The City of (Christmas) Lights

Paris, the city of love, is never lovelier than at Christmas time.

I was fortunate enough to spend Christmas and the New Year in the French capital. “Paris is always a good idea”, goes the famous saying, but perhaps I should add, “especially at Christmas”.

Looking down the Champs Elysees
from the Arc de Triomphe

The city of lights is decked on every avenue and boulevard with ornate trees, flashing decorations, and shop windows that become attractions in their own right. Together, this only serves to make me fall even more amorous of Paris.

Simply strolling the Champs Elysees becomes something of a Christmas Wonderland. The entire bottom half of the boulevard that eventually leads to the Jardin de Tuileries is packed with stalls upon stalls of vendors offering last minute gifts, soaps, wines, cheeses, artisan products and of course a vast array of food markets, whose scents mingle together in a perfect Christmas mirage.

Printemps Department Store

Heading up to the top of the famous boulevard, you can climb the Arc de Triomphe (free for EU citizens under 26) and admire the street lit up in one of the most expensive and decadent illuminations that Paris offers for the whole Christmas season. Of course, there is the added bonus of the Eiffel Tower sparkling like, well, a Christmas tree in close proximity. Apart from being one of my favourite sites, that always screams Paris and French history to me, I find the view is one of the most frequently overlooked since tourists are spoilt for choice. The view down to the Louvre is impressive to say the least, with so many lights, colours and smells all hitting the senses.

Skating at the Grand Palais

Paris department stores are also not shy about celebrating their love for the holiday season, and in the windows of the renowned Galeries Lafayettes and Printemps, store managers have carefully curated wonderful and wacky Christmas scenes to entertain and amuse all. My favourites this year were in Printemps, which was themed as a “Journey around the world”, with lit up figures of Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum and more famous landmarks all interplaying with the latest fashion trends. Galeries Lafayettes offered mini window shows with puppet monsters in the style of Sesame Street.

Another trend that has proved popular in Paris in recent years is temporary ice skating rinks. With the new glass floor open on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, a rink was installed here for the first time in several years, so guests could dare to skate 200ft above the city. Elsewhere, one of the largest rinks was opened in the Grand Palais for a three week period. Although tickets were 15 euros and had to be booked in advance, this was an unparalleled skating experience, which combined a popular Christmas pastime, with the history of the palace, and a 70s disco theme. A DJ played songs throughout the session over specially installed speakers, and both strobe and spot lights were added for special effect. Having a Swedish friend as my instructor helped my skating skills as well!

Disneyland Paris

Away from the city itself, Disneyland Paris offered an enticing mix of holiday entertainment, from the Christmas parade, featuring Santa and some Disney character favourites, to Elsa and Anna’s sleigh ride down Main Street. Every evening would be capped off with a magical five minute ceremony lighting the Christmas tree and a 20 minute firework spectacular, called Disney Dreams of Christmas, featuring The Nutcracker, festive carols and of course Frozen characters.

Between theme parks, skating thrills, high end boutiques, and sprawling markets, the city of lights is certainly aglow when it comes to Noel.