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.

Photo by Erica Berman

Parisian Market Shopping

Although supermarkets, big and small, abound in Paris, most natives make it a point to buy their fresh produce from the colorful, bustling Marchés that dot Parisian neighborhoods. Long considered the centers of city life, nothing beats the satisfaction of returning to your apartment with a cartful of fragrant produce and a head-full of neighborhood gossip. With that in mind, here are few tips for navigating the oft-intimidating foodie meccas…

•    It’s more than worth it to make it out early enough to snag the day’s freshest picks. Most produce markets open around 9 or 10, and you can bet the freshest fish will be gone by 11.

•    It’s a good idea to do a quick walk-through before you start purchasing in order to get familiar with the offerings. Most stands will appear indistinguishable – yards and yards of contiguous vegetable stands, for example – but each often has a loyal following for whatever it does best, so a little detective work can pay off.

•    Unless you have a particular meal in mind, feel free to ask the vendor what he recommends – you’ll find most are more than willing to chat and, if prompted, are happy to point you to the choicest picks. A little charm and you might even walk away with a couple extra shrimp!

•    When it’s your turn to order, especially at cheese or olive stands, feel free to ask for a quick taste of your top choices before going with your final pick. And in order to guarantee you don’t have to walk away from a beautiful Tome de Brebis, be sure to bring enough cash.

•    A few stands may have credit card machines, but markets mostly operate on a cash-only basis.

•    Although you’ll see almost everything you need to stock your kitchen for gourmet feasts, markets are generally best for specialty foods, meat, fish, vegetables, cheese and fruit. You’ll mainly want to stick to your neighborhood boulangerie for bread and to supermarkets for non-perishables.

•    A few must-sees to start you off: The chic Raspail market in the 6th features exclusively organic produce. The legendary (part covered, part open-air) Marché d’Aligre in the 12th has everything from antique books to Halal butchers to artisan cheese mongers. For rare finds, try the famed St Ouen flea market. The covered Marché des Enfants Rouges in the 3rd, the oldest market in Paris with its variety of sit-down “traiteurs”, is also not to miss.

•    A few helpful links:

o Excellent list of all Paris markets with address, hours, and Metro stop

o   A list of food markets & hours – by arrondissment
o   List of Paris’ Flea Markets

o Article from the Guardian describing some different Paris markets (Fleur et Oiseaux, Marhce rue Dejean,     Marche Richard Lenoir, Montreuil Flea market, and more

o    Info on rue Cler Market, Saxe-Breteuil Market, Marcher de Grenelle, and the Marche Ave President Wilson