In Paris, there are lots of special events at Christmas time for kids and adults that make this an extra magical time of year with lots of fun and special moments together. These fun, friendly celebrations are great opportunities to share special moments with children.
There is something extra magical about Paris during the festive season. Decorations and shimmering lights create an enchanting atmosphere for visitors in gardens, chateaux, monuments, museums, department stores and amusement parks.
The Grand Palais des Glaces makes its big comeback this year with an indoor 3,000 m² ice rink from 14 December 2024 to 8 January 2025. And at nightfall, the big dome is illuminated, and DJs get set to get you dancing on the ice.
Daily 10am - 1pm. Adults €20, children €15 / 2pm - 7pm. Adults: €25, children €18 / 8pm - 2am. 36€ (one price). Closes at 7pm on 24 and 31 December.
From 7 to 29 December 2024, Avenue Breteuil in the 7th arrondissement will be home to the Invalides ice rink, a 200m2 ecological ice rink that will be open to Parisians and tourists from 11am to 6pm every day (except the 25th). It's a magical opportunity to skate in front of one of Paris' most iconic monuments!
Below the Arche de la Défense a skating rink (450 m²) in natural ice will be installed until 5 January 2025 in the Christmas market. A place for all the family to go skating and then warm up with a hot chocolate drink at one of the chalets on the edge of the ice rink.
Sunday to Thursday: 11am-9pm, Friday: 11am-10pm, Saturday: 10am-10pm. Adults: €10, children under 13: €5
In the 19th, the Winter Party at La Villette also welcomes, for the first time, an ecological ice rink, lined with the chalets of the Christmas market.
At the Christmas village at Enghien-les-Bains on the town hall square, an ice rink is open to kids and adults from 20 December 2024 to 5 January 2025. The wonderful Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is ready for Christmas with many special events and activities indoors and outside. And in addition to the decorations, a temporary ice rink is open in the garden from 16 November to 5 January.
Disneyland® Paris is one of the favourite destinations for families. And the famous theme park is celebrating Christmas in style ! From 09 November 2024 to 6 January 2025, magic is getting the Disney treatment: a 24 m high Christmas tree, illuminations on Main Street, encounters with the mythical Disney characters in their Christmas costumes, the unmissable presence of Father Christmas, the beautiful party parade Mickey and his Sparkling Christmas Parade, a musical show "Let's sing Christmas" and the return of the famous Disney Dreams sound and light show and fireworks display, in front of the Sleeping Beauty's Castle. An Enchanted Christmas as we like it!
The Asterix theme park is also going festive from 21 December 2024 to 5 January 2025. On the menu for these festive holidays? Colour-packed decorations with glittering lights, an enchanted forest, Christmas gardens and snow-topped menhirs, as well as winter sports events and shows… Not to be missed: the park's heroes will once again be parading on Christmas floats! People obviously knew how to celebrate Christmas and the New Year back in the era of the Gauls...
There’s festive fun in the Jardin d'Acclimatation, situated in the Bois de Boulogne, with pathways scattered with candy canes, ribbons, Christmas trees, a glittering bear and a giant elf. The ‘Enchanted River’ is transformed into the ‘Snowy River’, with penguins and snowmen. Not forgetting all the attractions in the park and Christmas carols too! Plus, the Lantern Festival The Dinosaur Ball that takes visitors on a journey through time.
In this Olympic year, winter sports are a big part of the celebrations at La Villette. There's a climbing wall, a ski simulator, a curling rink as well as an ice rink on the Place de la Fontaine aux Lions from 23 November to 29 December 2024. Also, two short performances by Zapzap Circus on Saturday 14 and 21 December at 3pm amid the chalets.
Father Christmas’s grotto, a cabin to make a wish, and even a Nordic sauna! The Cité Fertile offers a great programme for kids and their parents, with live performances and Christmas choirs from 30 November to 22 December 2024 at the Cité Fertile in Pantin.
To spread some festive cheer, the Musée des Arts Forains, at Bercy Village, presents the The Festival du Merveilleux. Kids and adults alike are invited to discover this magical and marvellous place. The programme includes shows and entertainment: aerial enchantment, tap dancers, musicians, puppets, mechanical music, a ballet of automata and optical illusions. And especially for the occasion, the museum is opening some of its attractions and century-old rides.
From 27 December 2024 to 5 January 2025
• Musée des Arts Forains - 53 avenue des Terroirs de France - Paris 12th
• Metro: Cour Saint-Emilion
From 13 December 2024 to 6 January 2025, see an original exhibition featuring Christmas toys from the 1930s to the 1980s. From the first airplanes to futuristic spaceships, you will find them all at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace. And on 15 December from 10am to 5pm, there are lots of Christmas activities to discover.
• Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace - Aéroport de Paris - Le Bourget CS 90005 - 93352 Le Bourget Cedex
This year, for the Christmas holidays, from 21 December 2024 to 5 January 2025, several national museums in Paris and the Paris region will be taking part in the event “Contes et Histoires 2024” (‘Stories and Histories 2024). Workshops, original tours, shows and other events will be held in prestigious venues to entertain visitors of all ages. The Hôtel de la Marine is also offering unusual storytelling tours that will appeal to the whole family, Christmas carols and music, and family workshops. The Domaine National de St Cloud has a full programme of carols, Christmas tales and candle and sugar palace making for little gourmets. And the Arc de Triomphe is organizing two storytelling tours, "le Murmure des Dieux" (‘the Whisper of the Gods’ and "Il était une fois" (‘Once upon a time’ for families.
• Discover all the Cultural outings over the Christmas holiday period.
The chateaux of Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Fontainebleau, Breteuil, the Chantilly Estate ... In their respective grounds, they're putting together beautiful decorations and a dazzling array of activities for this Christmas 2024!
From 14 December 2024 to 5 January 2025, the Château de Versailles is staging a visit-event titled The King’s Tour, in the evening, from 6pm. The Hall of Mirrors comes alive with dancers and musicians in costume, the Salle du Sacre is filled with the notes of a harpist and singer, and the Salon Hercule with those of a lute. Fencing jousts and a show ‘Magic and Father Christmas’ are also part of the line-up.
From Saturday 16 November 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025, the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte turns into a magical wonderland for its “Grand Noël” (‘Big Christmas’). On the programme? The classic glittering avenue of fir trees at the entrance, enchanting decorations, light projections, and an immersive show ‘Le perpétuel Noël’(‘Never ending Christmas’) with a troupe of actors. The Christmas sound and light show entitled ‘Once upon a time at Vaux le Vicomte ...’ highlights the architecture of the chateau with projections and plenty of surprises to discover before warming up with a delicious waffle and hot chocolate.
The Château de Maisons at Maisons Lafitte is taking part in the event “Contes et Histoires 2024” (‘Stories and Histories 2024) held in several national monuments. During the holidays, from 27 December 2024 to 6 January 2024, the chateau is organizing « L’étrange Noël de M. de Colmar » (‘The Strange Christmas of Mr de Colmar’), in the form of giant cluedos on 27, 28 and 29 December and 3, 4, 5, 6 January at 2.30pm and offers a comedy show by the Compagnie Mystère Bouffe, « La vie de château », (‘Chateau life’) on 30 December at 2pm and 3.30pm.
From 30 November 2024 to 5 January 2025, the Domaine du Château de Chantilly is celebrating Christmas. Enchanting decorations to marvel at in the gardens in front of the chateau and inside. Visitors can enjoy a little gourmet Christmas market (with Chantilly cream demonstrations) and admire a table set for Christmas in the Galerie des Cerfs, and decorations and surprises during the entire visit. Christmas carols are sung on 10 December and Christmas vigils take place on 22, 23, 29 and 30 December from 5pm to 8pm. Also to look out for, the Christmas equestrian show « le vieil ange et l'enfant » (‘the old angel and the child’) in the Great Stables.
The magnificent Château de Fontainebleau is also celebrating Christmas with a family show entitled ‘When a capricious princess meets the Spirit of Christmas’, and a concert by Thomas Hengelbrock featuring works by Monteverdi and Mendelssohn. For the whole family, the immersive ‘D'Artagnan’ tour with the compagnie Estocade offers a chance to step into the world of the famous musketeer, plus horse-drawn carriage rides and Christmas storytelling tours to create a magical atmosphere.
In December and throughout the festive season, the magical Château de Breteuil in 75 hectares of grounds offers a wonderful Christmas atmosphere with decorations in all the rooms of the chateau, Christmas trees in the main courtyard and on the visitor trail, with light and sound scenography, storytelling sessions, and the illumination of the facades and gardens!
• Book your visit to the chateau during the festive season in Paris
During the Christmas and New Year holidays, theatres and concert halls offer a packed programme of cultural events for family outings.
Head to the Palais des Congrès to see the family musical the Soldat Rose. A night of amazing adventures in a toy shop, the dream of every child. A touching, colourful and lively show, a Christmas classic.
Another great classic, The Nutcracker, is on the bill at the Scène Parisienne, in the 9th from 8 December 2024 to 23 February 2025. Adapted for children from 2 to 12 years, this ballet cum show encompasses all the magic of Christmas.
Father Christmas likes the light! Did you know that Father Christmas was afraid of the dark? But thanks to Mother Christmas, the elves and the public, Father Christmas will overcome his fears to deliver the presents for Christmas. A show performed at the Théâtre Essaïon, on Saturdays and Sundays from 23 November to 5 January at 11am.
Every year, Christmas concerts are a magical moment for music-lovers and a special part of the magic of the festive season. The major churches also provide an enchanting backdrop.
On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 December 2024, the Grand Radio Classique Christmas concert takes place in the exceptional setting of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. On the programme Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker and Handel's Messiah ...
The magnificent Madeleine Church is the setting for several musical evenings including Christmas carols. The magical Grand Christmas concert will take place on 23 December 2024, organized by the Orchestre Hélios. Then, the Helios orchestra and choir will be back throughout the holidays to perform classics by Ravel, Beethoven, Mozart and Vivaldi. On 25 December, a concert by organist François-Henri Houbart will delight music lovers.
The church Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre also has a full programme of concerts until 6 January 2024! In the heart of the Quartier Latin, the church welcomes the Ensemble Royal de Paris which performs great works of classical music including Handel, Vivaldi, Schubert, Mozart, Saint-Saëns and Pachelbel.
This year, Paris's department stores are once again decked out in a thousand lights to create an enchanting spectacle. Many districts are also celebrating the festive season by adorning trees, facades and streets with lights and decorations. Just take a stroll and enjoy this captivating atmosphere with the family!
• More info on the Christmas lights 2024 in Paris
• More info on the Christmas window displays 2024 in Parisian department stores
As the festive season gets underway, light trails are blooming in the parks of Paris. Jardin des Plantes, Jardin d'Acclimatation, Vincennes, St Cloud, Thoiry... enchanting moments for kids and for adults.
• More info on light trails in Greater Paris
With the festive season just around the corner, lots of Christmas chalets are popping up all over Paris. Choose from Alsatian, Swedish, eco-responsible or with a socially responsible approach, from the Tuileries to La Défense!
• More info on Christmas markets 2024 in Paris (interactive map)
The festive season is the perfect time to spend with the family.
Why not visit Paris and take advantage of all the cultural attractions on offer? Shows, museums, exhibitions, activities ... Find a selection of events.
• More info on Cultural outings in Paris during the Christmas holiday period
