Christmas break to Lille, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam

Christmas in Paris, France

Where: Champs-Elysees, Paris
When: From mid November 2017 to early January 2018

Anyone who has stood on top of the Arc de Triomphe and caught the laser light show on the Eiffel Tower will know Paris as a City of Lights. At Christmas though the illuminations on the trees that fringe the Champs-Elysées and the fir trees on Rond-Pont take this accolade to a whole new festive dimension.

Warming hot chestnuts are sold at street corners, and Christmas markets appear whose wooden chalets sell all sorts of festive gifts as well a oysters, foie gras and bûches de Noël – yule logs.

Shop windows, of course, look sensational and for designer shopping check out Rue St-Honoré, the oldest and finest shopping boulevard made which has recently been extended to Rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré.

The city opens up its annual ice rink by Hôtel de Ville (December 19 to March 1??) and for this year there is also one indoors in the Grand Palais. From December 14 up to January 4 there will be DJs and light shows which will look spectacular under its glass vault.

This year Paris is hosting a range of photographic events during November for the city’s Month of Photography, including the Paris International Photo Fair at the Grand Palais (13-16 November).

Incidentally, for those that want to be in Paris on Christmas day, it’s good to know that public transport will be open for business as usual as do many restaurants and cafés.