Every year, a few weeks before the holidays, the magic of Christmas takes hold of the capital, which shines with a thousand lights until the first days of January. Paris presents her Yuletide plumage, offering for the joy of young and old her illuminated monuments and streets, her markets, her exquisitely decorated department stores and plenty of fun activities for the whole family... The Hotel Interlude, an elegant and charming establishment in the 12th arrondissement, invites you to immerse yourself in the heart of the capital’s festive atmosphere!
Illuminations to enchant and make eyes shine
Since November 21st, the City of Light has certainly earned the name! This year Olympic champion Teddy Riner launched the illuminations that will sparkle and scintillate throughout the Christmas period, bringing seasonal magic to the heart of the capital. More than 130 streets and squares in most of the arrondissements will shine like constellations until January 8th. A rain of shooting stars will bring festive cheer to the Avenue des Champs-Elysées while the Place de la Concorde and its Ferris wheel, the Place Vendôme, the Grands Boulevards, the Avenue Montaigne and many other key locations will adorn themselves with their most spectacular attire to bring a warm glow to the hearts of those who pass by. Note that all these illuminations, which will light the capital from 18:00 to 2:00 in the morning, are designed to consume the minimum possible amount of energy...
Shopping at Christmas Markets
December in Paris is also the time of traditional markets, where you can stroll amidst the festively decorated booths to the uplifting accompaniment of Christmas carols. The ever-popular Champs-Elysées market returns this year with nearly 200 chalets of white wood offering a Christmas cornucopia of unique gifts, artisanal items, decorations for dressing the tree and gourmet products to give your Yuletide celebrations and New Year's Eve party added zest. While you explore the market you can also enjoy pretzels, roasted chestnuts and other goodies and warm up with a good glass of mulled wine with a dash of cinnamon! Other markets that will embrace you in a welcoming atmosphere can be found in Montparnasse, Défense, Notre-Dame, Gare de l'Est, Mail Branly, Saint-Germain-des-Pres... Don’t miss this wonderful Christmas fun!
Making the most of the festive atmosphere in Paris
Enjoy this period of delicious anticipation before the holidays begin in earnest and have some fun with your family on the skating rinks that are installed in the midst of the capital until the first days of January. You can find these in the nave of the Grand Palais, which at over 2700 m2 is the largest Christmas ice rink in Europe; the Eiffel Tower; Trocadéro; Charléty sur Neige and the Champs-Elysées Christmas market. All offer unforgettable moments of laughter and joy for all the family.
To make the most of your stay in Paris in the run-up to Christmas, you should also head for the capital’s great department stores. Their display windows are inventive and surprising works of art bursting with light, colour, animatronics, charm and beauty. The Hotel Interlude recommends that you take a look in the windows of the most famous of all, the Galeries Lafayette, as well as Printemps Haussmann, Bon Marché, BHV Marais, the Champs Elysées boutiques, Bercy Village, and the Forum des Halles, where you can see a giant fir tree of more than 15 metres in height.
