The select guide to Christmas in Paris: illuminations, ice rinks, giant fir trees and exceptional tea times…

In Paris, Christmas doesn’t just light up the streets: it transforms the city into a sophisticated fairytale, where every step becomes an invitation to dream. From majestic fir trees in department stores to glittering historic facades, sweet moments in palaces and skating rinks suspended in the magic of winter, the capital offers a “select” experience that is both elegant and enchanting.

Emblematic department store trees

The most beautiful Christmas trees in Parisian shopping temples. The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann tree is back to life again this year: a giant 16-metre tree under the famous cupola, decorated with 560 kg of ribbons and 8 km of LED garlands, orchestrated by illustrator Jeanne Detallante. Le Bon Marché, Le Printemps, La Samaritaine and Galeries Lafayette on the Champs-Élysées will in turn be displaying themed trees, each telling its own story, combining materials, colors and lights in a visual choreography that’s very “Paris de Noël”.

Illuminations in Paris’s luxury districts

When night falls, the illuminations on theAvenue des Champs-Élysées, from the top of the Concorde to the Étoile, set the area ablaze with thousands of lights. More intimate, the Place Vendôme and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré districts offer a refined spectacle: the facades of couture houses like Dior on Avenue Montaigne or Chanel on Rue Saint-Honoré sparkle under luminous arches. The jewelers of Place Vendôme also take part in this golden ballet, creating a festive and precious atmosphere.

Palace tea times and logs from great pastry chefs

The Ritz Paris, in its Salon Proust, offers a refined tea time with madeleines, rare teas and hot chocolate, as a tribute to timeless elegance. The Plaza Athénéedelights with sweet creations by its pastry chefs, accompanied by music and light. At Prince de Gallestea time becomes an exceptional rendez-vous: imagined by chef Hélène Kerloëgen in collaboration with Maison Cointreau, it combines the iconic orange liqueur with cocktail-inspired pastry creations, in a chic Art Deco setting.

For those who want a taste of the wonders of Christmas, don’t miss a detour to Galeries Lafayette Gourmet, where pastry chefs unveil their festive logs, veritable pieces of edible art. And at Comptoir du Ritz, madeleines served with creamy hot chocolate are a pure delight. Finally, the palace La Réserve Paris – Le Spa also offers a hot chocolate or Christmas tea break, a haven of softness in the hustle and bustle of the capital.

Christmas markets and suspended ice rinks

This season, Paris glides! Galeries Lafayette installs a skating rink on its rooftop, offering a breathtaking view over the rooftops of Paris and its Christmas lights. The legendary Grand Palais ice rink returns from December 14, 2025 to January 7, 2026, transforming the glass roof into a spectacular ice rink, with DJ sets and light projections. At the Hôtel de Ville ice rink, Parisians will also be back on the ice, for magical hours in the heart of the city. Le Printemps also deploys its ephemeral ice rink: a moment of gliding suspended between architecture and enchantment.

The Marché de Noël des Tuileries returns from November 15, 2025 to January 4, 2026, in the sumptuous garden between the Louvre and Concorde, with around 80 wooden chalets, a funfair and a 250 m² ecological ice rink. Admission is free, and the market features French artisans, regional delicacies and entertainment from late afternoon to nightfall.

Christmas in Paris, a magical time that feels good

Christmas in Paris is the perfect balance of tradition, magic and contemporary elegance: the trees tell stories, the streets are sumptuously illuminated, Tea Time rivals in delicacies and ice rinks are suspended above the rooftops of Paris! When you choose to experience this “select” Christmas, you’re treating yourself to a refined immersion in the capital’s most luminous soul – a magical experience that will stay with you long after the festive season is over.