Paris In December | Heritage Wanderlust

The city of love. Of light. Of street cafés and croissants. Of fruity wine and fine dining. Of strolls by the Seine. Of relaxing days in Le Jardin du Luxemburg. But how is it to visit Paris like in December? The darkest month of the year.

Continue scrolling to see my photo story of a December weekend in Paris. You will also find some great tips on how to make the most out of your time here.

What is the weather like in Paris in December?

First things first. Because, isn’t weather something we all question when travelling? Especially in Europe in December? Or is that just a Norwegian thing?

Well. If you are looking for a destination sparkling with white, snowy streets, Paris is not your place. That said, you can off course be lucky. To be sure to get white Christmas scenes, you should plan a trip further north. Way further north. See my post about visiting Iceland in December, and you will see that not even Reykjavik had snow when I was there. Tromsø in Northern Norway is a safer bet – it’s even nicknamed “Paris of the North”.

A waiter seen through the windows in a restaurant. Red bench and tables with brass details outside.

Visiting Paris in winter, you should be prepared for all kinds of weather. Except warm, sunny days off course. Daytime temperatures normally vary between 3 – 8 degrees Celsius, and it’s rarely going below freezing point (which is needed to get snow). During my four days there, I experienced sun, overcast and rain showers. Plus, a full day of heavy rain. Exactly what everything I read about weather in Paris said was normal.

Don’t let the chances rain put you off. Rain is the best excuse to pop into charming cafés and interesting museums every now and then!

Two people walking on a street in Paris. Restaurants and colourful lightning around.

A woman in black clothes walking next to a cafe in Paris in December. Christmas ornaments around.

The art nouveau Saint-Michele metro station with Christmas illuminated restaurant behind.

The glass pyramids of the Louvre lights up the dark in front. A ferris wheel seen to the right.

Parisian Christmas Markets

What says December more than Christmas markets? Perhaps not as well-known as the German, Polish, or Estonian festive markets, but Paris won’t let you down. Even in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, there was one on every second corner. Well, at least it felt like that.

Walking past the Louvre, I stumbled upon the Jardin des Tuileries Christmas market. This is one of the largest in Paris and a must to stop by. It is loud and crowded with people having fun. Blinking lights and smells of spices and barbeques. Adults are sipping vin chaud and browsing through stalls selling everything from handmade jewellery to food. Kids are cheerfully standing in line for the ferris wheel, the ice-skate rink, and other Tivoli activities.

Chefs working on a barbeque stall at Christmas market in Paris.

A large, colourful ferris wheel in Paris in December.

Other Christmas markets worth popping by when in Paris in December, are the one by Notre-Dame; Montmartre Christmas Market; Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market; the 350 stalls large market along the La Défense Esplanade, and small, but cute one next to Saint-Germain-des-Prés church; and last but not least – the Christmas Market by the Eiffel Tower.

Close up of a part of the Eiffel Tower towards a dark December sky.

City of lights

December may have little to offer when it comes to natural light, but Paris still holds the podium as the City of Lights. The long, dark nights are brightened by a spectacle of illuminations throughout the city. Walking along the streets of Paris in December feels like walking in an open-air museum of sparkling light art.

The best known, is perhaps the sparkling red decorations illuminating Avenue des Champs-Élysées alle the way from Place de la Concorde up to the Arc de Triomphe. Even heavy with traffic, it was a beautiful sight. Red light banners lined the wide road and there is no wonder why this is such a popular picture of Paris’ festive decorations.

Are you feeling tired from shopping or walking through hall after hall filled with art? Join the Paris Christmas Lights tour by bus!

Cars driving on Avenue des Champs-Élysées, red lights covering the trees on both sides. Arc the Triomphe in the back.

A restaurant with a massive ornament of flowers and lights, and lighted christmas trees. People sitting outisde, inside and standing in line.

A cyclist on the street in front of a restaurant with an illuminated sign saying Saint-Michele. A black car parked on the street.

Creative festive decorations

The open-air art museum doesn’t stop with light installations. The stores of Paris take window shopping to a whole new level in December. Small, individual shops, high street stores, haute couture fashion stores, and shopping centres alike make incredible window and façade decorations.

Even if shopping is not your cup of tea, I assure the window displays will make you stop every now and then!

A large sun ornament on Louis Vuitton store in Paris.

The absolute best example is the wonderfully imaginative display at Galeries Lafayette. You will be mesmerized by everything from the window décor outside to the ornaments hanging from the 43-metre-high dome ceiling inside the historic shopping centre.

Tips! When at Galeries Lafayette, also make sure to go up to the roof terrace for excellent views of the city.

Christmas decorations hanging from the ceiling inside the historica Galeries Lafayette.

Seek shelter inside the old galeries & passages

The historical passages and galeries are just as welcome as a shelter from rainy December days now as they were for the wealthy citizens of Paris trying to escape the muddy streets in the early 19th century.

The historic galeries and passages are arcades that functioned as early days’ shopping malls from the early 1800’s. Inside, those who could afford it could shop and dine in the comfort of a roofed, dry environment – unlike the unpaved streets outside.

Two women looking at a map inside Passage des Panoramas in Paris. — Passage des Panoramas

People walking inside Passage des Panoramas. Books on a shelf and in boxes in the front. — Passage des Panoramas

Less than 25 of the original 150 or so passages are still in business today, and I highly recommend to pop in if you walk past one. In addition to holding individual, small stores of all kinds, it’s like stepping back in time away from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets just metres away.

Want to know more about the historic galeries and passages, take a look at Parisian moments’ post about them.

The historic Galeri Vivienne. — Beautiful Galeri Vivienne

How to get around Paris in December

Even though Paris is a large city, and the December weather can be on the chillier side, I recommend using your feet to get around. In my opinion, walking is always the best way to explore any city. Just do not think you can see all the interesting sites in one day, except for places such as Dublin with compressed city centres. If you get tired, simply pop in to one of the plenty cafés or restaurants around town or opt to get the metro back to your hotel as I did every afternoon or evening.

Colourful festive decorations above a restaurant in Montmartre.

Three people outside Le Consulat restaurant in Paris.

On my long-weekend visit to Paris in December 2021, I walked a total of 80 kilometres. And I truly believe this is the main reason why my perception of the city was so different to my first visit in 2007. On my first visit, I mainly took the metro everywhere and could not get the hang of the city at all. This time, I could see how the neighbourhoods change as I walked through them and how all parts are connected.

A man and a child outside a flower shop. The small child holding a bouquet.

Tip: Make sure to dress according to the weather. With a wind- and rain proof parka, comfy winter boots, hat, scarf, gloves, and an umbrella, you are all set to conquer the December weather while still looking smart!

Unexpected cultural moments

I got some really unexpected cultural moments I will remember for life due to aimlessly walking around. The first was a sole saxophonist playing inside Louvre’s courtyard Cour Carré. Except for a couple of other people, it was just him and me. Above, I could spot stars peaking down at us in between the light clouds. I couldn’t do anything but stand there and listen. When he packed down his instrument and left a few minutes’ later, it was as if it had never happened…

A couple dancing tango in front of windows.

The second was in front of Palais de Chaillot. A couple danced tango as if they were all alone in the entire city. She had a speaker tucked under her arm as they gallantly moved around in front of the massive building. Again, I couldn’t do else than stand there and watch them with my back to the sparkling Eiffel Tower.

Dig into tasty food and drinks

First of all, I love food but I’m not a foodie. If you want specific restaurant and food advice, I recommend you check other blogs. Foodie or not, with its vast variety of eateries, Paris will make sure you are both full and happy.

For most part, I follow the “I am hungry and this place looks nice” or “I am cold and this place looks cosy” methods when choosing where to eat and drink. In Paris this worked like a charm! I de-frosted on warm onion soup, dug into delicious pizza and pasta, opted for a Lebanese restaurant with great food and even greater service one evening, and spent hours at a random, local restaurant on Île Saint-Louis chatting with a German professor on the table next to me. Who said dining solo is boring?

View to a quiet street with christmas ornaments seen through a window.

Do you think you will miss the summer’s street cafés? I got good news for you! They are still here and just as lively, with plastic curtains protecting you from rain and wind and heating lamps to keep you warm.

Museums and art galleries

The chilly weather is also a good occasion to pop by one of the many museums and art galleries. Louvre may be the most famous, but being more interested in the impressionist era I visited Musée d’Orsay instead. Located inside a stunning Beaux-Arts building, initially built as a railway station, it’s worth a visit even if you’re not a major fan of art.

The exhibitions can boast of masterpieces by Claude Monet, Édouard Manet, Renoir, Cézanne, Gaugin, and van Gogh. My main reason to visit Musée d’Orsay, however, was to say hello to Edgar Degas’ little dancer. A sculpture I once saw in Copenhagen and have wished to meet again ever since. His beautiful paintings of the dancers are worth a couple of minutes too.

Edgar Degas sculpture Little Dancer at Musée d'Orsay

On my walk uphill towards Montmartre, I stumbled upon a pop-up gallery showing the works of Banksy. Another perk of walking around the city!

View of Montmartre and Paris from Centre of Pompidou.

If you rather want to see 20th century art, opt for the weird-looking Centre of Pompidou instead. Book your visit online to make sure you get in. I didn’t and waited in line in the cold for ages without getting tickets. Visiting the exhibitions or not, make sure to go up to its 6th floor to see the panorama of Paris.

Centre of Pompidou with lots of people in line in front.

Escalators on the outside of Centre of Pompidou. Paris behind.

Are you convinced about visiting Paris in December?

I hope so. It truly is a wonderful time to explore the city of love. And remember, all the normal attractions, such as the Eiffel tower are open and the dark evenings only make it stand out even more!

What is Paris like in December?