Paris in December: Your Guide to Christmas Markets in Paris
I had the amazing opportunity to go to Paris this December which was my first time in Europe during Christmas time. One of the things I was most excited for was walking through the Christmas Markets where I had seen lots of content of mulled wine, small business owned stands, artisan goods, and great food. I explored all but the La Défense market during my stay so keep on reading for a review on each if you are planning which ones to go to for your trip!
There are a handful of Christmas Markets all throughout Paris, ranging from smaller 20 chalet pop ups around the city to large set up markets including a brand new Swiss market in La Vilette park!
1. Eiffel Tower (Quai Jacques Chirac)
The Eiffel Tower market is right in front of the Eiffel along the Seine. There are dozens of booths here including at least 20 additional food stands with benches to sit while you sip mulled wine and enjoy a warm cheese baguette. While you might assume this one is too touristy because of the location, this was actually my second favorite Christmas market in the city. I found there to be a really strong range of artisan goods, nearly all from kind, small business owners. A lot of the stands were so unique and it was where we bought most of our holiday gifts.
Rating: 7.5/10
2. La Vilette Christmas Market
La Vilette is a brand new Swiss market which opened as of 2025. The wooden chalets and thousands of Christmas lights here are exactly what you would want from a festive market. The mulled wine was fantastic and the food and dessert options were the best selection across the markets we visited. There is a fully built out fondue chalet with fire pits and cozy seating to have authentic fondue for dinner when you stop by here which accepts walk ins!
It is right by the subway entrance as well so highly accessible despite being a bit further north in Paris. This one is a must-see if in Paris in December.
Rating: 10/10
3. Montmartre (Place des Abbesses)
In my prior research to coming to Paris, the Abbesses Christmas Market had the most raved reviews across blogs for having some of the best artisan booths albeit it being on the smaller end. Being that Montmartre is the art center of Paris, I was really excited to see what unique goods might be here. I found it to be nice to walk through but not as strong of a selection as some of the other markets. If you are in the area, I think it is worth stopping by, however note that it is small and can be seen within 15-20 minutes.
There was a Champagne booth at this market which was such a hit amongst people here. It was actually the only Champagne booth I saw across the Paris markets!
Rating: 6.5/10
4. Jardin des Tuileries (Tuileries Garden)
The Christmas Market at the Jardin des Tuileries is the main market in the heart of Paris, located right beside the Louvre. It’s much more a spectacular with a full set of rides set up, carnival activities, and arcade-like games. We found it to be very chaotic, less tasteful (hot wine vs. mulled wine at the others), and leaned quite young. I frankly thought it was a bit tacky and would not recommend coming unless with kids looking for activities. We did find one ceramic artist here though we both got pieces from that were fantastic!
Rating: 2/10
5. Marché de Noël de Paris La Défense
We didn’t end up visiting the La Défense market during our visit, but this is the largest Christmas Market in Paris. It is about an hour north of Paris so be prepared to bake in time for transportation here. I’ve heard you’ll find everything here from mulled wine, food, 150 chalets of gifts and holiday decor, and more!
6. Notre Dame (Parvis Notre-Dame)
The Notre Dame market is quaint but a must-see one while in Paris. There are only about 25 chalets but the quality of each were some of the best we saw. There were incredible artist booths, some good food options, jewelry stands, and more. It is right across the street from the Notre Dame itself so very central in the city. You won’t need a bunch of time to go through it but I highly recommend adding it to your itinerary.
Rating: 5/10
7. Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market
This was actually a Christmas market we stumbled upon while walking over to Cafe De Flore. It’s quite small, just a strip of Christmas chalets along the main road, but worth stopping by if you are in the area. There was some great truffle stands here I highly recommend checking out! There isn’t a need to go out of the way to come over here though as it’s only ~15 stands.
Rating: 5/10
8. Hôtel de Ville Market
The market at Hôtel de Ville is very cute with Christmas window displays to walk by, intermixed with dozens of Christmas trees, and a handful of stalls. It is right beside the Notre Dame market so I recommend combining the two! It is extra special at night so I recommend visiting after dusk. It is also on the smaller end though, needing no more than 15 minutes here.
Rating: 5/10
Overall, the Christmas Markets across Paris range from large full-night events to quick stops if you are in the area! I highly recommend seeing a handful of them as they each have unique stands, atmosphere’s, etc. France in December was such a great experience, I couldn’t recommend it more if you are on the fence.
