First week of December in Paris

I’ve been the last week of December, and the lights are magical. Each arrondissement decorates a little differently. Please just be prepared with scarf, hat, gloves, and I think you’ll enjoy.

I’ve never been to Chartres so cannot speak to it, but when I was in Paris I thought the Champs Elysses market and some of the Paris neighborhood markets were junky. Cheap stuff that was nothing special. There may be some that have nicer, handcrafted items. Someone else may have some suggestions.

Have a great trip!

I love Paris in November and December. I found the market at CE a bit commercial/tacky but it was fun nonetheless. I have not been to Chartres in December but I have heard that the town is lit up and the stalls are bit more one-of-a-kind than in Paris. If you do not get a response here from someone who has been, I bet a Google image source of Chartres Christmas market will tell you if there are lights.

the mayor ended the Champs Elysees Christmas market last year and I don't know if it will be re-constituted in the future. It had junky Chinese merchandise (the market in downtown Chicago has much better Christmas merchandise oddly) but it was fun to stroll, had lots of kid activities and the street food was not bad. I think there are other small markets but I haven't visited them.

By early December the department store windows should be up and lights will be up. They used to put the Grand Roue up in late November but I think that has been cancelled by the mayor as well. Lots of cool foods in delis and bakeries this time of year.

It’s a shame that the Christmas market was discontinued. It was the only time I could afford to purchase something on the Champs Élysées! And it had great street food.

"Christmas markets", despite what Americans seem to think, are specifically a Germanic cultural thing. Outside German-speaking regions, the ones that have sprung up over the last few years are entirely non-traditional copies of the German idea and, yes, often sell some pretty tatty stuff.

You'll certainly enjoy Paris in December, but don't get excited about the Christmas markets.

Maybe this is obvious, but you will have lots of time to see the lights because it gets dark so early at the end of the year. The lingering twilight of August will be nothing but a memory in December.

Thank you all for your feedback. I had read that the Paris markets had been closed due to tacky Chinese souvenirs. ( As an aside, I am always checking the provenance of shop items to see where they are made as so much is made in China but charged as though it is made in Germany or Sweden and found myself in China beginning to check the bottom of an item---duh!) Checking out Chartres, we are too early for any markets there but, nonetheless, the cathedral will be lovely to see once again.

The guy who usually runs the Champs-Elysées Christmas market struck a deal with the Louvre to hold his market in the Tuileries after the mayor kicked him off the Champs-Elysées. He has promised he'll have higher quality more local items in his new market, but we shall see . . . .

Google "Christmas Markets Paris" and you will get a listing of the markets, location, dates and times. You may be too early for some, but the one at La Defense opens in November and that is just a quick Metro ride on Line 1. Also, Google "Christmas Market Chartres," but I think you will be too early. There is a Christmas lights open bus tour - check it out at http:/booking.parisinfo.com

The year we went to the Christmas market at La Defense, we came across a kiosk run by two middle-aged women selling jewellery they had designed and made themselves. Lovely women, lovely jewellery. A pendant I bought always earns admiring remarks. It is a huge space, the esplanade at La Defense so it is a huge market. If you have time, go to the top of the Grande Arche for an amazing view straight down to the Arc de Triomphe and further.

We ran across farmers who had come up to Paris from the provinces selling their wine, foie gras and other holiday specialties at the market in front of the Saint Sulpice church--at least that wasn't made in China.

I too have been to and enjoyed the Christmas Market at La Defense.