Paris in the winter is one of my all-time favorite trips that we have ever been on. In fact, to date Paris is my favorite place in the world. It’s worth the hype.
I’m not the only one who thinks so. Paris is one of the top travel destinations in the world, with over 40 million visitors a year!!
The winter is a great time to visit Paris because the flights, hotels and activities are cheaper and there are less crowds than the rest of the year.
You are going to love it because of all the unique things to see, eat and do that are best enjoyed in Paris in the winter.
And although there is snow in this picture, most of the Parisian winter has no snow at all! We never saw any the whole time we were there!!
Things to do
Visit a Christmas market
This is a perfect way to enjoy the holidays if you visit Paris in November or December!
Almost 20 markets will set up for the holidays (and more on the weekends) with little stalls selling ornaments, gifts, holiday treats and Christmas cheer. Ok…maybe not literally the last one but you can’t help but catch the happily infectious spirit there!
Grab a fresh Nutella crepe for a few euros and walk around enjoying the lights, stalls, and maybe even meet Père Noël (Saint Nick)!
Read more about Paris Christmas markets.
Step into a bakery or shop to warm up
One of the things you will love the very most about Paris is the charming bakeries and shops that are on every street.
In the winter they are especially exciting because each window display is festively decorated for the holidays with bright colors and seasonal desserts welcoming you as you come in.
Bakeries are my highlight of walking around and exploring Paris. As soon as you walk in the smell of butter and fresh bread welcomes you in. Every shape and size of bread lines the walls and delicate colorful pastries are lined up like jewelry on shelves. Each shop has a unique personality and it’s fun to try a thing or two at many different ones.
If you like to shop, you are going to LOVE all the little boutiques and stores through the city. You can find almost anything that you want, in a range of prices, so there really is something for everyone. My sister-in-law likes to pick up clothes when she travels that are similar to what locals are wearing and it becomes a wearable souvenir!
As a MAJOR added bonus many shops in the EU allow you to shop TAX-FREE! I just figured this out on my last trip to Europe and I was able to pick up $200 cash at the airport on my way home!! Read more about how to shop tax free.
One of the amazing Christmas displays in a department store.
Ice skating on the Eiffel Tower
What could be a more iconic winter in Paris than ice-skating on top of the Eiffel Tower?!
The years that the ice-skating rink is open you will find it on the first level of the Tower near the restaurant. So you can eat a croissant or macaron while you watch the skaters.
Years without the skating rink will still have interesting things to do and see as you go up each level of the Eiffel Tower to see the view of Paris in winter.
Read more about the Eiffel Tower in Best Things to Do in Paris.
Go to a world-famous museum
Of course, the Louvre is the biggest museum in Paris, it’s one of the biggest and most impressive museums in the world! The cloak room has lockable lockers, so you can drop off your coats as you explore the three massive wings of the Louvre. Read more about the Louvre highlights: Things to do in Paris.
While you could spend (literally) months at the Louvre alone, there are other great museums in the city.
Centre Pompidou – Europe’s largest collection of modern art, only the MoMA in New York is bigger
Musée des Arts et Métiers – one of the oldest science museums in Europe. Check out early prototypes of cars and airplanes in a beautiful old monastery
Musée d’Orsay – if you love impressionistic art (like Monet and Renoir) you could spend all day here! There is even one of the largest Monet paintings ever done covering an entire wall
Things to eat in the winter in Paris
Hot chocolate
This hot chocolate, or chocolat chaud, reminds me of the book The Polar Express…“We drank hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars”. It’s thick and not very sweet with a large dallop of whipped cream on top.
The best place to get hot chocolate is Angelina’s, a beautiful and delightfully perfect teashop. You pour the chocolate out of a silver pot and into dainty china, mixing in hot cream to thin it how you like it. Pair it with tiny finger sandwiches and miniature tarts.
There are several Angelina’s, one in the Louvre and others through the city.
Roasted chestnuts
As you walk along the streets of Paris in the winter you will see people roasting chestnuts on the corners. They are roasted on the back of a (new) garbage can lid and wrapped up in a newspaper cone for you to eat for just a few euros.
My husband LOVED these. They are warm and nutty and great for sharing. We joked about it definitely being the holidays because we were eating “chestnuts roasting by an open fire”!
French onion soup
This iconic French dish is really only eaten by the locals in the fall and winter and is a must try if you visit during that time!
It is a soup of caramelized onions in rich beef broth and topped with a thick layer of melted cheese. Usually served with bread, it is the perfect cold day food. (The one at Angelina’s is amazing!)
Paris has some of the best foods in the world. Don’t miss the other great foods! Read about all the best things to eat in Paris year round.
How to get around
Travel by metro
There are a million great things about the Paris metro. It is extremely reliable, very cheap and one of the fastest ways to get anywhere in the city.
It will save you even more money to buy tickets in “books”, or 10 packs that you can use for multiple people and are much cheaper per ticket. They are very easy to buy. You can get them at machines at each stop that work in multiple languages and allow both cash and cards. You can also buy them from the people at the ticket booths at the large stations.
In the winter in Paris, the metro becomes even more reliable and useful because it is less effected by bad weather in the streets. Rain, snow, traffic and cold don’t really matter and the trains run pretty much on time.
But there are also two cons to keep in mind.
First of all, most of the metro is underground. So you miss seeing the city as you travel around.
The most important con is that there are pickpockets on the metro that want to grab your wallet and hop off the train. Keep outside pockets of bags and coats empty. Don’t put things in your back pocket. And never travel with large amounts of cash, all your cards at the same time, or your passport.
What to wear
It’s absolutely true that the Parisians are fashionable people!
You will not see hoodies and sneakers worn by locals, or any bright bold colors either. In general, Parisians dress nicer than most Americans do. Their look is simple and elegant.
It’s a good idea to try to blend in as much as you can because it makes you less of a target for scammers and pickpockets.
To fit in stick to neutrals like black (the Parisian’s favorite color), navy, olive green, blush pink, gray, and camel. Switch your tennis shoes for comfy loafers or boots and don’t forget to wear a scarf (both men and women love them there!).
Notice how there are hardly any colored jackets! Stick to neutrals to blend in and avoid pickpockets.
As I am writing this post, I got so excited I started talking to my husband about going next year for the holidays! I love Paris and the winters there are just magical. It’s a city that you will fall in love with forever and the winter is a great time to enjoy a different experience!
Have you ever been to Paris in the winter? What was your favorite (or least favorite) things?
