December in Paris 2026: Christmas Markets, Exhibitions and Events

There is one moment in December when Paris stops being a city and starts being a setting. It happens around five in the afternoon, when darkness falls on the Champs-Élysées, the lights come on all at once on four hundred plane trees, and everyone standing there forgets for a moment that they are cold. After that, the cold returns, but the impression remains.

December 2026 is a particularly busy month in the City of Lights. Christmas markets stretch from La Défense to the 5th arrondissement, three huge exhibitions that opened in October are still running, Hanukkah falls early this year (December 4 to 12), and in the middle of it all, ten consecutive nights of Orléans at the Accor Arena. I've rounded up what's really worth your time here, with confirmed dates and no promises that can't be kept.

Christmas Markets in Paris in December 2026

This is the main attraction of the month, and rightly so. There are dozens of markets in Paris and its region, from the large ones that attract millions of visitors to the individual stalls that pop up in a neighborhood square and disappear after a weekend. The formula is the same in all of them: wooden pavilions, mulled wine (vin chaud), roasted chestnuts, cheeses and cold cuts from the provinces, and gifts, some truly handmade and some less so.

The three major markets you should know before planning:

• La Défense – The largest in Ile-de-France, about 300 pavilions on the plaza under the Grand Arch, from November 12 to December 31, 2026. The festive area “Le Sommet” remains open until January 3, 2027. Arrive by metro line 1 or RER A.
• Tuileries Gardens (Jardin des Tuileries) – The market that moved here from the Champs-Elysées, and has since become the most photographed in the city: pavilions along the garden, a Ferris wheel, an ice slide and an entire amusement park. The opening is expected on November 14, 2026 and the closing on January 3, 2027, but the dates have not yet been officially confirmed, so it is worth checking before your trip.
• Notre Dame, Square René Viviani – From November 26 to December 27, 2026, in the 5th arrondissement. A small, high-quality market of artisans and regional food producers, opposite the cathedral. It is located in the square and not in the plaza itself, and will remain so until the expansion work is completed.

Opening hours vary from market to market, and on December 24 and 31, most of them close early. I have compiled all the markets, including the small and neighborhood ones, with exact hours and locations in the separate guide to Christmas markets in Paris . And if you are looking for a regular, non-festive food market, I have the guide to markets in Paris for you.

Lights and shop windows in Paris in December 2026

The lighting of the Champs-Élysées is a small state event: the avenue is closed to traffic, a famous patron arrives, and in the early evening, about two kilometers of trees are lit. In recent years, it has happened in mid-November, and the lights have been on every evening from 17:00 PM to midnight (later on weekends) until early January. The exact date for the 2026 edition has not yet been announced, so it's worth checking before you go.

The classic light trail starts at the Arc de Triomphe and goes down the boulevard to the Place de la Concorde, continues to the Tuileries Gardens (and the market there), and from there east to Place Vendôme, which sparkles in gold and silver thanks to the jewelry houses. From there north to Boulevard Haussmann, which is the best part.

Department store window displays are a Parisian tradition that dates back more than a century, and they are free. The permanent addresses: Galeries Lafayette and Prentin on Boulevard Haussmann (where the huge tree under the dome and the terrace with the view are also), Le Bon Marché on the Left Bank, BHV in the Marais and La Samaritaine near the Fontainebleau. The displays are mostly motorized, with moving dolls and machines that give gifts, and are aimed at children but work great with adults too.

One tip from experience: Don't go to Osman on a Saturday afternoon. The crowd in front of the windows is such that the kids can't see anything, which is exactly the opposite of the goal. Tuesday or Wednesday evening, around seven, and it's a completely different experience.

Exhibitions in Paris museums in December 2026

December is a great month for museums in Paris, and for a simple reason: when it rains outside, you go inside anyway, and all the big exhibitions of the season have already opened and are still far from closing. Everything listed here has been checked against the official Paris exhibition calendar and runs throughout December.

One warning that comes up every month, and in December it's more severe: the French holiday break starts around December 19, and museums fill up. Book a time slot in advance, and don't assume you'll find tickets for the day after Christmas.

And there are a few more that are worth noting that didn't make the list: "Monet, Painting Time" at the Orangerie Museum (until January 25, 2027), on the centennial of the painter's death, Andy Warhol at the Luxembourg Museum (until January 10, 2027), "Paris Torn from the Walls" by Jacques Villegale at the Carnaval Museum (until February 14, 2027), The Secrets of the Alhambra at the Arab World Institute (from November 24), and Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI at Fontainebleau (until January 25, 2027).

And by the way, if you are planning more than two exhibitions, it is worth checking the museum pass before buying individual tickets. I have reviewed all the museums in detail in the Paris Museums Guide , and the buildings themselves in the Paris Monuments Guide . The updated list of exhibitions is on the Recommended Exhibitions in Paris page.

Concerts and classical music in Paris in December 2026

If there's one month of the year when I recommend everyone go to a concert in a Parisian church, even those who don't touch classical music the rest of the year, it's December. The churches bring out their candlelight series, the repertoire tends to be festive (Vivaldi, Bach, Christmas cantatas), and the combination of cold outside, cold stone inside, and a hundred lit candles does something that's hard to explain.

Important note: The December concert schedule is published gradually throughout the fall, and each venue publishes its own dates. The links here lead to the series pages themselves, where the updated dates and times for the day you are reading appear.

And for those looking for a classic Christmas ballet: Tchaikovsky's (Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski, 1840-1893) “The Nutcracker” produced by a ballet and orchestra will be performed at the Palais des Congrès from December 23, 2026 to January 10, 2027, at prices from 48 to 69 euros. I reviewed the other halls and churches in detail in an article about classical music in Paris.

Big shows and performances in Paris in December 2026

The end of the year is the strong season for big venues, and this time there are some serious names here. I can't give a direct link to each performance, but the names and dates are verified:

• Orelsan, December 9 to 20 – Ten nights at the Accor Arena, an unusual residency on its scale. Rapper McCann is currently the biggest artist in France, and tickets for these nights were snapped up early.
• Éric Serra, December 6 – Bakour Arena, an evening celebrating 45 years of creativity. Those who don't recognize the name will certainly recognize his soundtracks for Luc Besson's films.
• Jeanne Cherhal, December 10 – Zénith. A classic French singer-songwriter, the kind who gives an entire evening without gimmicks.
• Gims, December 16 and 17 – Two evenings in Paris at the La Défense Arena, the largest arena in France.
• Krys, December 18 – Zenith La Villette. Caribbean dancehall in French, completely not what you expect in Paris in December, and that's exactly why it's recommended.
• Shrek the Musical, until January 17, 2027 – at the Folies Bergère, with Chantal Ladesso. If you are with children and looking for an evening of musicals in French, this is the address for the season.

And if cabaret is what you're looking for, I've compiled all of Paris' regular shows, from the Moulin Rouge to Freddy Laten, in an article about shows and cabarets in Paris . In December, most of them add special show nights on the 24th and 31st of the month, at a completely different price.

Christmas at Disneyland Paris

The 2026 Noël Enchanté Disney season runs from November 7, 2026, to January 6, 2027, making it the longest holiday season of any Disney park in Europe. Both parks are decorated, characters are in holiday attire, and there is a Christmas parade and a grand tree lighting ceremony in Town Square each day.

My advice, and I repeat it every year: the first two weeks of December are the window. All the decorations are up, all the parades are running, and the park is relatively empty because school holidays in France don't start until around the 19th of the month. From December 20 to January 1 is peak season, with maximum queues and hotel prices accordingly. I've compiled everything you need to know about the park in my guide to Disneyland Paris.

Hanukkah in Paris in December 2026

December in Paris is not just about Christmas. Hanukkah 5777 falls relatively early this year: the first candle is lit on Friday evening, December 4, 2026, and the holiday lasts until the end of Shabbat on December 12. Note one practical detail: the first candle is lit on Shabbat evening, so it is lit before the Shabbat candles and not after them, and the eighth candle is lit on Friday evening, December 11.

And what is so fitting for the City of Lights: In recent years, giant menorahs have been placed in central squares throughout Paris, including Place de la République, the Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower , and the Place de l'Opéra, and the lighting ceremonies are held in public with music and sometimes a concert. The exact lighting schedule for 2026, including locations and times, is only published by the community in the weeks before the holiday, so don't plan a trip around it without checking.

By the way, you won't find doughnuts on every corner, but a good French beignet with jam is the local version, and every decent boulangerie sells it in the winter.

Christmas and New Year's Eve in Paris: What's open and what's closed

This is the question I get asked the most in December, and the short answer: December 25 and January 1 are almost completely closed days for major museums and a large number of restaurants, while on December 24 and 31 most sites are open but close early, usually around 17:00 or 18:00 p.m. The metro runs until the wee hours on these two evenings, which makes the evening much easier.

I have compiled the full details, what is open on each of these dates, which attractions are open, where to order a dinner and what is happening on the Champs-Elysées on New Year's Eve, in a separate article about Christmas and New Year's Eve in Paris . There are also links to the festive cruises on the Seine and the special cabaret evenings.

Paris weather in December

December in Paris is romantic and beautiful, but also cold and wet, and you should come prepared for that. Temperatures typically range from 3 to 8 degrees, and while that’s not extreme compared to other European cities, the high humidity makes it feel much colder than the number on your phone screen. There are an average of about 15 rainy days per month, although the rain itself is usually light and brief.

Snow rarely falls in Paris in December, and even when it does, it is light and doesn’t accumulate, so don’t count on a “white Christmas.” What’s more, there is sometimes ice on the sidewalks in the mornings, so walk carefully and bring closed shoes with grip.

The item I recommend most for December is not a coat but gloves. You spend a lot more time outside than you think, between markets and shop windows, and your hands are the first to break. More on the weather in Paris and how to dress for it.

Questions and answers about December in Paris

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