Paris December things to do

Paris in December is a great time to visit the French capital. There are so many things to do and with all the christmas markets, shopping streets, cool hotels and everything from traditional to neo-bistro restaurants. Paris has it all!

Enjoy Hot wine wandering around Place Tertre in Montmartre, crepes at the Christmas Market at Tuileries Gardens, grab the best hot chocolates at Carette and treat yourself to something luxurious at Place Vendome.

The weather has really started to get cold – see my list of what to pack for Paris in winter, at the end of the article.

P.S. If you are thinking of visiting London for the christmas holiday, remember the 27th of December is boxing day – so why not take the Eurostar fast train that’s 2 hours and voila you’re in Paris where everything is still open!

Where to stay

For this hotel selection I thought it would be cool to break it down in the section of Budget, Boutique and High End.

Budget

1 BASSS Hotel

Basss Hotel is located on one of my favorite streets in Montmartre, the location is worth all your pennies because not only will you discover a really cute comfortable hotel but it’s in a great neighborhood with a village feel on the hill in Paris.

Address: 57 Rue des Abbesses, 75018 Paris

Phone: 01 42 51 50 00

BOOK THIS HOTEL

2 Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais

Caron Beaumarche is ideally located in the heart of the trendy Marais neighbourhood. It’s a beautiful tiny hotel with French old school decor. You are going to love the convenience of being able to step out of your hotel and have some of the best restaurants, galleries and boutiques within walking distance.

Address: 12 Rue Vieille-du-Temple, 75004 Paris

Phone: 01 42 72 34 12

Accueil

3. Edgar

Hotel Edgar is in the neighborhood of Sentier which was a more working class wholesale clothing neighborhood in the past. Today the hotel is a few streets over from the trendy neighborhood of Montorgueil, so it’s definitely worth staying. They have a really cool Italian and pizza restaurant.

Address: 1 rue Sainte Foy, 31 Rue d’Alexandrie, 75002 Paris

Phone: 01 40 41 05 19

BOOK THIS HOTEL

Boutique

4. Jules and Jim

Jules & Jim is a tiny 23 bedroom hotel on a cute Street in the Marais. another hotel in an amazing location. They have a bar and a gym available so if you’re looking to work out this is going to be a great place for you. If you’re looking to have fun this is also going to be a great place for you because of its proximity to the nightlife anf culture the Marais is known for.

Address: 11 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003 Paris

Phone: 01 44 54 13 13

BOOK THIS HOTEL

5. Hoxton

The Hoxton is one of the coolest hotels right now in Paris. Having been recently opened in the last few years it has an amazing restaurant bar Claude and is also a nice place to even go for a coffee. So if you’re coming to Paris it is a place that has bustling local life and it’s going to be full of beautiful fashionable people.

Address: 30-32 Rue du Sentier, 75002 Paris

Phone: 01 85 65 75 00

BOOK THIS HOTEL

Paris

High end

6. Nolinski

This swanky beautifully decorated hotel is a stone’s throw away from the Louvre Museum. Talk about an amazing location with a very discreet staff if you’re looking for something that is comfortable and chic in close proximity to some of the Parisian monuments in Nolinski is it.

Address: 16 Av. de l’Opéra, 75001 Paris

Phone: 01 42 86 10 10

BOOK THIS HOTEL

7 Plaza Athenee

Have you ever seen those beautifully aligned decorated Parisian windows with red roses hanging from the balcony windows or just simply from the windows? Plaza Athenee is the spot to see this in all its glory and also one of the top 5 luxury hotels in Paris.

Address: 25 Av. Montaigne, 75008 Paris

Phone: 01 53 67 66 65

BOOK THIS HOTEL

8 Cheval blanc

A new hotel just across from the Seine River attached to the magnificently renovated La Sanmaritaine ; a luxury department store offers everything. The Hotel offers; fine dining in a spa and great hospitality.

Address: 8 Quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris

Phone: 01 40 28 00 00

BOOK THIS HOTEL

SEE MY LIST OF TESTED AND CURATED HOTELS HERE

Paris Best Hotels

Where to eat

For the traditional food

1. l’Escargot

Escargot is at the end of Rue Montorgueil, a super cool street that I would love for all of you to discover because it has a little bit of everything that makes Paris so wonderful! The restaurant itself is traditionally decorated and as you can guess the name escargot means snail in French and their speciality is snails and traditional French food. This is where I take a lot of my friends when they come to Paris and want to have cool French food at an affordable price in my old neighborhood.

Address: 38 Rue Montorgueil, 75001 Paris

Phone: 01 42 36 83 51

2. Au Pied de Cochon

– This iconic restaurant is known for never ever closing it’s doors it’s open 24-hours and it is splendidly decorated in a central location at Chatelet les Halles (close to the Louvre) actually means pigs feet and they serve traditional French meals a bit more on the heavier side but if you really want to have French onion soup things that you perhaps can’t find other places I definitely suggest Pied de Cochon.

Address: 6 Rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris

Phone: 01 40 13 77 00

For the photos

3. Pink Mamma

yes it’s true that Pink Mamma has beautiful decor but is it worth waiting in line? it’s a decent place to have a traditional Italian meal, their truffles pasta is sometimes a hit or miss, but their pizza is always on point. it’s not necessarily the best place but if you’re looking for a place that is aesthetically appealing and cool for a group of people this is it. They also have a hidden cocktail bar downstairs. The decor is absolutely stunning!

NB – you have to make a reservation

Address: 20bis Rue de Douai, 75009 Paris

Menu: menu.bigmammagroup.com

Phone: 01 75 85 03 72

Reservations: sevenrooms.com

4. Train bleu

hands down one of the most beautiful dining experience anyone could ever have in Paris! Train Bleu is inside Gare de Lyon and it’s an old train station that has kept its yesteryear feel. You can also get traditional French food here and the staff is amazing.

https://www.instagram.com/restaurantletrainbleu/?hl=en

Immersion

if you’re looking for a place to have a really nice full breakfast or brunch you should definitely go to Immersion. Where they have really decent size plates of eggs and avocado and toast served kind of like an American style bottle with a French touch; croissants.

For the history and luxury

5 La tour d’argent

If it’s luxurious gastronomical dining that you’re looking for with a history that goes back to the 15th century then you have to go to lactose and try their in-house speciality, the pressed duck.

Address: 19 Quai de la Tournelle, 75005 Paris

Menu: tourdargent.com

Phone: 01 43 54 17 47

6 Le Meurice Alain Ducasse

You need to dress swanky to eat at Le Meurice. It’s one of the establishments that requires all men to wear a jacket to the chef at Le Meurice is one of the top chefs Alain Ducasse in Paris and the meal is exceptional inside this luxury hotel.

Address: 228 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris

Menu: dorchestercollection.com

Phone: 01 44 58 10 55

Reservations: sevenrooms.com

Order: sevenrooms.com

Eiffel tower view

If you’re looking for Great restaurants with a view to the Eiffel Tower and these are my top picks:

7. Les Ombres

8. Giraffe

9. Ducasse sur Seine

Tout Paris

Fashion

10 LES PETITES MAINS RESTAURANT IN PALAIS GALLIERA GARDEN

If you’re a fan of fashion you definitely have to visit the Palais Galliera museum when you’re in Paris and they’ve just created a new restaurant attached to the museum that’s worth visiting for its beautiful patio setting, from market to table food. Reopens in summer 2023.

Palais Galliera

10 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie,

Paris 16e, 75116 Paris

01 56 52 86 00

SEE MY LIST OF TESTED AND CURATED RESTAURANTS HERE