Hello! My husband and I are considering traveling to Paris over Thanksgiving and I wanted some info on what the city is like that time of year. Do shops/cafes/restaurants close early as it gets darker earlier? Are things still open late during that time of year?
When do the winter markets generally start?
Any helpful tips would be great!
Thanks!
--Nida
Everything is open all year round in Paris as it is a big city with lots of tourists all year round.
Things are generally closed or close earlier on Sundays or after the first week of January when everyone has gone back to school and work except for the tourists sites. Just like the winter markets here stateside ( we have a German styled in Chicago that opens after the city puts up the official xmas tree), the markets in Europe start late November ending around Xmas eve
I went to Paris for Thanksgiving Week in November 2016 and the week before Thanksgiving in 2013. I wanted to go again this year but decided on Portland, Oregon (so not the same). Store and museum, etc. hours do not change because it is November. It's a big city and everything goes along and is open normal hours. Sure, the daylight hours are shorter but there is electricity so nothing is closing early because the days are shorter. I love Paris in November. It is not as crowded but is bustling. The art scene is lively. All restaurants are open for business. My tip: Bring a hooded, waterproof jacket.
Winter is when the major cultural events like opera and symphony and theater are at their peak. Big cities don't close down at any time of year -- small quaint villages that are tourist driven economies do tend to close up in winter so it is not a great time of year for that sort of day tripping.
Thanksgiving is just another day in Paris. Turkeys are served at Christmas time, so they are not generally ready for market in November.
Daylight or darkness have nothing to do with business hours of shops/cafés/restaurants. Hours remain unchanged except for holidays such as 1 May, Christmas, or New Years.
I am not sure what you mean by winter markets. The few Christmas markets, which sell a lot of junk imported from China, will still be found at la Défense and perhaps around Montparnasse. The large Champs Elysées market was removed by the city last year, the operator opened instead in Tuileries on a much reduced scale. I am not sure what he has planned for this Christmas season.
Expect the various Christmas decorations (such as those at le Bon Marché, le Printemps, and Galeries Lafayette) and those along the Champs Elysées to become visible early next month.
Otherwise, the various street markets continue normally.
Parks and cemeteries generally close earlier during the late autumn and winter due to concerns about robbery or other antisocial activities during the dark.
