Visit the Paris Christmas markets to purchase an original Parisian-made item for one-of-kind Christmas gifts. The Christmas markets are a series of festive, wooden chalets for merchants to sell local delicacies and hand-made items. Christmas markets are located in virtually every neighborhood in the city. The most popular markets to stroll through are set up on the Champs-Elysees, La Defense and St. Germain des Pres.
For an enchanting view over the Paris skyline, ride the large Ferris wheel that is set up in the Place de la Concorde in December. From your seat in a comfortable compartment, you can look over the Louvre, up the lighted Champs-Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe and over the Seine to the Eiffel Tower.
The Paris grand magasins, or large department stores, go overboard at Christmas time with inventive Christmas displays in the windows. Created by famous French designers, the displays contain illuminated characters and imaginative Christmas scenes. The stores set out small benches where children stand and press their noses against the windows to view the magical scenes. Visit the holiday window displays at Printemps and Galeries Lafayette in the Opera district, or Bon Marche in St. Germain des Pres.
Each December, the Paris Ministry of Arts sets up thousands of Christmas trees near Paris monuments, on street corners, and outside government buildings. Stroll around Paris and take note of the decorated trees dotting the Paris landscape.
If you like fashion and high-end design, don't miss the Les Sapins de Noël des Créateurs exhibit. This exhibit features dozens of Christmas trees decorated by students of Paris' fashion colleges. Recently, famous Parisian designers from Louis Vuitton, Stella McCartney and Jaques Rougerie, have contributed trees to the exhibit to later be auctioned off for charity. Les Sapins de Noël des Créateurs changes venues each year, so check with the Paris tourist office for the location.
The Champs-Elysees, considered one of the most famous boulevards in the world, is a sight you will not forget during the holiday season. Tiny, blue and gold lights are festooned on the elegant trees lining the boulevard. The millions of twinkling lights marching from the Arc de Triomphe to the Louvre Museum is a stunning sight. Stroll along the Champs-Elysees and marvel at the beauty of Paris in December.
