Whether you’re dreaming of twinkling lights, cozy markets, or snow-covered villages, I’ve got you covered! In this list, you’ll discover magical destinations that make Christmas in France unforgettable. From famous cities to charming small towns, these spots are full of festive cheer and holiday spirit.
Strasbourg, in Alsace
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Alsace claims the top position on the list of the best destinations for the Christmas holidays. A true cradle of magic and enchantment, this region is becoming more and more popular each year for its ancestral customs that favor local know-how.
Known and recognized as THE capital of Christmas, Strasbourg dresses up for Christmas in its most beautiful clothes of light. The main attraction in the city is its oldest Christmas market, the “Christkindelsmärik” on Place Broglie.
The market is spread across more than ten sites, all of which are located on the Grande Île.
The smell of mulled wine and gingerbread emanates throughout the city during the month of December thanks to the illuminated chalets.
Visitors often feel that the experience is unmatched in Europe.
Reims, in Champagne-Ardenne
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Only 45 minutes from Paris, the Reims Christmas Market is the 3rd largest Christmas market in France. For more than a month, its warm family atmosphere will delight parents and children alike.
A multitude of free activities are specially designed for children in the Forum Square:
- The Enchanted Palace, an interactive circus-themed automaton show where young and old can discover a magical and fairy-tale world.
- Santa Claus’ Chalet
- The Little Train
- Christmas Tree Climbing
Many shows are also offered, both under the giant 12-meter-diameter bubble and in the Christmas boxes. You can watch the acrobatic elves, the gift-wrapping elves, or the reindeer with magic hooves.
Paris, in Île-de-France
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Paris is known as the city of lights. However, the term seems quite inadequate when it comes to end-of-year celebrations.
Every year, tens of thousands of visitors flock to the capital to see its beautiful Christmas decorations and lights. They leave with the unforgettable memories they made with family or friends.
Here are some places that are not to be missed during the Christmas holidays:
- Tuileries Christmas Market Ice Rink: This new festive space replaces the Christmas market that used to be set up every year on the Champs-Elysées. In addition to the wooden chalets, there are many attractions: merry-go-rounds, a Santa Claus to meet, and a large, open-air skating rink.
- The Alsatian Christmas Market at the Gare de l’Est: Every year in December, the square in front of the Gare de l’Est is transformed into a large Alsatian Christmas market. All the culinary specialties and delicacies that give the region its reputation are available! Pretzels, gingerbread, cakes, chocolates, fresh pasta, foie gras, wines, brandy, charcuterie… Everything is gathered to allow visitors to find the ingredients and the magic of the traditions of an Alsatian Christmas in the heart of Paris.
- Swedish Christmas Market at the Swedish Church in Paris: Visitors can find decorative objects, gifts of all kinds, and many Scandinavian specialties. Salmon, cheese, bread, cakes, jam, glassware… It’s almost like a real trip to Sweden.
- Les Galeries Lafayette: The iconic brand increases its imagination every year. Whether it is numerous gigantic indoor decorations or outdoor display cases with automatons, the attractions draw many onlookers every year. The smell of hot chestnuts is a little extra bonus: you would think you were in Santa’s country.
- The crèche of the Church of the Madeleine: Composed of figurines that may be glass, porcelain, wax, or carved wood, its originality lies in the involvement of a different contemporary artist each year. The project aims to offer visitors a modern interpretation of the Nativity. It is integrated into the architecture of the Church of the Madeleine.
- Place Vendôme: Every year, artists bring their unique touch to the season through monumental and unique works of art created especially for the occasion.
This list is not exhaustive; no matter where you are in Paris, the whole city is a place of enchantment. Every passage, square, and street totally changes its face to bring happiness to both young and old.
Pointe-à-Pitre, in Guadeloupe
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Since France extends far beyond metropolitan France, the most adventurous can celebrate Christmas under the coconut trees.
In Guadeloupe, the end of year celebrations are particularly important. Families gather to sing Christmas carols, which are called “chanté Nwèl“. These traditional songs mix the sounds of the harmonica, violin, and drum.
On the evening of the 24th, Creole specialties based on the pig are served: Christmas ham, Creole blood sausage, and delicious pork stew with spices. Everything is enjoyed in a warm spirit of conviviality.
Christmas in Guadeloupe is also noël kakado. This ancient tradition, which was initiated by the town of Vieux Habitants, takes place on the 1st Friday of Advent.
Locals and tourists gather around the kakado crib under the coconut trees, where merchants sell many different products (handicrafts, games for children, drinks, and traditional dishes, to name a few) in a festive atmosphere with activities and traditional events.
It is a unique and exotic experience that is not to be missed.
The French Basque Country, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques
In the Basque Country, Christmas would not be Christmas without Olentzero, a character with a face blackened by charcoal.
Legend has it that he would come out of the forest before Christmas to distribute coal to the poorest people so that they would not suffer from the cold.
Nowadays he can be seen in the streets offering sweets to children in many Basque towns.
In the Basque Country, the most decorated cities for the end of the year celebrations are Biarritz and Bayonne.
On the coast, crowds flock to Biarritz (website in French) to see the illuminations projected on the monuments of the seaside resort.
Further inland, Bayonne is decorated with beautiful lights, and its market offers a multitude of products to buy and animations to view. You can also attend a lantern release show every Saturday in December at 7:30 pm on the docks of Nive.
If you want to admire many highly decorated houses, we suggest going to Hendaye. Since 2020, the city has organized a city-wide Christmas decorating contest.
Finally, for gingerbread lovers, we recommend making a detour to the old town of Ainhoa. An ancestral sweetness (website in French) and entirely artisanal approach makes gingerbread the pride of the small village.
Ajaccio, in Corsica
On the Island of Beauty, several ancient traditions punctuate the end of the year celebrations:
- “U focu natalescu” on December 24: Children prepare a bonfire in front of the church on Christmas Eve. It is lit at the end of the midnight mass and must be kept burning all night. The ashes are distributed the following day to each house not only to provide heat, but also to protect from lightning and the devil.
- “U piattu di u puvarettu” (the poor man’s plate): In Corsica, the Christmas meal is a true institution. The tradition requires one to reserve an extra place at the table in case a hungry person passes by. On the plate, we find figatellu, brocciu, eggs, and chesnut polenta.
- The tradition of the seven vigils: Until 1900, the young people of the village would knock on the door of seven houses and offer the inhabitants a log to burn. This allowed them to spend a simple moment in front of the fireplace, often with lonely people or people in need.
If you like Christmas songs, don’t forget to pass by the Villa of Tino Rossi (website in French), who composed the famous “Petit Papa Noël”, in the pine forest of Scudo.
You will also find several attractions in Ajaccio :
- The Sledging Track (Place Foch)
- The Christmas Market (Place de Gaulle): Forty-two chalets, craftsmen, creators, and producers are installed in the heart of the square. There, you will also find traditional and must-see activities: duck fishing, a ball box, a merry-go-round swing, and tree climbing. There are also pastry workshops and demonstrations of culinary know-how.
- The Christmas Fair (Place Miot): an atypical and original activity.
Colmar, in Alsace
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Another Christmas capital (along with Strasbourg), Colmar is a truly magical place during the holidays.
In the heart of the historic center, six Christmas markets offer an intimate atmosphere in which you can make the most beautiful discoveries.
Each one is themed and takes us into the spirit of Christmas in a unique way for the pleasure of both young and old.
Colmar also celebrates the magic of Christmas with illuminations and other mural-like projections on the facades of the emblematic buildings of the city. This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the spirit of Christmas while munching on bredele with a glass of mulled wine in your hand.
During this high tourism season, travel agencies and tour operators offer guided walks and tours to families and groups. We advise you to participate in one of them in order to not miss any of the city’s patrimonial wealth.
Lille, in the North
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Lille is known as the city of lights. During the end of the year celebrations, when you walk in Lille, you just have to look up and admire the sights to understand why.
Whether it is in the shopping district of Old Lille, rue Basse, rue Esquermoise with its multicolored illuminations, rue Gambetta with its colored garlands, or at the Sébastopol Theater with its picture projections, Lille lights up from sunset to 12:30 am without interruption. (websites in French)
Even with all the lights, the market remains the real attraction of the city. Wonderfully located in the city’s shopping district, the Lille Christmas Market is a popular destination for French, British, and Belgian visitors.
There are a multitude of chalets offering handicrafts from the four corners of the world, but you can also find activities for children: pony rides, a face painting workshop, and a carousel ride in the famous “p’tit quinquin” (website in French).
Monaco, in the South
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In Monaco, you can experience a luxurious and glamorous Christmas in the mild Mediterranean air.
During the end of year celebrations, the illuminations of Monaco give the Riviera a particularly magical look. You will be amazed by the thousand golden reflections of the gigantic fir tree in the Casino square.
Splendid hotels offer you the ultimate comfort while enjoying the many events of the end of the year.
Luxury connoisseurs will enjoy the high-end shopping experience at the Christmas Promenade Monte-Carlo Shopping from November 18 to January 9. It is a great opportunity to find an elegant holiday outfit at one of the designer boutiques.
For the more traditional, the Monaco Christmas Village is held at Port Hercule.
Traditionally organized from the beginning of December to the beginning of January, it enchants both young and old.
You can stroll in front of its chalets, take a ride on the Ferris wheel, participate in the activities organized for children, or glide across its open-air skating rink.
Between the magical illuminations and the New Year’s Eve celebrations with food at their center, you’ll be truly amazed.
Annecy, in the Alps
In the French Alps, Annecy and its turquoise lake (website in French) occupy a breathtaking site at the foot of the snow-capped mountains.
Everywhere in the city and in the surrounding villages, Christmas decorations create a small glittering world that is both enhanced by and drawn from by the beauty of the environment. The lights reflect on the lake, creating a warm and magical atmosphere.
The magic reaches its peak when the facade of the city hall comes to life. A fabulous story during a sound and light show that ends with a magnificent fireworks display.
In Annecy, the Village des Alpes (Christmas market) and its ice rink are set up from the end of November to the beginning of January.
After filling your stomach with local delicacies, you can visit the other markets of the city. There, local and international crafts, activities, and exhibitions are waiting for you.
To complete the experience, you can enjoy all the activities that the city’s vast white coat allows (skiing, sledding, snowball fights…).
Bonus: DISNEYLAND PARIS
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For a completely enchanting Christmas, we recommend that you take your family to the universe of the world’s most famous mouse.
During the Christmas festivities, the park does everything possible to dazzle young and old alike. From illuminations to artificial snow, you will be immersed in the Christmastime universe of Mickey and his friends.
On weekends in December, the parade is expertly oriented towards the magic of Christmas. The characters and the music are all adapted to the occasion.
The entire village takes on a whole new look.
On the evenings of December 24 and 31, Disneyland Paris presents the Enchanted Chefs’ New Year’s Eve, as well as brunches on December 25 and January 1. The program includes exceptional menus in the restaurants of the two Disney Parks and the Disney Hotels.
I aim to share my tips and recommendations for the beautiful country of France. My goal is to help you plan your next adventure, whether it’s a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime trip. From finding the best hotels and restaurants, to discovering unique activities and sights, I’ve got you covered!
