Things to Do in Paris in December 2025: Markets, Museums & More
December in Paris isn’t just beautiful—the city trades its usual elegance for something warmer: twinkling lights strung across boulevards, vin chaud steaming in wooden chalets, and centuries-old churches glowing with candlelight. This year brings something extra special: Notre-Dame Cathedral welcomes visitors for its first full December season since the 2019 fire. Whether you’re here for classic holiday magic or hunting for experiences most tourists miss, here are 20 ways to make the most of Paris this month.
1. Visit Reopened Notre-Dame Cathedral
After five years of restoration, Notre-Dame reopened December 8, 2024 and continues welcoming visitors in 2025. Free entry with timed reservations via the cathedral’s official app and website, though walk-ups are also possible with longer waits. The restored interior is brighter than ever—860 years of soot have been cleaned away, revealing the cathedral as it was meant to be seen.
Location: Île de la Cité, 4th arrondissement
Hours: Mon-Fri 7:50am-7pm (Thurs until 10pm), Sat-Sun 8:15am-7:30pm
2. Festival du Merveilleux at Musée des Arts Forains
This magical 10-day event runs from December 26, 2025, to January 4, 2026, at the fairground museum in Bercy. The 2025 edition showcases stage costumes from music hall, circus, theater, opera, and ballet collections. Over a dozen impromptu shows featuring musicians, dancers, automatons, mechanical music, video mapping, and whirling dervishes occur throughout the day. Each ticket includes two rides on century-old carousels and attractions.
Location: 53 avenue des Terroirs de France, 75012 (Bercy)
Hours: 10am-6pm daily
Cost: €22 adults, €14 children 3-11 (Online Tickets)
3. Sacrée Musique Festival – Candlelit Church Concerts
December 10-14, 2025: 16 intimate concerts in historic Parisian churches illuminated by hundreds of candles. Sponsored by heritage enthusiast Stéphane Bern, featuring classical, baroque, gospel, and Corsican polyphony performances. Churches include the Basilica of Saint-Denis and Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Locations: Various churches across Paris and Île-de-France
Dates: December 10-14, 2025 (Online Tickets)
4. Tuileries Garden Christmas Market & Ice Rink
Running from November 18 to January 9, this massive market transforms the Tuileries into a half-mile wonderland. Features food stalls with roasted chestnuts, raclette, crêpes, vin chaud, plus a Pommery Champagne bar inside an inflatable igloo. Includes an ice rink, an artisan village, and fairground rides, with the giant Grande Roue (Ferris wheel) offering Eiffel Tower views.
Location: Jardin des Tuileries, 1st arrondissement
Metro: Tuileries or Concorde
5. Grand Palais Ice Rink
The world’s largest indoor ice rink returns December 14, 2025-January 7, 2026 beneath the iconic glass dome—a separate rink for children, DJs, and nighttime lights. An architectural marvel turned winter playground.
Location: Grand Palais, 8th arrondissement
Dates: December 14-January 7 (Online Tickets)
6. Galeries Lafayette Christmas Tree & Rooftop Ice Rink
The 16-meter Galeries Lafayette Christmas Tree with light shows every 30 minutes runs through December 31. Rooftop ice rink operates December 1, 2025-January 4, 2026, Mon-Sat 10:30am-7pm, Sun 11:30am-7pm. Skating with panoramic city views and the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the distance.
Location: 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009
Cost: €16 adults, €7.50 kids under 13
7. Alsatian Christmas Market at Gare de l’Est
December 1-16: One of Paris’s oldest Christmas markets, where Alsatian artisans sell regional specialties. Taste foie gras, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Kugelhopf, Munster cheese, gingerbread, sausages, and sauerkraut.
Location: Parvis of Gare de l’Est, Place du 11 Novembre 1918, 10th arr.
Metro: Gare de l’Est
8. Montmartre Christmas Market
Eclectic collection of thirty wooden chalets near Sacré-Coeur, open November 22, 2025-January 7, 2026. Intimate neighborhood feel with local artisans, set against the backdrop of Paris’s most iconic basilica.
Location: Paroisse Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, 18th arr.
Metro: Anvers or Abbesses
9. John Singer Sargent Exhibition at Musée d’Orsay
Through January 11, 2026: Over 90 masterpieces exploring Sargent’s formative Paris years (1874-1884). Some works shown in France for the first time. The American painter’s portraits in the context of Belle Époque Paris.
Location: Musée d’Orsay, 7th arrondissement (Online Tickets)
Metro: Solférino
10. Philip Guston at Musée Picasso
October 14, 2025-March 1, 2026: Politically charged paintings and drawings from the American artist. Explores Guston’s shift from abstract expressionism to satirical figuration and 1970s political critique.
Location: Musée national Picasso-Paris, 3rd arrondissement
Metro: Saint-Paul
11. The Sun King Musical
December 4, 2025-January 18, 2026: Kamel Ouali’s iconic show is celebrating its 20th anniversary. A spectacular musical about Louis XIV’s life and reign at Versailles.
Location: Dôme de Paris – Palais des Sports, 15th arr. (Online Tickets)
Metro: Porte de Versailles
12. Luminous Odyssey at Parc Floral
November 19, 2025-January 11, 2026: Over 1,000 monumental lanterns, a drone show, and a Northern Lights simulation. A massive immersive light experience transforming the park into a glowing wonderland.
Location: Parc Floral de Paris, 12th arrondissement (Online Tickets)
Metro: Château de Vincennes
13. Japan in Lights at Jardin d’Acclimatation
December 10, 2025-March 8, 2026: 2,000 glittering lanterns transport you from Mount Fuji to Tokyo streets. Features age-old traditions and kawaii heroes in illuminated displays.
Location: Jardin d’Acclimatation, 16th arrondissement (Online Tickets)
Metro: Les Sablons
14. Bal du Siècle at Palace of Versailles
December 8, 2025: The Palace commemorates its 1923 Fête Merveilleuse with a Roaring Twenties ball. An exceptional evening of period glamour in the most spectacular setting imaginable.
Location: Palace of Versailles (Online Tickets)
RER: Versailles Château Rive Gauche
15. Notre-Dame Christmas Market
November 28-December 25, 2025, in Square René Viviani opposite the cathedral. Over fifty exhibitions dedicated to Christmas arts and crafts, seasonal decorations, and delights. Perfect for combining with a cathedral visit.
Location: Square René Viviani, 2 rue du Fouarre, 5th arr.
Metro: Saint-Michel or Cité
16. Hôtel de Ville Ice Rink
Generally from the first weekend of December to the first weekend of March, Mon-Fri 12pm-10pm, Sat-Sun-holidays 9am-10pm. Free entrance, skate rental around €5. Gloves required. One of Paris’s most beloved holiday traditions in front of City Hall.
Location: Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 4th arrondissement
Metro: Hôtel de Ville
17. La Défense Christmas Market & Ice Rink
November 13-December 28, 2025: The largest Christmas market in the Paris region. Modern setting at the foot of the Grande Arche with extensive shopping, food stalls, and activities.
Location: Grande Arche, La Défense
Metro: La Défense (Line 1)
18. Champs-Élysées Christmas Lights
The avenue glows with festive Christmas LED lights from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Shops stay open late during the season. Other illuminated spots include Place Vendôme, Avenue Montaigne, Bercy Village, and Montmartre. Go after 5 pm for the full effect.
Location: Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 8th arrondissement
Metro: Concorde, Champs-Élysées-Clemenceau, George V, or Charles de Gaulle-Étoile
19. Midnight Christmas Mass at Saint-Eustache
December 24, 2025: Traditional midnight concert in a Gothic setting. Arrive by 11 pm for free seating; dress warmly. One of Paris’s most atmospheric churches hosts this centuries-old tradition.
Location: Saint-Eustache Church, Les Halles, 1st arrondissement
Metro: Les Halles
20. New Year’s Eve at Arc de Triomphe
December 31, 2025: Midnight countdown with lasers and music from Arc de Triomphe to Concorde. Main public celebrations concentrate around the Champs-Élysées with a sound/light show. Expect heavy crowds and transport adjustments.
Location: Champs-Élysées, from Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde
Metro: Multiple stations along the avenue
Bonus Under-the-Radar December in Paris Activities:
- Covered Passages: 19th-century glass-roofed arcades like Galerie Vivienne or Passage des Panoramas offer sheltered strolls with quirky shops and vintage bookstores
- Sainte-Chapelle: Low winter sun enhances kaleidoscopic stained glass. Entry lines short in early December. Arrive at 9am opening for quiet views
- Seine Dinner Cruises: Year-round heated boats with Christmas and New Year’s Eve special menus
- Opera performances: Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro at Palais Garnier throughout December
