Paris in December is the version of the city most people picture and few people plan for properly. The lights are up, the cafés are warm, the bakeries are full of bûches. It’s also dark by five, grey most days, and on two dates you will find a lot of locked doors.
None of that is a reason not to go. It’s a reason to know before you go.
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What the weather is really like
Cold, damp, rarely dramatic. Average highs sit around 7°C (45°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F). December is the rainiest and cloudiest month of the year, with rain on roughly nine days. Snow is rare, so don’t pack for a postcard.
The cold that gets you is the wet kind: the drizzle on the walk between two museums, not the temperature on the app.
The light: plan your days around 4:53 pm
The sun sets as early as 4:53 pm around 11 December and doesn’t rise until about 8:40 am by the end of the month. That’s roughly eight hours of daylight. How to use it:
- Do outdoor things (walks, the quays, Montmartre) between 10 am and 3 pm.
- Save museums, shopping and long lunches for when it’s dark.
- Go out after dark on purpose. The city looks its best between 5 and 7 pm, when the lights are on and the shops are still open.
What to pack
- A real coat. A camel coat or a pea coat, not a puffer, if you want to blend in.
- A scarf, worn every day, indoors too if it’s that kind of café.
- Waterproof boots you can walk ten miles in. Paris is cobbles and puddles.
- Gloves and a hat for evenings.
- A small umbrella.
- One nicer outfit. Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners are dressier than you think.
Not sure your wardrobe is up to it? Is your closet French or American? Six questions will tell you.
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Take the quizThe two days the city closes: 25 December and 1 January
Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are national holidays. Expect the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, department stores and many neighbourhood bistros to be shut. The metro runs on a Sunday timetable.
What works: walk, see the lights, book a restaurant that’s open well ahead, and eat a big lunch the day before. Check each venue’s own site for hours; they change every year.
26 December is a normal working day in France. Shops reopen.
The 24th and 31st are not holidays, but many places close early and restaurants switch to set holiday menus at holiday prices. Book three to four weeks ahead. If you wonder what the French are doing behind those closed doors, this is how they celebrate Christmas, and this is how much to tip when you do find a table.
Christmas markets, lights and windows
The lights on the Champs-Élysées, the department store windows on Boulevard Haussmann and the Christmas markets all have their own dates every year. They’re all in one place here: Christmas in Paris.
New Year’s Eve in Paris
The big public party is on the Champs-Élysées: a light show projected on the Arc de Triomphe, then fireworks at midnight. It’s free and it’s packed. People start arriving in the late afternoon, there are security checks at the entrances, and several metro stations nearby close for the evening.
If you go: eat first, wear warm shoes, and don’t plan on leaving early. If you don’t: a long dinner, a bottle of Champagne and a window with a view is the more Parisian answer.
The sales start right after
If your trip runs into January, the winter sales (les soldes) begin on Wednesday 6 January 2027 and run to 2 February 2027. The first days are the best and the busiest.
Is December a good time to go?
Yes, if you want the city cosy and lit up, and you’re happy with short days. Early December is calmer and cheaper than the week between Christmas and New Year’s, when hotels and restaurants are at their fullest.
Before you book, find your neighbourhood with Where is your Paris?, or rehearse the trip with Your First Day in Paris.
Questions, answered
Does it snow in Paris in December?
Rarely. December averages well under one day of snow; rain is far more likely.
How cold is Paris in December?
Around 7°C (45°F) in the day and 3°C (37°F) at night, and damp.
What time does it get dark in Paris in December?
Before 5 pm. The earliest sunset is around 4:53 pm in mid-December.
Is Paris open on Christmas Day?
Partly. Many museums, department stores and restaurants close on 25 December. The metro runs a Sunday service.
When do the winter sales start in Paris?
Wednesday 6 January 2027, until 2 February 2027.
Still wondering?
Ask my French husband.
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Where is your Paris?
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