There are two Decembers in Paris. One is made of garlands, shop windows and Christmas markets. The other belongs to the concert halls and museums, and it is already scheduled: the Cézanne et nous exhibition and Oli's Musée imaginaire at the Grand Palais, the Soweto Gospel Choir at the Casino de Paris, Tintoretto at the Musée Jacquemart-André. This guide keeps the two apart, so you can book now what has a date and fit in the rest as the official announcements arrive.

Lights and shop windows: the festive season aglow

The Champs-Élysées lights usually come on in mid-November, and the department stores along boulevard Haussmann unveil their Christmas windows around the same time; for 2026, launch dates and themes are still to be confirmed. Our article on the Christmas lights of the Champs-Élysées and place Vendôme will be updated as soon as the official announcement is made.

Printemps and Galeries Lafayette are a 10-15 minute walk from Hôtel R de Paris, so you can stroll past the windows on a weekday morning, before the crowds. December weekends and Wednesday afternoons are often very busy, both for shopping in the department stores and for the windows.

Christmas markets: announcements to be confirmed, one date already set

Several Christmas markets are announced for the end of the year: in the Tuileries Garden, at La Défense, in the Latin Quarter near Notre-Dame and at Auteuil with the Féeries d'Auteuil, the first from November, exact dates to be confirmed. Their dates, like those of the markets at Saint-Germain-des-Prés, place des Abbesses in Montmartre or the Gare de l'Est, should be checked with each organiser. The December calendar of public fairs and shows completes the picture.

One event does have official dates: Klin d'œil, a Christmas-themed designers' market, brings together 95 French designers for its fifth edition on Saturday 12 December from 11am to 8pm and Sunday 13 December from 11am to 7pm. Admission is free, in the hall of the Carreau du Temple, 2 rue Perrée (3rd arrondissement), metro Temple or République. From 3 to 6 December, the Carreau du Temple also hosts the Salon international du livre rare & des arts graphiques (rare book and graphic arts fair), another tip for bibliophiles.

At the Grand Palais: Cézanne, Oli and the ice

Cézanne et nous remains on show at the Grand Palais until 17 January 2027. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7.30pm, late opening on Friday until 10pm. Full price €19, reduced €16, Liberté ticket without a time slot €24, free for under-18s. Entrance square Jean Perrin, 17 avenue du Général Eisenhower (8th). On 24, 25 and 31 December, closures or adjusted hours are possible: check grandpalais.fr before you go.

From Wednesday 2 December until 21 February 2027, the Grand Palais presents Le Musée imaginaire d'Oli (Oli's imaginary museum), created by Oli of the duo Bigflo & Oli, with Jérôme Sans as curator. Same hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7.30pm, Friday until 10pm. Ticketing opens on Wednesday 21 October. It is the only new exhibition of December in this selection. The ice rink returns too, under the glass roof: the Grand Palais des Glaces runs from 13 December 2026 to 6 January 2027, closing at 6pm on 24 and 31 December; ticketing is announced for mid-October.

Four museums for short afternoons

At the Musée du Luxembourg, Andy Warhol. La ligne et l'image runs until 10 January 2027; hours and prices are on the museum's website.

The Musée Jacquemart-André presents Éternel Tintoret until 24 January 2027, at 158 boulevard Haussmann (8th). It is the exhibition to pair with a tour of the windows: same boulevard, same afternoon. We presented it alongside Cézanne in our selection of autumn exhibitions.

At the Louvre, December sees the close of two exhibitions: Chefs-d'œuvre de la Renaissance until 13 December, and Les Hôtes du Louvre, with Kader Attia and Elizabeth Peyton, until 14 December. Crosscurrents, devoted to Mughal, Safavid and Ottoman arts, continues until 24 January 2027, and the Michel Lacoste donation until 11 January 2027. Other exhibitions of the season are in our selection of Louvre exhibitions this autumn.

At the Musée d'Orsay, Mary Cassatt, l'indépendante is on from 6 October 2026 to 31 January 2027; hours and prices are on the museum's website.

In the evening: gospel on rue de Clichy, chanson on the Boulevards, young dancers at Garnier

The Casino de Paris, at 16 rue de Clichy, on the same street as Hôtel R de Paris, programmes gospel, chanson and children's shows in December. The Soweto Gospel Choir sings there from 18 to 20 December, and Lynda Lemay and Jean-Félix Lalanne join forces on the 21st. For families, the children's show Mary Candies plays on Sunday 20 December at 3pm, and Simon Superlapin takes over from 26 December to 3 January. Unless otherwise stated, concerts start at 8pm; prices are on the venue's website.

On the Grands Boulevards, the Olympia (28 boulevard des Capucines, 9th) hosts Marguerite on 4 and 5 December, Pierre de Maere on the 8th and 9th, Lio on the 17th. Zélie (1 December) is already sold out: for the other dates, it is best not to wait.

At the Opéra national de Paris, the student showcases of the École de Danse take place at the Palais Garnier on Saturday 5 December at 10.30am, Saturday 19 December at 10.30am and 2.30pm, and Sunday 20 December at 10.30am and 2.30pm; book on operadeparis.fr.

New Year's Eve and public holidays

Since 2014, the arrival of the new year has been celebrated on the Champs-Élysées. At the last edition, the avenue was open to the public in the evening and fireworks were fired at midnight, after a video mapping on the Arc de Triomphe. If the evening goes ahead again, you will need to arrive early; our practical guide to the fireworks will be worth rereading at that point.

The programme for 31 December 2026 is to be checked with the City of Paris, and opening hours on 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 January with each venue: everything should be verified as the holidays approach. As a guide from last year, the Tuileries Christmas market and the Grand Palais ice rink closed earlier on the evenings of 24 and 31 December. For 25 December and 1 January, see also our ideas for these two public holidays.

A few tips to keep up with the festive season

  • Book the slots that are open or about to open. A time slot for Cézanne et nous, tickets for Le Musée imaginaire d'Oli as soon as ticketing opens on 21 October.
  • Aim for the late opening. On Fridays, the Grand Palais stays open until 10pm: a late-afternoon visit leaves the morning free for the windows.
  • A central starting point. From the hotel, line 13 runs without a change from place de Clichy to Champs-Élysées-Clemenceau for the Grand Palais, Gare Saint-Lazare is a 7-minute walk, and the hotel's neighbourhood has its own addresses for the evenings with nothing planned.

Keep at least one evening free to wander the Grands Boulevards or dine in a 9th arrondissement bistro.