Winter is the most wonderful time of the year, when cities and towns across Europe really get into the festive spirit. The first Christmas markets of the season begin to pop up across Paris from mid-November, with some lasting until the first week of January. Paris La Défense Christmas Market (13 November - 28 December 2025), in the business district to the city’s north-west, is one of the largest in Paris and offers more than 300 wooden chalets slinging steaming cups of mulled wine, classic French dishes such as boeuf bourguignon and even Brazilian-style grilled meats. In between shopping for trinkets and twirling across the ice-skating rink, there are also rides and face-painting stations for kids – plus the chance to snap a photo with Santa Claus himself. Expect Christmas villages to pop up in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, at Notre-Dame, the Place de la Concorde and more throughout the season.

From 8 November to 6 January 2026, the “Happiest Place on Earth” gets a little more magical when the spirit of the season takes over Disneyland Paris. See your favourite Disney characters – including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse – don their festive attire as they walk the streets; raise your voice at the “Let's Sing Christmas!” musical show; and catch the spectacular Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade dance down Main Street – all presided over by a 24-metre-tall Christmas tree in the heart of Town Square. In addition to snacking on Christmas-themed bites at Les Chalets Gourmands – Disneyland Paris’s own winter market – head to Frontierland to ride Big Thunder Mountain or join Iron Man’s mission on Avengers Assemble: Flight Force.

While not a winter-exclusive activity, the lack of crowds competing for prime viewing spots in Paris’s world-class museums and galleries makes the off-season the ideal time for embracing the city’s rich cultural offerings. Start at the Louvre to see masterpieces such as Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the ancient Venus de Milo statue then make your way to Musée d’Orsay for its treasure-trove of Impressionist paintings by masters including Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet. Many of the city’s museums and galleries will also host special seasonal exhibitions during winter so be sure to check what’s on before you visit – and book your tickets in advance to guarantee entry. Alternatively, use the Paris Museum Pass to gain access to 50-plus attractions, from the Centre Pompidou to the Palace of Versailles. 

As the chill descends on Paris, the ideal way to warm up is by settling into a cosy bistro and indulging in some of France’s famed winter dishes. Begin your culinary odyssey under the red-and-white striped awning of La Fontaine de Mars in Rue Saint-Dominique – which has previously welcomed the Obamas as guests – with coq au vin (braised chicken in red wine) or blanquette de veau (creamy veal stew). Le Procope, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, is the city’s oldest café (it opened its doors in 1686) and where you’ll find French onion soup and the eatery’s signature vol-au-vent pastry. At L’Atelier Maître Albert in the Latin Quarter, a medieval fireplace takes centrestage as lamb, duck and chicken are served straight from the spit.

Get ready to lace up your ice skates: in winter, several skating rinks pop up in Paris. The most spectacular is the 2700-square-metre space beneath the dramatic domed roof of the historic Grand Palais – the largest glass ceiling in Europe – on the city’s western side. Between 13 December and 7 January 2026, marvel at the building’s unique Beaux-Arts architecture and Art Nouveau design while gliding across one of the world’s biggest indoor rinks before refuelling with tartiflette (baked potato casserole) or fresh crêpes. At night, DJs set your skating session to an upbeat soundtrack.

The most famous stretch in Paris, the 1.9-kilometre Champs-Élysées starts at Place de la Concorde and ends at the majestic Arc de Triomphe. Often described as one of the most beautiful avenues in the world, the strip is lined with lively bars and restaurants – including Michelin-starred L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon Étoile – theatres and high-end boutiques belonging to iconic French brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. From late November to early January, the entire street is lit up with decorative festive lights between 5pm and midnight – providing ample eye candy for people-watching as you sip hot chocolate and indulge your sweet tooth with the rainbow-hued macarons on offer at Ladurée.

Given France’s rich winemaking history, it’s no surprise that one of the most popular beverages in winter is vin chaud (mulled wine). Whether you’re ordering cups of the spiced red wine while wandering the city’s Christmas markets or have settled into the Marais district’s Little Red Door cocktail bar – which spent 10 years on The World’s 50 Best Bars list – you’ll find that each spot pours its own little twist on the classic. If you’re craving something non-alcoholic, hot chocolate is the other official tipple of the season: Angelina (above), on Rue de Rivoli, has been serving up the sweet beverage for more than 120 years; while Les Deux Magots, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, was a favoured haunt of the likes of Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway. Today, it offers velvety hot chocolate and organic espresso alongside croque-monsieur toasties.

Made up of 11 distinctive gardens, Jardin des Plantes (Garden of Plants) was created in the 17th century as a medicinal garden for King Louis XIII. It has since evolved into Paris’s premier botanical garden and is home to the National Museum of Natural History as well as a zoo. In winter, it hosts the Festival of Lights, which is set to return from 12 November to 18 January in 2026. During the season, the botanical gardens come to life with thousands of glowing decorations highlighting the “treasures of nature”. Expect giant glowing sculptures of animals, plants and insects – last year’s iteration saw technicolour dinosaurs peppered throughout the gardens – as you stroll the 24-hectare space in the 5th arrondissement. 

At night in winter, Paris is aglow and the best way to take in the city’s splendour is on an evening cruise down the River Seine. The 13-kilometre stretch of waterway winds through the city past some of the French capital’s most beautiful monuments, including the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre. The most romantic way to take it all in? Onboard the Don Juan II – the only Michelin-starred boat restaurant in the world. Helmed by acclaimed chef Frédéric Anton, you’ll indulge in a seasonal menu that could include langoustine ravioli with parmesan cream, cinnamon-infused crab or a chocolate soufflé paired with Iranian pistachio ice-cream. At the end of your two-hour voyage, the yacht will dock beneath the Eiffel Tower, giving you a front-row view to the hourly lightshow, which you’ll toast with a glass of champagne in hand.

After a day spent exploring the city in the crisp winter air, warming up in the eucalyptus-scented steam of one of Paris’s traditional hammams could be just the thing to help you reset. Drawing upon North African and Middle Eastern wellness traditions, these sanctuaries offer dedicated steam rooms and therapies such as gommage (vigorous exfoliation using mitts) and massage, all ensconced in opulent marble and ornate tiles. Having opened its doors in the 1920s, the Latin Quarter’s Grand Mosquée de Paris houses the city’s oldest still-operating hammam and accepts female clients only, while nearby Hammam Pacha (also women-only; above) takes things one step further with a swimming pool and an onsite restaurant that plates up hearty tagines and mint tea. Further afield, the 700-square-metre Les Bains du Marais, in Rue Saint-Fiacre, is a larger wellness complex that offers facials and manicures and features a dedicated Mediterranean-style diner and bar, with a mixed hammam (except for Wednesdays, which is women only, and Thursday evenings, which is reserved for men).

28 Destinations That Are Even Better in the Off-season