Paris Christmas Markets:
Where To Go In 2026
Paris Christmas Markets: Where To Go In 2026
Christmas market at the Eiffel Tower
Wooden chalets begin appearing across Paris in late November, filling squares with Christmas decorations, handmade gifts, regional foods, roasted chestnuts, and cups of hot mulled wine. The markets range from large Christmas villages with hundreds of stalls to small neighborhood gatherings and specialist markets devoted to French artisans or regional food.
The 2026 Christmas market season includes the artisan market near Notre-Dame Cathedral, the sprawling village at La Défense, Alsatian specialties at Gare de l'Est, and smaller markets in Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Montmartre. Dates vary considerably: some markets run for several weeks, while others open for only a few days in December.
See the Paris Noël Lights from a Classic Citroën →
Christmas Market At Notre-Dame
Christmas Market at Notre-Dame
The Notre-Dame Christmas Market fills Square René Viviani, across the Seine from the cathedral, with French artisans and regional food producers. Fait en France — Made in France — is central to the market, with jewelry, ceramics, leather goods, textiles, tableware, decorative objects, and Christmas gifts made by French craftspeople.
Regional foods include foie gras, cheeses, gingerbread, pretzels, macarons, nougat, charcuterie, roasted chestnuts, and mulled wine. Père Noël also visits the market, with children's drawing and storytelling activities scheduled during the season.
- Dates: November 26 to December 27, 2026
- Location: Square René Viviani, 5th Arrondissement
- Nearest landmark: Notre-Dame Cathedral
La Défense Christmas Market
Christmas Market at La Défense
The Christmas Market at La Défense spreads across the vast Parvis de La Défense, with 300 wooden chalets beneath the towers and the Grande Arche. Rows of illuminated stalls fill the esplanade with Christmas decorations, gifts, food, and an area reserved for French artisans.
The chalets include jewelry, santons, honey, leather goods, wooden toys, regional foods, raclette, waffles, and mulled wine. A large outdoor ice rink adds another focal point to the market, with the Grande Arche rising above the Christmas lights after dark.
- Dates: November 12 to December 31, 2026
- Location: Parvis de La Défense
- Nearest landmark: Grande Arche
Alsatian Christmas Market At Gare de l'Est
Kougelhopf at the Alsatian Christmas Market
The Alsatian Christmas Market brings the foods of eastern France to the forecourt of Gare de l'Est, where producers from Alsace set up stalls for several weeks before Christmas. Kougelhopf, bredele Christmas cookies, gingerbread, Munster cheese, charcuterie, foie gras, and jars of preserves fill the market.
Alsatian wines accompany the food, with Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Crémant among the bottles associated with the region. The market has been held at Gare de l'Est for decades, an apt setting for a station whose trains connect Paris with Strasbourg and eastern France.
- Dates: 2026 dates to be announced
- Location: Forecourt of Gare de l'Est, 10th Arrondissement
- Nearest landmark: Gare de l'Est
A Classic Seine Dinner Cruise
Dine on the Seine as Paris lights up around you, with French cuisine served aboard a glass-walled boat cruising past the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, and Louvre.
Christmas Market At Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Christmas Market at Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market lines Boulevard Saint-Germain beside the church, with wooden chalets selling Christmas gifts, crafts, decorations, and seasonal foods. The market runs from late November through the first week of January, extending beyond Christmas and New Year's Day.
The surrounding streets add another layer to a December visit, with the cafés of Saint-Germain, the shops along Boulevard Saint-Germain, and the Christmas lights of the 6th Arrondissement within a few blocks. Our guide to Saint-Germain-des-Prés covers the neighborhood in more detail.
- Dates: November 27, 2026 to January 6, 2027
- Location: Boulevard Saint-Germain, 6th Arrondissement
- Nearest landmark: Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Eiffel-Branly Christmas Market
Christmas market at the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel-Branly Christmas Market sets up along Quai Jacques Chirac at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, with wooden chalets between the Seine and the monument. French and Île-de-France artisans sell jewelry, crafts, gifts, and regional products, while food stalls serve winter dishes and hot drinks.
The Eiffel Tower rises directly above the market, with the Seine running alongside the quay. Raclette, tartiflette, crêpes, waffles, hot chocolate, and mulled wine are among the foods associated with the Christmas village, which continues through New Year's weekend.
- Dates: December 5, 2026 to January 3, 2027
- Location: Quai Jacques Chirac, 7th Arrondissement
- Nearest landmark: Eiffel Tower
Montmartre Christmas Market At Abbesses
Christmas Market in Montmartre
A small Christmas market fills Place des Abbesses with wooden chalets, near the carousel and the Art Nouveau Metro entrance. French crafts are central to the market, with jewelry, ceramics, textiles, wooden decorations, and other Fait en France gifts.
Food stalls serve cheeses, foie gras, pretzels, raclette, biscuits, roasted chestnuts, and spiced mulled wine. Rue des Abbesses leads west from the square, while the streets climbing the hill lead toward Sacré-Cœur and the heart of Montmartre.
- Dates: 2026 dates to be announced
- Location: Place des Abbesses, 18th Arrondissement
- Nearest landmark: Sacré-Cœur
Champs-Élysées Christmas Market – NEW
Christmas lights on the Champs-Élysées - Ville de Paris
A Christmas market is planned for the Champs-Élysées during the 2026 holiday season, returning wooden chalets to the avenue for the first time since 2017. Christmas lights will stretch above the avenue, with rows of chalets selling gifts, seasonal foods, decorations, and hot drinks between Place de la Concorde and the Grand Palais.
Christmas lights illuminate the trees along the Champs-Élysées, from Place de la Concorde toward the Arc de Triomphe. Storefronts are dressed for the holidays, cafés and restaurant terraces glow after dark, and Christmas decorations line the avenue through the end of December.
- Dates: November 22, 2026 to January 4, 2027
- Location: Lower Champs-Élysées, 8th Arrondissement
- Nearest landmark: Grand Palais, Place de la Concorde
More Christmas Markets In Paris
Smaller Christmas markets are held across Paris during the holiday season. The Swedish Christmas Market at the Swedish Church near Parc Monceau sells Scandinavian foods and gifts, while specialist markets focus on Japanese crafts, ethical products, and independent designers. In 2026, the Carreau du Temple in the Marais hosts Christmas markets devoted to French artisans and small-production ceramics, textiles, fashion, food, and decorative objects.
Continue Planning Your Christmas in Paris
Celebrate Christmas in Paris →
Christmas Markets in Paris →
Things to Do in Paris in December →
Christmas Day in Paris →
New Year's Eve in Paris →
Things to Do in January 2027 →
Frequently Asked Questions
WHEN DO CHRISTMAS MARKETS OPEN IN PARIS?
The Christmas market season begins in November, with additional markets opening through early December. La Défense opens on November 12 in 2026, while Notre-Dame begins November 26 and Saint-Germain-des-Prés on November 27.
HOW LONG DO PARIS CHRISTMAS MARKETS STAY OPEN?
Dates vary by market. La Défense closes on December 31, while Notre-Dame runs through December 27. Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Eiffel-Branly Christmas Market continue into the first week of January.
ARE PARIS CHRISTMAS MARKETS FREE?
Yes. The principal outdoor Christmas markets in Paris are free to enter. Food, drinks, gifts, crafts, and other purchases are paid for individually.
WHAT CAN YOU BUY AT PARIS CHRISTMAS MARKETS?
Wooden chalets sell Christmas decorations, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, leather goods, toys, regional foods, and handmade gifts. Several markets emphasize French artisans and Fait en France products.
WHAT FOOD IS SERVED AT PARIS CHRISTMAS MARKETS?
Mulled wine, roasted chestnuts, raclette, tartiflette, crêpes, waffles, charcuterie, cheeses, gingerbread, and other regional foods are common. The Alsatian Christmas Market at Gare de l'Est specializes in kougelhopf, bredele, Munster cheese, and Alsatian wines.
ARE PARIS CHRISTMAS MARKETS OPEN AFTER CHRISTMAS?
Several are. In 2026, Saint-Germain-des-Prés runs through January 6 and the Eiffel-Branly Christmas Market through January 3. The planned Champs-Élysées market is scheduled through January 4.
Find Your Paris Hotel: Choosing The Right Area
Wake up near the cafés of Saint-Germain, the streets of the Marais, or the village lanes of Montmartre. Find a Paris hotel in the neighborhood you want to call home.