Want to feel the magic of the festive season in Paris? This year, December 25 and January 1 both fall on a Friday: two three-day weekends to fill with illuminated strolls, panoramic views and shows. From Hôtel R de Paris, a 4★ boutique hotel in the heart of Paris’s 9th arrondissement, you can easily reach the capital’s great sights, with a chic spirit and seasonal charm.
Created by our team for a seamless stay, this guide takes stock, for these two days, of what is closed, what is open and what is still to be confirmed. One golden rule: many museums are closed and the season’s opening hours are published late. After your outings, come back to the comfort of an elegant cocoon and the hotel’s softly lit atmosphere.
December 25: what’s open, panoramic views and strolls
On Christmas Day, several major museums close, as they do every year: the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Musée d’Orsay and City of Paris museums such as Carnavalet, the Petit Palais, the Palais Galliera or the Musée Bourdelle. The Centre Pompidou is closed to the public for renovation, with a reopening announced for 2030.
As for what is open, the Sacré-Cœur Basilica welcomes visitors every day from 6:30am to 10:30pm according to its official website, and Notre-Dame Cathedral announces free, open access every day (hours to be reconfirmed); the Christmas Mass schedule has not yet been published at Notre-Dame and remains unconfirmed at Sacré-Cœur. For panoramic views, the December 25 hours of the Eiffel Tower and the Montparnasse Tower are to be confirmed on their official websites. For the full list, see the Tourist Office’s guide, museums and monuments open on December 25, along with its English-language version Christmas Day openings, making sure it is the 2026 edition.
To soak up the holiday spirit, head for the illuminations. Those on the Champs-Élysées are reported by the press as running from November 22, 2026 to January 4, 2027, dates still to be officially confirmed; for Place Vendôme and Boulevard Haussmann, the season’s dates are not yet known. Details and dates to check: Christmas illuminations. Christmas markets are also a lovely option for a hot chocolate or some last-minute gifts. The Notre-Dame Christmas market, at Square René-Viviani, is the only one whose dates are confirmed by the City: from November 26 to December 27, 2026, from 10am to 8pm (until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays); whether it opens on Christmas Day is not specified. The markets at the Tuileries and La Défense are dated for now only by the press: to be confirmed. Full overview: Christmas markets in Paris.
January 1: start the year gently
On New Year’s Day, the regular closures are the same as on December 25 for the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the City of Paris museums mentioned above; for the Musée d’Orsay, opening on January 1 is still to be confirmed. Sacré-Cœur, open every day, is a good fit for a first stroll of the year in Montmartre; the Notre-Dame Christmas market, for its part, will have closed on December 27. Other sites may open: see the Tourist Office’s list, museums and monuments open on January 1 (make sure it is the 2026-2027 edition). For an easy restart, the Tourist Office also offers ideas for activities to start the year, which are worth checking for the right edition. For a Seine cruise, contact the operators directly: operating days and hours are to be checked for these dates.
