From shopping to illuminations; discover Christmas in Paris
Published on 10 November 2017, dans Fair & Shows
As Christmas approaches, the capital offers a wide choice of places in which to find THE surprise gift to make the eyes of those you love shine with delight. You’ll also enjoy the Paris Christmas illuminations; a scintillating visual treat that brings an especially joyous atmosphere to the city!
Shopping centres; retail and relaxation combined!
Just a short stroll from the Eiffel Tower you can find the Centre Commercial Beaugrenelle, a shopping centre that offers a fun retail therapy experience in chic and attractive surroundings with direct views of the Seine.
Bercy Village, meanwhile, offers around 26000 m2 packed with numerous shops, restaurants and entertainment venues, including the outlets of famous French and international brands.
At the Carrousel du Louvre are gathered the greatest names in gifts and accessories, each a reflection of French excellence and lifestyle. A subterranean mall embracing Parisian heritage!
Christmas Markets offer an enchanting journey to Santa country
From mid-November, the Marchés de Noël (Christmas markets) and their small wooden chalets pop up like mushrooms throughout the city amidst a pulse-quickening aroma of mulled wine, cinnamon and fir trees. Here are some that are well worth a visit ...
The Notre-Dame Christmas Market (5th arrondissement) offers a wealth of items handmade by artisans, plus top-quality food and drink produced in France.
In the 6th, the Saint-Germain des Prés Father Christmas Village awaits you with its picturesquely decorated little cabins and its range of very traditional products.
On the Champ de Mars (7th) a Christmas market and ice rink offer a beguiling combination. You can do a little gift shopping, then strap on your skates and glide across the ice beneath the magnificent Eiffel Tower.
The vintage Christmas market at the Espace des Blancs Manteaux (4th) is the perfect place to find a truly unique Christmas gift, while that of Quai Branly (7th) presents the opportunity to try tasty regional specialities. Or you might prefer a Yuletide shopping spree against the romantic backdrop of Montmartre!
Don’t forget the small shops...
Paris is well known for small shops which you might enter by chance but have a hard time leaving. Here’s a small selection of some of the most charming...
Want to find beautiful crockery and household items? Go straight to the Trésorerie, a chic bazaar filled with beautiful objects (11 Rue du Château d'Eau, 10th).
To put together your festive menu try the Epicerie Générale, where you’ll find rarities such as artisanal lemonade with gold flakes or caviar from the Pyrenees (43 Rue de Verneuil, 7th).
Fans of vintage clothing shouldn’t miss BDA Vintage, a black-painted boutique with a burlesque ambience that pays tribute to post-war fashion and the disco era (46 Rue de la Condamine -7th)
Department stores, fashion and lifestyle hubs
As Christmas approaches, it's hard to beat the famous Grands Magasins department stores for a great selection of gift ideas for the whole family, offered in an infectiously festive atmosphere. BHV MARAIS boasts more than 900 brands to choose from during your shopping spree.
Not far from BHV stands Printemps Haussmann, one of the most famous stores in Paris, with more than 44000 m² dedicated to luxury, fashion, glamour and dreams.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, which since its creation in 1894 has become a symbol of Parisian taste, elegance and quality throughout the world, also participates in promoting the French art of living.
Christmas illuminations; the City of Light lives up to her name
During the festive season Paris dons her dress of light, offering to her ardent admirers a wondrous spectacle shining with a thousand fires as soon as night falls. This illuminated magic is expressed through thousands of multicoloured bulbs, the glitter of shooting stars and a shower of incandescence throughout the main arteries of the capital.