Best Christmas Markets in Paris

Check out our list of the best Christmas markets in the city and make it a memorable trip!

By Dom Bewley
Published: July 18, 2024
Best Christmas Markets in Paris

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Those songs are playing on the radio again. An overabundance of red and white adorn every advert on TV. It can only mean one thing; Christmas. It's here. It's finally here! Time to dust off the box of decorations, and grit your teeth through another card to a long-hated neighbor.

If you're visiting the magical city of Paris over the holidays, you might wonder what the Christmas market situation looks like. Which are the best, and where are they in the city? Don't worry; we've got you. Read on, and discover our picks of the best Christmas markets in Paris!

Including:

  • Montmartre Christmas Market
  • Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market
  • La Magie de Noël
  • Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market
  • Marché de Noel Notre Dame
  • and more!

Are Paris Christmas markets good?

While Paris may not have the same Christmas market pedigree compared to other cities, they're quickly catching up. Nowadays, you'll find a number of brilliant Christmas markets in Paris, with some focusing on fun, and others offering hearty meals and warm drinks.

Image of Accessories, Boy, Child, Male, Person,

La Magie de Noël

November - January

'The Magic of Christmas' was once the Champs-Élysées Christmas Market. But it has only grown from those humble beginnings, now stretching the length of Tuileries Garden, between the Rue des Pyramides and Place de la Concord. Arguably Paris' biggest and most visited Christmas market, it offers a one-two punch of carnival rides and your usual market offerings.

Visitors will find more than a dozen rides to enjoy, from merry Ferris wheels to bumper cars. So that's the kids taken care of. And you, if you're so inclined. For everything else, the market has a metric ton of food, mulled wine, Champagne, and stalls selling artisanal decorations, jewelry, and other Christmasy goods bound for a stocking or two.

Image of Festival, Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Person,

Marché de Noel Notre Dame

December - January

While the eponymous cathedral may still be under restoration following the 2019 fire, its Christmas market is still in full swing. While it may not boast the entertainment offerings you'll find on some of this list, it does provide plenty of upmarket gift-purchasing opportunities!

Walk its stalls, and you'll find plenty of pricey gifts to give to your loved ones, from ornate homeware to bedazzling jewelry. You could even pick up some top-draw meat for the Christmas cook-up, if you're spending the holidays in the city.

And, of course, you'll have plenty of opportunities to red the cheeks thanks to pots of steaming mulled wine. And if you're lucky, you might even catch a live performance to two.

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Montmartre Christmas Market

November - December

If you're looking for a smaller affair with fewer shoulders to brush past, head to stunning Montmartre, where you'll find a humbly delightful Christmas market where local artists, designers, and creators get to strut their stuff.

Visitors will find it easy to navigate around the twenty-off stalls that call the market home, all surrounding a massive Christmas tree replete with multicolored lights. Grab a mulled wine to warm up, and take a wander around the food stalls to pick up some traditionally Parisian snacks. Then, pick up some unique scarves, toys, and other items created by local masters.

Stocking fillers that sustain the local community? What could possibly be more Christmasy than that?

Image of Lighting, Urban, City,

Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market

December - January

If you like your Christmas tinged with a rustic theme, head to the Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market, which is encased in Christmas trees adorned with lights and decorations. And that rustic feel trickles down to the market's offerings, too, with plenty of roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, and other sweet treats to guzzle down as you wander about.

But really, the star of the show is Hôtel de Ville's light show, which bathes the surrounding buildings - and the market - with the warm glow of unmistakably Christmas colors. Under all that, kids can even get in on the fun, with carousels, and even Santa's workshop, where they can dream big. Inevitably, however, their dreams will be shattered when you fail to plant a unicorn under the tree. It's okay; they'll get over it. Eventually.

Image of Lighting, Hat, Cap, City, Adult, Female, Person, Woman, Urban,

Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market

December-January

And now, we look to the stomping grounds of soccer behemoth PSG, where you'll find the charming Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market. While oil may flow freely into the club's checkbook, the Christmas market is a more modest affair, with around 40 stalls offering plenty of stocking opportunities.

From candles to ornaments for the home, to jewelry, bags, and unique keepsakes for your loved ones, there's plenty to purchase. And that's without mentioning the food and drink. Cakes, wines, Christmas liquors, and even caviar make an appearance every year. So, if you want to upgrade your tasting time, this might just be the best Christmas market in Paris!

Image of Lighting,

La Défense Marché de Noël

November - December

Throwing their hat in the ring for the 'biggest Christmas market in Paris' is La Défense Marché de Noël, which expands some prior proceedings with over 200 stalls along La Défense Esplanade. Over a million people visit every year, and that many people can't be wrong.

Along with the usual market affair of great food and piping-hot drinks, as well as plenty of stocking shopping opportunities, what makes La Défense Marché de Noël unique is the many stalls selling specialty items. One moment you could be looking at bespoke stuffed Santas, the next filing through antique artwork. It's a melting pot of oddities and absolutely deserves a visit at least once.

All of this goodness is backed up by DJs spinning sweet Christmas songs all through the night. So, if you're in the area, why not give it a go?

And that rounds out our list of the best Christmas markets in Paris! If you're in town for the holidays, why not make the most of your visit and see what else the city has to offer? Go City's got you covered. With our Explorer Pass and All-Inclusive Pass, you can see all of Paris' best bits for one low price!

Dom Bewley
Go City Travel Expert

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On the plus side, July beckons in T-shirt weather, albeit with an umbrella in hand – there’s a chance of a light shower even now. This doesn’t stop hundreds of thousands of people pouring onto the Champs-Élysées for the Bastille Day celebrations on July 14, marked by a grand military parade, fly past and fireworks behind the Eiffel Tower. From then on, Parisians tend to leave the city for their summer vacations on the French coast. But you don’t have to leave the city to enjoy the coastal feel, with beaches appearing on the quais (banks) of the River Seine, concerts filling the air with music and open-air movie screenings taking over parks late into the night – usually in their original language. It means that by August a languid air takes over Paris, with no one wanting to do anything very fast – which is just fine for anyone looking to get in the holiday mood. It makes it a wonderful time to cruise along the Seine, people watch from a café terrace or picnic in any of the 150 main parks too. Fall The start of fall sees temperatures drop away a little, and rain showers become heavier than they have been. But beyond that, fall really is a great time to consider visiting the French capital. Why? Well, it’s still warm enough in September to continue exploring the city’s parks and gardens. They begin taking on fall colors as well as being the sites of two major September events – the city-wide Fête des Jardins (Garden Festival) and the historic Fête à Neuneu funfair in the Bois de Boulogne. The fall color is usually at its best with the arrival of October. With hotel prices falling away again and visitor numbers dropping alongside the mercury – temperatures peak at 16°C – October is another month great for avoiding the crowds. The change in seasons is even celebrated at the Fete d'Automne, whilst the Contemporary Art Fair arrives at the Grand Palais to add to the buffet of permanent art collections, from the Musée d’Orsay to the Orangerie Museum. The start of the low season, November sees some of the lowest visitor numbers of the year, but it’s still not a bad time to visit Paris. Come prepared for the wintery weather, and the city’s charm and authentic feel is sure to keep you as warm as the hot chocolates and the winter restaurant menus. To brighten the days there are several public holidays and festivals to look forward to – not least the start of the Christmas period. Winter By the beginning of December Christmas is in full-swing. Main avenues shine with festive lights, Christmas markets hum with the sound of Parisians enjoying each other’s company and the arrival of several ice rinks makes for one of the more unusual things to do. Believe it or not, few travelers get to see any of this exuberant feasting. It makes a Christmas in Paris all the more special. Kicking off with a very literal New Year bang, January is one of the cheapest months to go to Paris, with some excellent deals on hotel stays. Set firmly within the low season, the city’s major attractions are less crowded than other times of year. However, with 30 million annual visitors, there’s no month that can be described as totally crowd-free. Wrap up well – temperatures are stable at 2 – 7°C – and you can catch the Festival of Lights at the Jardin des Plantes and an armful of bargains in the winter sales. Although February has similar temperatures and low season prices to January, it actually has the least rainfall of any month, making it one of the best times to visit Paris on a budget. That said, Valentine’s Day sees low season prices go out of the window for anywhere with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Spring Waving goodbye to winter, March sees a massive increase in the number of visitors, although accommodation prices remain good compared to the summer months. Temperatures remain on the chilly side, with lows of 5°C and highs of around 12°C. Levels of rainfall are still very much on the low side too. Heralding the warmer months to come, it’s in March that the early spring bulbs begin to flower. Whilst still in the shoulder period between low and high seasons, spring sees Parisians planning outdoor events with much more certainty than had been possible so far in the year. Step anywhere near the Bois de Vincennes on the eastern outskirts of the city and you’ll be enticed by the bright lights of the Foire de Trône funfair, which traces its history back to AD 957. April usually also sees the Easter public holidays and the associated arrival of chocolate eggs in storefront windows. 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Ian Packham

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