Paris is sparkling this week, and if you are in the city right now, you have an embarrassment of riches waiting just outside your door.
Let’s start with pure winter magic. Sortiraparis reports that the legendary Grand Palais ice rink is back as the Grand Palace of Ice, open through early January, with the world’s largest indoor rink set beneath that soaring glass roof and a gigantic Eiffel Tower sculpture in the center. Glide to music, then warm up with hot chocolate on the food terrace. For an equally dazzling evening stroll, head to Parc Floral for the Luminous Odyssey, where organizers promise more than 1,000 monumental lanterns, a drone show, and even artificial Northern Lights along an illuminated trail in the 12th arrondissement.
If you love light art, Domaine National de Saint-Cloud is hosting Lumières en Seine, a two‑kilometer night walk through forests of color and sound, perfect for listeners who want a romantic or family‑friendly outing just outside Paris. And at the Jardin d’Acclimatation, the Festival des Lanternes: Le Japon en Lumières fills the park with around 2,000 glowing installations inspired by Mount Fuji, Tokyo streets, and kawaii characters, turning a simple walk into a trip to Japan without leaving the city.
Christmas markets are everywhere this week. According to Sortiraparis and Aller France, you can wander the huge Tuileries Garden Christmas Market, with its funfair rides, Ferris wheel, ice rink, and over 100 chalets serving everything from raclette to vin chaud, running daily into January. Closer to City Hall, the Paris Christmas Market and Village on the square in front of Hôtel de Ville becomes an Enchanted Forest, showcasing “Made in Paris” artisans in wooden chalets. Under the Eiffel Tower, the Christmas Village on Quai Jacques Chirac offers crafts, regional specialties, and unbeatable views of the Iron Lady lit up for the season.
For a more intimate feel, swing by the Notre‑Dame Christmas Market in Square René Viviani, focused on French crafts and regional gastronomy, or the Saint‑Germain‑des‑Prés market, where elegant chalets line the boulevard with handcrafted gifts and gourmet treats. Up on the hill, the Montmartre Christmas Market brings a village vibe, with 100 percent made‑in‑France products, mulled wine, and sweeping views over Paris.
Department stores are putting on their own shows. Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann has turned its façade and windows into a storybook world designed by illustrator Jeanne Detallante, with a giant Christmas tree under the dome through the end of the month. Nearby, Printemps Haussmann invites listeners up to its free “7th Heaven” rooftop ice rink, themed this year like a New York holiday, so you can skate with Parisian rooftops at your feet.
Art lovers have plenty to do. The 17th arrondissement town hall is hosting a free exhibition dedicated to Arman, the New Realist artist, with bronze sculptures, rare paintings, and a new French flag piece marking 20 years since his death. At the Grand Palais, the Centre Pompidou is presenting Drawings Without Limits, showcasing treasures from its vast collection of works on paper. Fashion fans should not miss the double exhibition between the Dior Gallery and the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation, where over a hundred pieces explore the dialogue between Dior’s New Look and Alaïa’s sculptural silhouettes.
Families can add a touch of mythic spectacle at the Musée des Arts et Métiers, where Zeus, the mechanical horse from the Olympic Games, now stands on the forecourt, free to visit and perfect for photos. Over at the Musée d’Orsay, the museum’s own program lists fun and creative activities around its masterpieces, giving younger visitors hands‑on ways to discover Impressionist icons.
And when you just want to wander, don’t forget the classic Parisian pleasures of following the Christmas illuminations along avenues like Montaigne, where Maison Dior’s façade is covered in giant flowers, butterflies, and a spinning star, or simply strolling between markets, skating rinks, and museums, letting the city guide you.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss what’s happening in Paris and beyond. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI