If you’re in any city in Europe around Christmas, you’re bound to find little festive markets popping up all over the place. The tradition, which started in Germany, has been fully adopted by the Parisians, and Paris’ Marchés de Noël are some of the best around.
Here’s where to go and how to make the most of them:
1. Le Champs Élysées
From as early as the middle of November, the large part of the Champs Elysées turns into a whirlwind of Christmas. For the most part, this Christmas market sells over priced tackiness. If you’re looking to pay 10 euros for biscuit iced with “Joyeux Noël” then you’ll be in your element. But if you’re looking for something a little more quaint, at first, the speakers blaring cheesy music and the plastic santa photo booths might put you off. But nestled in between the tourist tat are some hidden gems. Here are some little things to watch out for:
You’ll find the most beautiful flavoured Streusel on sale at Maison Karrenbauer. The delicacies may not be French, but the Germans will have a hard time making a better version of them.
The Ice Rink is actually really well done, with tracks winding through Christmas scenes. Children will love it.
The Sweet Factory doesn’t produce anything edible – but its adorable jewelry looks good enough to eat. The miniature gingerbreadmen on rings would make perfect stocking fillers.
About half way down on the river side of the market is the artisans’ side street, which is where you’ll find real, handcrafted gifts. If you’re lucky, you might even catch the glass blower with a blowtorch working at his craft, or a lady hammering away at her delicate jewelry.
It may be a tad on the tacky side, but the kids will love The Flying Santa, especially after dark, when you can’t see the wire pulling along his sleigh in the sky.
2. La Defense
The Christmas market at La Defense is one of the biggest. Perhaps, as a result, it does feel very commercial, and you’ll find plenty of gadget demonstrations and imported goods. But work your way through the streets under a roof of twinkly lights and you’ll find some wonderfully Christmassy things on sale:
If you’re interested in the history of your hometown, or what was happening on the day you were born, there are two stands selling photos of every town from 1900, and the daily newspapers from any day in the last century. If there’s a history buff in your family, either would make great gifts.
A rather underwhelming fashion igloo takes up one corner of the market, but on the other side is tent of Christmas tree decorations, and the sheer scale of it makes it worth a look. If you haven’t bought your Christmas tree yet, don’t worry – you can get those here, too.
If you’re into honey, there’s an entire stand selling everything from honey vinegar to honey bread. And in between the next cute chocolate shop, and another stall selling the world’s softest scarves, you’ll find some real oddities, like an entire stand of samurai swords or mini-stage featuring live Native American music.
But if you’re looking for something more traditional, watch out for the beautifully hand-bound leather books, or the carved, hard-wood boards games. And if you’re feeling the chill of the winter, this is as good a place as any to get a giant fur throw.
Whatever else you find, do not leave without paying a visit to L’art Gourmand by Hubert Levaufre. From the arch, walk halfway down the central path, turn right, and you’ll come across this stand of edible art. Selling every goodie from florentines, to nougat, to handmade fruit pastels, you’ll have a hard time thinking of enough people to buy Christmas presents for.
3. Saint-Germain-des-Prés
This Christmas village springs up around the beginning of December, and makes a perfect evening pit stop. The church and its square are lit up beautifully so provide a lovely backdrop for some cutesy stalls. You’ll find the usual suspects on sale – scarves, soaps and plenty of chocolate, but there are few extras that make it worth the visit:
Maison du Nougat has a little stand here, but the slabs of nougat it produces are anything but little. Great blocks infused with flavours and dribbled with chocolate will have any passerby dribbling.
Just near the top of the metro, the laser-cut pop-up cards on sale are quite spectacular. Intricate little scenes pop out of impossibly small piece of cardboard, and provide a nice alternative to the standard Paris-in-the-snow Christmas postcard.
Hand-woven lavender ornaments are bound to revamp any Christmas tree looking tired dressed in the same decorations as always. These clever little baubles also provide a solution for anyone averse to the smell of pine, as they’ll fill your home with lovely wafts of lavender.
The hut selling vin-chaud looks more French (in that its not labeled “Glüwein”) and less industrial than many at other markets, so if you’re in need of some warming up, this is a great place to get a glass.
4. Abbesses
Montmartre is known for its arty atmosphere and its winding little streets, so it makes the perfect location for a sweet little Christmas market. As expected, there are the usual festive culprits in the Place des Abbesses in December, but you’ll also find a some stalls aimed specifically at the bohemian crowd:
Have a go at making your own perfume, at the perfumery stand in the square. Who knows if it’ll smell any good, but whomever you give it to as a present is bound to appreciate the effort.
There are handmade gifts galore here, and lots of local artists showing off their talents. You may not have thought of face-painting as an art form before, but let one of the artists free on your face (or your child’s) and you’ll be convinced otherwise. If you’re wheat intolerant, you can pick up some artisan-made gluten free macaroons at this particular Christmas market, and there’s plenty of street-art on sale.
Kids will love the little roundabout, and the opportunity to ride one of the miniature ponies, and you’ll appreciate the twinkly atmosphere and the ever-so-tempting nearby shops and cafés.
Visiting the City of Lights isn’t the cheapest during the festive period, but you can save money by reading our guide how to visit Paris on a budget. If you are open to more destinations you might like to view our guide to the best Christmas markets in Europe.
