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What to do with kids during the Christmas holidays? Cultural outings, illuminated trails, fun activities and attractions, ice rinks, a magical and enchanting atmosphere … Make memorable family moments during the Christmas holidays!
For a spectacular ice skating experience, the Grand Palais des Glaces has a 3,000 m² indoor ice rink from 14 December 2025 to 7 January 2026. From nightfall, the big dome is illuminated for sessions with a DJ. Even higher are the pop-up ice rinks of the big department stores for skating with views over the capital: the synthetic ice rink at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (Paris 9 arrondissement) opens on the store’s rooftop terrace from 1 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 and Printemps Haussmann (Paris 9 arrondissement) opens its ice rink, often free of charge, (booking required), at the 7e Ciel from 8 November 2025 to 4 January 2026.
A huge outdoor ice rink is what you can expect at the Parc André Citroën from 22 November 2025 to 4 January 2026. Patins en folie rolls out a 600 m² ice rink among the trees next to the park’s iconic air balloon. Below the Arche de la Défense a 540 m² ice rink welcomes skaters from 13 November to 28 December 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. In the 19th arrondissement, Christmas at Villette - inspired by Switzerland – has an ice rink as well as a big wheel and chalets with crafts and gourmet products in its Christmas market. Finally, the Parc des Berges in Argenteuil presents Christmas on the riverbanks from 21 December 2025 to 5 January 2026 with an eco-friendly ice rink and attractions including a zip line, curling rinks and toboggan runs.
The pleasures or skating extend beyond Paris: the Christmas village in Enghien-les-Bains on the square in front of the town hall has a pop-up skating rink from 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026. The magnificent Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is also celebrating Christmas with a pop-up ice rink in the garden, from 15 November 2025 to 4 January 2026. Open every day from 11am to 7pm (5.30pm on 24 and 31 December 2025).
The luxury hotel Plaza Athénée is decked out in its winter finery and has installed its legendary 100 m² ice rink in its courtyard. Surrounded by illuminated fir trees and a luxurious raclette chalet, this ice rink is accessible to children aged 5 to 12, under supervision. To enjoy it, families who are not hotel guests must book a Christmas tea (for a fee) at the palace.
From 13 December 2025 to 2 January 2026, the Parc des Princes will be transformed into Winter in Paris, an unmissable festive destination for families. The main attraction is a 225 m² ice rink set up exceptionally at the Auteuil stand, allowing visitors to skate alongside the goals and the iconic pitch! The event also features food stalls (raclette, crêpes), entertainment, a photocall, and meetings with the mascot Germain. Between 22 and 24 December 2025, Father Christmas will even be there to hand out special badges.
Disneyland® Paris is one of the favourite destinations for families. And the famous theme park is celebrating Christmas in style, with its Enchanted Christmas! From 8 November 2025 to 6 January 2026, 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". An Enchanted Christmas as we like it!
The Asterix theme park is also going festive from 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 with its Gaul-style Christmas. 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 Japan in Lights that takes visitors to a very Japanese world for the festive season!
The Eiffel Tower is transformed into a magical place for families! The dome on the first floor unveils a new scenography based on the theme Tales of the Eiffel Tower. Come and warm up at the circular bar decorated like a library, taste seasonal delicacies and immortalise the moment in a giant book. Father Christmas will be there (from 13 to 17 December 2025, then from 20 to 24 December 2025) and storytellers (French/English) will enchant young visitors.
Young and old alike will be enchanted by the free, magical 2025 program at Bercy Village. Santa Claus will be there, accompanied by a variety of shows: dancers and a pianist will entertain the crowd, while a Christmas food cart will make the whole family's mouths water. It's the perfect opportunity to combine a festive atmosphere, last-minute shopping, and a magical family moment. From December 6 to 21, 2025 for the entertainment. From November 20, 2025, to January 4, 2026, for the illuminations.
From 5 to 23 December 2025, experience an enchanting Danish Christmas on the Champs-Élysées. This immersive experience is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, with a magical, luminous atmosphere designed by the creator of the Tivoli illuminations. It's perfect for families: creative workshops (braided hearts, Lego corner), storytelling, and photos with Father Christmas are on the programme on the 7th floor. You can also enjoy gløgg and traditional Danish treats at the outdoor hut.
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 22 November to 21 December 2025 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 26 December 2025 to 4 January 2026.
From 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, the Monnaie de Paris is celebrating Christmas with a programme that is ideal for families. Children can take part in two fun treasure hunts (‘Bébert Le Lingot’ or ‘Opération M.I.D.A.S.’), create their own chocolate medal (‘Fondus de chocolat’), model animals out of clay or learn about enamelling and engraving techniques in a range of workshops.
From 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, the Cité de l'Économie is offering a wide range of activities for families, suitable for children, teenagers and adults alike, in an extraordinary setting: the Hôtel Gaillard, a real castle in the heart of Paris. Don't miss the temporary exhibition Les Mystères de l'Argent to learn all about money while having fun! The museum also offers: film screenings, storytelling tours, creative workshops and guided tours for all ages. Find the full holiday programme on the Cité de l'Économie website.
The Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace invites the public to spend Christmas under the stars on Sunday 14 December 2025 from 10am to 5pm. This special event offers unique activities for all the family, with a journey from the North Pole to outer space. Included is the exhibition Little steps on the Moon for kids, the show Candice the space explorer, workshops about the constellations, guided tours, and special sessions in the Planetarium on the ‘Christmas star’ and astronomy for kids. Special activities are free (included in the admission price).
Every Sunday in December 2025 (the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th), the Paris-Vincennes Racecourse will be transformed into a festive Christmas village. Admission is free with an invitation, and there are lots of family activities on the programme: meet Father Christmas and his miniature horses, pony rides, a big Christmas parade, and horse-themed workshops. It's the perfect opportunity to combine the adrenaline rush of trotting races with the magic of the festive season.
The family event Tales and Stories is back from 20 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 at 49 national monuments throughout France, and notably in the Paris region. Chateaux, abbeys and villas throw open their doors for a magical festive season. The event entertains young audiences with storytelling adventures, shows, creative workshops, and unusual tours at various places: the Basilique Saint-Denis, the châteaux de Vincennes and the Champs-sur-Marne, the domaine de Saint-Cloud, the Hôtel de la Marine, the Maison des Jardies, the Panthéon, and the Villa Savoye. This major event is the opportunity to discover heritage sites through the lens of legends and Christmas stories. Prices vary.
From 22 November 2025 to 6 January 2026, the Paradox Museum Paris will be transformed into a magical world with its XMAS MINDLIGHT experience. The venue offers immersive and magical Christmas decorations and spectacular moments, particularly during Midnights Paradox on 13, 27 and 28 December 2025, when the museum stays open in the evening (last admission at 10 p.m.). Ideal for a curious and food-loving family outing.
As Paris lights up for the festive season, discover the beauty of the capital at night. Big Bus Paris offers a special 2-hour Christmas tour, with Christmas chocolates handed out on a double-decker bus!
Museums in Paris and chateaux in the Paris region have a packed programme for the Christmas holidays! Heritage sites are transformed into magical playgrounds, offering everything from storytelling tours and creative workshops to temporary exhibitions designed for the whole family.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to combine discoveries, magic and culture during the winter season.
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 2025!
From 13 December 2025 to 3 January 2026, 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 illusion show ‘The Impossible Toy’ are also part of the line-up.
From Saturday 15 November 2025 to Sunday 4 January 2026, 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 ‘Un réveillon de Rêve’(‘A Dream Christmas Eve’) with a troupe of actors. The Christmas sound and light show entitled ‘Vaux-le-Vicomte, un rêve éveillé’ (Vaux-le-Vicomte, a waking dream) highlights the architecture of the chateau with projections and plenty of surprises to discover before warming up with a delicious waffle and hot chocolate.
From 15 November 2025 to 4 January 2026, the Domaine du Château de Chantilly is celebrating ‘A princely Christmas’. A winter wonderland with festive decorations and illuminations transform the chateau, the park and the Great Stables. Visitors can meetFather Christmas at the chateau (from 3 to 25 December 2025), take part in Chantilly cream workshops and listen to Christmas carols on Saturday 13 December 2025. Late night openings for ’La veillée enchantée’, a magical evening at the chateau take place from 21 to 23 December 2025 (€15). Don't miss the new equestrian show The Golden Arc in the great stables, (from 29 November 2025 to 4 January 2026).
From 3 December 2025 to 3 January 2026, the Château de Fontainebleau offers an Enchanted Christmas with shows, concerts and family visits. A new Christmas show (fee paying) featuring the Duo Diapason and a lanternist bring back the magic of 19th-century light projections through lively stories such as Alice in Wonderland (from 21 December 2025 to 3 January 2026). The Christmas table is laid in the Salle des Gardes, highlighting the theme of Christmas under the First Empire with imperial tableware. Finally, the concert by Thomas Hengelbrock (fee paying) is programmed with J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio on 12, 13 and 14 December 2025. Other family visits are also on the programme.
In December and throughout the festive season, the magical Château de Breteuil and its park are lit up with enchanting decorations (festive tables, Nativity scenes) in every room. The facades and gardens are made even more beautiful with wonderful illuminations. On the weekends of 13 and 14 December 2025 the Christmas Festival includes visits to Father Christmas, stories, choirs and a family escape game.
Don't miss out on any of the exceptional events happening at the end of the year! Shows, musicals, exhibitions or New Year's Eve dinners: plan your Christmas and New Year's Eve in Paris without delay.
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During the Christmas and New Year holidays, theatres and concert halls offer a packed programme of cultural events for family outings. Paris has a great line-up of circus shows and musicals.
The circus world promises lots of excitement with the magic of the Folies Gruss, the spectacular Cirque du Soleil: Alegria, at the Île des Impressionnistes in Chatou, and the big show for Christmas at the Cirque Pinder (2025-2026). For an entertaining show, there is Mon Premier Cabaret at the Paradis Latin. Also to discover, the dreamlike ballet-show Sleeping Beauty- Ballet of Lights at the Théâtre du Gymnase and Disney on Ice at the Zénith to meet your favourite heros. Not forgetting, the infectious rhythm of the highly-original theatrical dance performance Stomp at La Cigale!
For an immersive artistic experience with the family, the Atelier des Lumières presents Prehistoric Planet - Dinosaurs, a fascinating visual journey back to the time of the dinosaurs. For fans of the equestrian arts, the show ‘La Voie de l'Écuyère’ by Bartabas at the Grandes Écuries de Versailles is a moment of pure poetry.
Not to mention the Théâtre à la Minute, which offers mini-plays and short stories performed in a flash. This dynamic and responsive format is ideal for capturing the attention of younger audiences and offering a cultural and unexpected break between two Christmas activities.
Finally, musicals and theatrical performances include the classic The Lion King at the Théâtre Mogador which continues to be a roaring hit, and a great show for people of all ages. Also not to miss, the musical Madagascar at the Théâtre du Gymnase, perfect for kids.
The Paris entertainment scene offers shows and events all year round! Musicals, theatre, ballets, circuses... the French capital has a vibrant calendar of major international productions.
Make the magic last longer and find the best of the Paris je t'aime selection for your next cultural outings with the family, as a couple or with friends.
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 6 and Sunday 7 December 2025, the Radio Classique Grand Christmas Concert is held in the majestic setting of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées with a programme featuring anarray of compositions such as the Hungarian March, from The Damnation of Faust by Berlioz, The Nutcracker’s Waltz of the Flowers, the traditional French carol He is Born, the Divine Child by Tchaikovsky and Carmen, Entracte 2 by Bizet. Another major event to be held here is: the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, on the programme the Christmas Oratorio on 4 December 2025. For a more intimate atmosphere, the Duo Jazz Song is performing a Christmas concert at the Parc de Bicêtre on 12 December 2025 in Kremlin-Bicêtre.
The magnificent Madeleine Church is the setting for several musical evenings including Christmas carols. The magical Grand Christmas concert will take place from 21 to 23 December 2025, organized by the Orchestre Hélios. A Grand Christmas concert will also take place on 19 December 2025at the church of Saint-Eustache and on 20 December 2025 at Saint-Sulpice. Finally, two dates to note for the Christmas Concert by the Ensemble Royal at the Madeleine on 18 December 2025 and 5 January 2026!
The church Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre also has a full programme of concerts until 3 January 2026, including a Christmas concert on 24 and 25 December 2025! 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.
