Paris in December is a different city from the one you see in summer. The days are short and often grey, but the streets glow with Christmas lights, the department stores put on elaborate window displays, and there is no better excuse to spend an afternoon in a warm café with a hot chocolate.
From London it’s also one of the easiest winter breaks there is. Here is how to make the most of a December weekend, and how to sort your visa in time.
Getting there
The Eurostar from London St Pancras is the simplest way to reach Paris, arriving at the Gare du Nord in the heart of the city. If you are travelling on a non-EU passport, you pass through French border control at St Pancras before you board, so you enter the Schengen area in London. Allow plenty of time at the station, especially in December, when trains are busy.
Since the Entry/Exit System (EES) began in October 2025, first-time travellers may also be asked to register fingerprints and a photo at the border, which can add a few minutes. Flights from UK airports to Charles de Gaulle and Orly are the other main option.
The Christmas lights
The lights are the main reason many people visit in December. They are usually switched on in late November and stay up until early January.
- The Champs-Élysées: the avenue’s trees are lit along its length, and the walk from the Place de la Concorde up towards the Arc de Triomphe is a classic winter evening in Paris.
- Avenue Montaigne: the luxury fashion street nearby is usually decorated in style, and is quieter than the Champs-Élysées.
- The Eiffel Tower: it sparkles for a few minutes at the start of each hour after dark, all year round. The Trocadéro, across the river, is the best place to watch.
The department store windows
The Christmas windows at the big department stores on Boulevard Haussmann are a Paris tradition. Galeries Lafayette and Printemps usually unveil animated window displays in November, and families queue along the pavement to see them.
Inside Galeries Lafayette, look up: a giant Christmas tree usually stands beneath the store’s famous glass dome. The store’s rooftop terrace also gives free views across the city, when it is open. Expect crowds at weekends, so a weekday morning is the calmest time to visit.
Christmas markets
Paris has several Christmas markets each year, though they are smaller than the famous markets of Strasbourg or Germany. Locations change from year to year, so check the official Paris tourism website before you go. If markets are the main reason for your trip, our guide to Christmas markets in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal has more ideas, including Strasbourg and Colmar.
Museums for a cold day
December weather is a good reason to spend time indoors, and Paris has some of the best museums in the world.
- The Louvre: book a timed ticket in advance and pick two or three areas rather than trying to see everything. It is usually closed on Tuesdays.
- Musée d’Orsay: Impressionist paintings in a former railway station. It is usually closed on Mondays.
- Musée de l’Orangerie: smaller and calmer, home to Monet’s large Water Lilies paintings.
Opening hours often change around Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, so check each museum’s website before you plan your days.
Cafés, food and hot chocolate
Winter is the season for rich, thick hot chocolate, and many Paris cafés and tea rooms are famous for it. It is also a good time for French comfort food: onion soup, a cheese-heavy croque-monsieur, or a hearty stew in a traditional bistro. Bakeries sell the bûche de Noël, the Christmas log cake, in the run-up to Christmas, and the galette des rois, a puff pastry cake with almond filling, appears in early January.
A simple three-day plan
- Day 1: arrive by Eurostar, check in, and walk the Champs-Élysées after dark to see the lights. Finish at the Trocadéro for the Eiffel Tower’s hourly sparkle.
- Day 2: the Louvre in the morning, lunch in the Marais, then the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps windows in the late afternoon.
- Day 3: Musée d’Orsay or the Orangerie, a walk along the Seine and across to the Île de la Cité, then a final hot chocolate before your train home.
Practical tips
- Pack warm layers. Paris can be cold and damp in December, and you will spend a lot of time walking.
- Book trains and hotels early. Eurostar fares and hotel prices tend to rise closer to Christmas.
- Check holiday closures. Many shops, restaurants and attractions close or change their hours on 25 December and 1 January.
- Watch your belongings. Busy areas such as the department stores and the Métro attract pickpockets.
Planning your France visa
If you live in the UK on a non-EU passport, you will usually need a Schengen visa for Paris. December appointments are popular, so it’s worth starting now.
- Apply to France if it’s your main destination. If you combine Paris with another country, apply to the one where you will spend the most nights, or the first country you enter if the nights are equal.
- Apply in good time. You can apply up to 6 months before travel and no later than 15 calendar days before. Decisions usually take 15 calendar days and can take up to 45. Our timing guide explains how to plan.
- Check your insurance. You need at least €30,000 of medical cover, valid across the Schengen area.
- Check your passport. It must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave the Schengen area, with 2 blank pages.
- Check your UK status. Your evidence is usually an eVisa share code or valid UK visa.
Ready to plan your winter break? Read our France visa guide, or start your application and we’ll help with your forms and appointment.
