When I popped home to the UK in November, London was already in full festive swing with Christmas trees, festive songs and neon lights galore. Sent back with a Cadbury’s chocolate advent calendar adorned with an oversized Santa, I was ready to start the Christmas season with a bang.

Making Magique

Yet once back home across the pond, I realized Paris hadn’t joined in on the fun yet. I was ready to start in on my advent calendar and temperatures were plunging, but where were all those tell tale signs that our favorite mid-winter festival was fast approaching?

This set me thinking. What exactly is a Parisian Christmas? What happens in the cold windy days leading up to the big event? I set out on a mission to discover the seasonal delights that France’s most romantic city had to offer.

Little Brown Pen

Shopping

Although the Christmas shopping frenzy begins relatively late in Paris (thankfully, shops only step into gear at the end of November), once it gets going, it really gets going. Stores go all out with light shows and designer-crafted window displays – always tasteful, bien sur. First stop? Paris’s iconic department stores. Whilst London has toy-filled Hamleys and elegant Harrods, Paris showcases its trademark sophistication with Les Galleries Lafayette and the neighbouring Printemps, where Karl Lagerfeld’s touch marks this year’s displays: think Chanel-clad rock ‘n’ roll dolls strumming their electric guitars and 20m Christmas trees.

Conclusion: a little slow off the starting blocks, but Paris comes through in true style.
Printemps: 64, bd Haussmann, metro Havre Chaumartin
Galleries Lafayette: 40, bd Haussmann, metro Chausee d’Antin – Fayette

Little Brown Pen

Markets
December in Paris wouldn’t be complete without a good dose of Christmas markets. The stalls clustered along the Champs Elysees are beautifully situated (one of the most luxurious streets in the world all lit up with golden lights – what more could you want!) with the roaring traffic detracting only a little from the romantic scene. I highly recommended warming up with some mulled wine, nibbling on roasted chestnuts (a French Christmas favorite) and finishing it all off with a chocolate dipped apple.

Conclusion: Christmas markets are a key Parisian Christmas ingredient. They may not be big or overly original, but they are brimming with seasonal good cheer (with a little help from the steaming vin chaud).
November 19 – January 2, 2012, Avenue des Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde ( Metro Champs Elysées-Clemenceau or Concorde)
For a full list of Paris’ neighborhood Christmas Markets, click here

Carams

More Christmassy excitement

What else does Paris have store for Christmas-lovers? Having diligently wandered the streets, I’ve definitely had my festive fix for 2011.  My highlights include:

-    The illuminated Ferris Wheel at the Place de la Concorde
-    The elegant lights in the cobbled rue Montorgueil
-    The giant Christmas tree outside Notre Dame cathedral
-    The temporary ice skating at Hotel de Ville
Although Christmas cheer may hit the French capital a little late, Parisians certainly know how to do the festive run-up with taste. If we’ve missed anything, please drop us a comment with your favourite Paris Christmas moments below!
Wherever you are this Christmas, I wish you all a joyeux Noël!

Stop by the Corner

Related Links:

• The NY Times has some great tips on what to do in Paris on Christmas Day
• Here’s a funny post on the French love for fake Christmas trees… truly inexplicable. 
• Paris By Mouth has a great list of restaurant recommendations open for Christmas in Paris

Written by Victoria Wall for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.

Ornaments at Christmas market. Photo: hotels-paris-rive-gauche.com

Text by Emma Haberman

With just a few more chocolates left in the advent calendar, it’s time to finalize those Christmas Day plans. If you’re not at home, there’s no better or more magical place to be on December 25th than the City of Light. Though national museums and many stores are closed, there are plenty of ways to take in the city and still celebrate the holiday season in style. A few suggestions for a very HiP Christmas:

The Champs Elysees. Photo: goparis.about.com

Santa’s Workshop—Get your Christmas spirit in gear and check out Paris’ famous Christmas markets. Stroll down the Champs Elysées or the more low-key Village de Père Noël near St. Germain des Près, where you will find items like hand-knit sweaters, amber jewelry, and holiday pastries, to name a few. Though the pre-Christmas crowds can be overwhelming, these mini Christmas villages are surprisingly peaceful on the 25th, and it’s clear why they are so popular. If the twinkling lights and original craft stands don’t put you in a festive mood, a cup of vin chaud sure will. Christmas provides the perfect excuse to drink wine with breakfast?

Christmas village in St. Germain. Photo: Emma Haberman

Winter Wonderland—After a delayed opening due to unseasonably warm weather this year, the ice skating rink in the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville is open for business beginning this weekend. Every December the square in front of the majestic Hôtel de Ville (Metro Hôtel de Ville, Lines 1 and 11), Paris’ central municipal building since 1357, transforms into a Parisian Rockefeller Center, minus the department stores, plus a view of Notre Dame. Bring your family, friends or significant other for some good old-fashioned fun (and brace yourself for a few falls). On the other side of the square is a carousel for those too small to handle the action on the rink. Entrance is free, skate rental is €5. The rink opens at noon and closes at 10pm; go in the evening to see a light show on the Hôtel that rivals the one on the Eiffel Tower.

Skating at Hotel de Ville. Photo: chunnel-vision.com

A Cup of Christmas Cheer—When your legs are tired and you’ve worked up an appetite, twirl inside for a traditional Christmas lunch. Prepare it at home after shopping at your local markets (most markets and boulangeries are open on Christmas morning), or treat yourself to lunch in one of Paris’ innumerable eateries. Many restaurants will be crowded with tourists and locals alike, but sitting down without a reservation isn’t as hard as you may think. Feeling decadent? Head to the 7th to the Atelier de Joël Robuchon (5, rue Montalembert), where foodies flock for a unique dining experience in the famed chef’s Paris “workshop.” Sit at the counter that looks into the open kitchen as you sample the extensive menu. A word of advice: skip the regular menu and instead try several small dishes, like mini lamb chops that melt in your mouth or a spaghetti carbonara that is mysteriously rich and delicate—culinary magic! Lunch runs at around €70 a person without wine. To reserve, call 33-1-42-22-56-56.

For a more classic French meal that will be gentler on your wallet, try Restaurant Chartier (7, rue du Faubourg Montmartre in the 2nd arrondissement), a keystone in the Parisian restaurant world since 1896. This bustling brasserie offers basic French dishes (think escargots and steak au poivre) at an unbeatable price. A three course meal without wine runs between €15 and €20. To reserve, call 33-1-47-70-86-29.

A Drink with a View—Just because the museums are closed doesn’t mean you can’t still take in some culture. As you walk off your Christmas feast, pop into the restaurant Georges at the top of the Centre Pompidou (19, rue Beaubourg, Metros Hôtel de Ville, Lines 1 and 11 or Rambuteau, Line 11) to get a break from the cold. This hot spot offers trendy fusion cuisine, but it may be too late to get a table for lunch or dinner. Instead, sit at the bar for a coffee or a glass of champagne and take in the restaurant’s contemporary design and unbeatable panoramic view of the Parisian skyline. If you go around sundown, the colorful sky and twinkling city lights make the pricey drinks well worth it.

Tea at the Mosque. Photo: critikparis.unblog/fr

Teatime—For a less traditional holiday treat, head across the river to the 5th arrondissement and have tea at the Paris Mosque’s Salon de Thé (39 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire). This beautifully tiled, Moroccan-inspired tea room provides a bit of international flair to this quiet corner of Paris. Sit down wherever you find a seat and one of the energetic waiters will unceremoniously plunk a cup of sweet mint tea on your table. From there, follow your sweet tooth to the counter in the front to order delicious North African pastries…the holidays are a time to indulge, after all.

Christmas Mass—For those looking to take in a traditional Christmas mass, skip the lines at the major cathedrals like Notre Dame and St. Sulpice and head north to the Eglise de St. Georges de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement (112 Avenue Simon Bolivar, Metros Bolivar, Line 7b or Colonel Fabien, Line 2). While you’re there, check out Le Monde des Oeufs, an exhibition of magnificent, rare and unusual decorated eggs open through January 9th. With any luck you’ll run into guest of honor Tatiana Fabergé, great-granddaughter of the jeweler Karl Fabergé himself. Mass is at 7pm for the family service or at 10pm for the night owls.

Out with the Old, in with the New—Everyone has their holiday traditions; for some it’s Christmas mass, for others it’s Christmas dim sum. Fortunately, in Paris you can have both. Just south of St. Georges de la Villette is the wonderful Belleville neighborhood, where you can’t walk a block without finding a delicious Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant. A particular favorite is New Nioullaville (32-34 rue de l’Orillon, Metro Belleville, Lines 2 and 11), a cavernous restaurant boasting a giant menu full of dim sum delicacies, as well as Pan-Asian cooking from five different kitchens. With over 500 seats, you’re bound to pick up some new traditions, and maybe some new friends. A nightcap of rice wine will warm you up as you brave the cold on your way home.

A very merry Christmas from the HiP team!

Written by Emma Haberman for the HiP Paris Blog. Looking for a fabulous vacation rental in Paris, Provence, or Tuscany? Check out Haven in Paris.