Paris on Christmas Day
Any suggestions for things to do in Paris on Christmas day? Will the metros be running on shorter hours? Will any museums or sites be open? Any help would be appreciated.
Emily
Fairbanks, Alaska US 11/10/09
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I'm not certain about Christmas Day, but most of the infrastructure is at full service on the 26th. If museums are closed, it might be a good day to wander around.
I just googled "Christmas Day closures in Paris" and the consensus is that all museums & tourist sites will be closed but lots of restaurants will be open.
I do think it'd be a good day to just walk and explore but Notre Dame will be open. I'm not religious, but we always enjoy going to the American Church which will also be open. Very friendly people there.
Metro will run, museums are closed, enough restaurants will be open so you won't starve. Go poke around Montmartre in the morning and the Latin Quarter/Lux Gardens in the afternoon. That should fill your day.
Thanks for all of the responses. I'm sure it will be a great day for just wandering around.
Ed's right about seeing the Luxembourg Gardens...a beautiful park!!
I too will be in Paris on Christmas (flying in from the states on Christmas morning) with my wife, mother, and two sisters. We plan to see Notre Dame on that day (their website has a mass schedule). Check out these links I found on a google search.
http://en.allexperts.com/q/France-140/Paris-Christmas-Vacation.htm
http://www.a-night-in-paris.com/where-to-eat-in-paris/which-restaurants-are-open-christmas-day-in-paris.html
It also appears that the Eiffel Tower will be open on Christmas Day.
I also read that the Eiffel Tower will be open on Christmas day, that will be great. I think we will also try to attend mass at Notre Dame on Christmas or Christmas Eve.
Thanks for the web sites, I will check them out!
The other great thing about the ET being open on Christmas day is that it will probably be less crowded than usual, a huge bonus.
Here's another useful website for Paris at Christmas which another poster recommended a while ago and I saved in case I ever needed it: http://goparis.about.com/od/events/tp/Christmas_Paris.htm
I spent last Christmas in Paris and just wandered around. The Eiffel tower was open and VERY quiet...hardly any lines. I also wandered around the Christmas market on the southern end of the Champs Elysees (near Place de la Concorde). There is a cool ferris wheel there, too...really beautiful at night when it's all lit up. Had no problem eating out.
Rue Mouffetard is absolutely my favorite street in all of Paris (stayed near there). I would totally forget Rick's "Rue Cler walk," as Rue Mouffetard (not mentioned in Rick's books) has it in spades. It was once a Roman road leading out of the city, now it's a narrow cobbled street with great French shops (cheese, chocolate, wine, bread, scarves, everything), restaurants, and an open air market at one end (yes, it was still going during Christmas time - I got cheese and fruit). The whole street is hung overhead with strings of blue lights and is magical at night. I ADORED this street and spent much of my time there. Stopping and getting steaming hot crepes and chatting with the locals, who were very friendly. I saw way more locals than tourists. It's near the Censier-Daubenton metro stop. I would walk down Rue Censier and meet up with Rue Mouffetard that way, that's where the open air market is, and then walk north.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rue_Mouffetard,_Paris
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&resnum=0&q=rue+mouffetard&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=UdYES46nOs25ngegv_23Cw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CB0QsAQwAw
Jen...Shh about rue Mouffetard, it's best kept secret so it's not ruined!
There are lots of great places in Paris that Rick doesn't write about...thank goodness!
I haven't read his Paris guide in many years, but reading your example Steve, he doesn't highlight the area...he just mentions 4 restaurants. I like Rick a lot, but when he focus' on a particular area (like rue Cler or the Cinque Terre) he spoils it, imo.
Yeah, you're probably right...LOL! I'll have to stop evangelizing about it. :-)