Paris doesn't slow down after the holidays, in fact it starts gearing up for new events. Known as the City of Celebration (to us, at least!), January in Paris kicks off with the famous soldes (winter sales), Paris Fashion Week, as well as an Edvard Munch exhibition at Musée d'Orsay. The weather may be chilly but you can stay warm and cozy in a luxurious Eurovan for a day trip to the Champagne Region, Versailles, or the Loire Valley.

Most Popular Activities

Things to Do in Paris January 2024

Bateaux Parisiens VIP Dinner Cruise

Paris looks even better from a dinner boat cruising down the Seine. Climb aboard the glass-walled bateau for a relaxing ride along the river & view the city from a different perspective. Iconic landmarks pass by as you enjoy a multi-course French meal. Choose the Service Premier option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.

Dinner on the Eiffel Tower at Madame Brasserie

To our way of thinking dining on the Eiffel Tower is the ultimate Paris experience. And it's easy to book at table at Madame Brasserie, the newest culinary star on the Eiffel Tower. Instead of waiting in lines, you zip up the elevator to the restaurant and then enjoy the menu created by Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx. Choose the Grande Dame – Paris View option for the best views and the best meal.

Bateaux Mouches Glorious Dinner Cruise + Live Music

Indulge your inner romantic on a magical evening cruise along the Seine, viewing the City of Light at its most magical. You dine on a decadent 4-course classic French dinner, accompanied by live music on-board, as you float past illuminated landmarks like the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Eiffel Tower.

Champagne Cruise Along the Seine

We're adamant — there's no better way to celebrate your stay Paris than a champagne-fueled cruise down the Seine, the most romantic river in the world. You'll also discover it's the very best way to see the sights of the city as you glide past the monuments on a bateau sipping bubbly! Thursday, Friday, Saturday in January.

Eiffel Tower + Dinner Cruise + Moulin Rouge

The perfect way to see Paris by night, in three wonderful ways. Skip the lines at the Eiffel Tower to view the city from above. Next, board a glass-enclosed bateau to cruise the Seine while dining on a classic French 3-course menu while you pass the architectural masterpieces. And to top off this magical tour you'll be whisked to the Moulin Rouge where you'll raise a glass of champagne and experience Europe's most popular cabaret.

Louvre Museum VIP Private Tour

You probably know that the Louvre is the world's most popular museum, which means it's also the busiest. Do you want to wait in line to see the best art in the world, or would you rather zip ahead of the long line with fast access tickets and join a fascinating walking tour where your expert guide will personally take you right to the highlights — Venus, Mona, Nike, and other influential pieces? That's what we thought.

Musée d'Orsay Impressionism Tour

Skip the lines at Musée d'Orsay to marvel at stunning Impressionist works by the likes of Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, and Renoir on this tour led by an Impressionism expert guide. D'Orsay holds the world's most important collection of Impressionist art. Since the lines are always long, the best way to get to see the art is on a skip-the-line tour. Once the tour finishes, you're free to spend as much time as you want perusing the masterpieces.

VIP Twilight Tour – Champagne Cruise + Eiffel Tower

If we had to choose one evening activity this would be it. A beautiful combination of a champagne-fueled sunset Seine River cruise followed by skip-the-line access to Level 2 of the Eiffel Tower. From there, the city unfolds in a dazzling vista beneath you. Here's what we love: you're treated like a VIP with no waiting, no jostling, just pure Paris fun.

Hear Classical Music in Paris

Attending a classical music concert at one of the iconic churches or cathedrals of Paris will create a lasting memory of your trip to the City of Music. Listen to favorites by Mozart, Pachelbel, Schubert, Vivaldi, Bach, or Beethoven. Or attend a performance at Palais Garnier, just to marvel at the stunning architecture. Find out what's playing on your trip to Paris.

Eiffel Tower Skip-the-Line Tours

Our Insiders top tip to avoid the long lines at the Eiffel Tower is to sign up for a skip-the-line-tour. Meet your guide at the base of the tower and follow her past the long lineups. You get priority access while your guide fills you in on history and fun facts. Since availability at the Tower is limited, you should book your tour as early as you can.

Tour Paris & Montmartre by Night in a Classic 2CV

One of the most fun Paris city tours is in a vintage Citroën 2CV… at night… in Montmartre! Your driver/guide gathers you from your hotel and takes you to the city's most iconic sites, from the Eiffel Tower to the Pantheon to the Latin Quarter to Montmartre, the highest point in Paris with the best views. If you can, upgrade to the champagne option!

Arrange Your Airport Transfers

One of our most appreciated pieces of advice is to arrange your transportation from the airport into Paris before you leave home. It's comforting to be prepared when you arrive. Its easy and affordable way to book a luxurious shuttle service right to your hotel.

Hotel Monge, The Latin Quarter

This month the Paris Insider Guide featured hotel is Hotel Monge in the 5th Arrondissement. As soon as it opened Hotel Monge went to the top of our lists. Perfectly located in a vibrant neighborhood it is also convenient to the things you want to see in Paris, like the Pantheon and Notre Dame. Everything about the Hotel Monge is excellent — the best hotel beds and pillows ever, fantastic lighting design, great staff and service.

The Best Latin Quarter Hotels

The historic and charming Latin Quarter is one of the best places to stay in Paris. Luckily, it's also home to some of our favourite hotels in the city. Here, you are in the center of things, with easy access to Saint-Germain, the Marais, the Seine, the Paris Islands and Notre Dame Cathedral. Let's take a look at the new 2024 list of the best hotels in the Latin Quarter, with current prices.

Glorious Day Trips From Paris

Things to Do in Paris January 2024

Spend a Day in the Champagne Region

Your car winds through the celebrated vineyards and villages where champagne has been made for centuries. On this small-group tour, your driver will take you along the picturesque Route de Champagne with plenty of tours and tasting at top producers. Sample all you want — someone else does the driving. It's a delicious, bubbly adventure you'll not soon forget!

Three Magnificent Loire Valley Chateaux

The Loire Vally is known as the Land of 1000 Castles and it's easy to get from Paris to the splendid chateaux on a day trip. Take a leisurely tour of three of the most spectacular castles in the valley. It's like stepping back in time as you wander the gardens and mazes and traverse the moats of the Renaissance castles. Includes hotel pick-up and return.

The D-Day Landing Beaches

The landing beaches of Normandy are undoubtedly the most famous battle sites of World War II. Sign up for this popular small-group tour that takes you to the most important locations — the beaches, the monuments, the museums, and the dedicated cemeteries. This all-inclusive day trip also includes lunch and a tasting of the region's famous ciders.

Scrumptious Food & Wine Activities

Things to Do in Paris January 2024

Cheese & Wine Tasting in a Paris Cheese Cellar

In this small-group food activity you learn all about the proper way to age the cheeses of France. In a fromagerie in the Marais you meet the affineur (expert in aging cheeses) and descend into the private cheese cellar where you taste seven classic French cheeses, along with wines. Discover how cheese became one of the most important food groups of France, along with baguettes and chocolate! The group size is limited to 10 to ensure there's more cheese for you.

Seine Dinner Cruise by Maxim's of Paris

We love this new dinnertime cruise that joins the Seine River with Maxim's of Paris, the Belle Époque bistro that debuted at the 1900 Paris Exposition.. On this evening cruise you'll dine on specialties made famous at the historic bistro as you admire the lights of the city. With VIP treatment including guaranteed window seating for the best views, you'll be immersed in an unforgettable romantic atmosphere.

The Food & Wine of the Marais

This very popular food tour takes you back to the Marais to visit the top food & wine shops in the historic quartier. You learn about and taste the best of French foods like baguettes, chocolate, cheese, charcuterie, and wine. Start off at the oldest food market in the city. This one is garnering high praise from hungry travelers.

Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Lunch

Take a break from sightseeing for a fun, casual, and affordable lunch cruise along the Seine. Getting out on the river is something you must do in Paris, so why not have lunch at the same time? Look out the window at the monuments of Paris passing by. Combine great dining with a tour of Paris… riverside. Available everyday. This lunch cruise is very popular, so book early.

Wine Tasting in the Heart of Paris

The weather outside may be chilly but you'll be warm inside a charming wine cellar smack in the center of Paris. The professional sommeliers on these fun tastings cover a lot of French wine territory and deliver an extensive tasting of wines — from Champagne to Sancerre, from Bordeaux to Burgundy, from Alsace to the Rhône. It all takes place in a wine bar steps away from the Louvre.

Lunch at Madame Brasserie on the Eiffel Tower

High above Paris, Michelin-starred Chef Thierry Marx has created Madame Brasserie restaurant on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. Enjoy stunning views while savoring Chef Marx's classic 3-course lunch. You bypass the long lines and take the elevator directly to the restaurant. This is something you won't forget!

Learn to Make Croissants with a Pastry Chef

Sure — you can just eat croissants and pains au chocolat during your trip to Paris. But you can, instead, learn how to bake them yourself during this hands-on, small-group pastry class. Head to the professional kitchen (located in central Paris), to meet your chef instructor, then roll up your sleeves to learn the step-by-step secrets to making theses iconic French pastries.

Market Tour & French Cooking Class

What better place to learn about French cooking than Paris? Especially when your class also includes a trip to an outdoor food market to meet butchers, fishmongers, and produce sellers to gather the fresh ingredients for your cooking. This popular class teaches you how to create an entire French meal — entrée, plat, et dessert.

Visit Versailles from Paris

Things to Do in Paris January 2024

You'll feel like royalty on this magical day in Versailles. You're driven directly from your Paris hotel to the royal estate where priority access gets you ahead of the lines and directly into the grand chateau for a guided tour. Afterwards, stroll through the winter garden until lunch on the Grand Canal. There's plenty of time to visit the Grand Trianon and Marie Antoinette's fantasy village farm.

Your Own Private Versailles

Visit Versailles the royal way on an exclusive private tour. Your driver takes you from your Paris hotel to the priority entrance at the Palace of Versailles. There you bypass the long lineups for the chance to explore areas of the chateau usually seen only by dignitaries. You also visit the Hall of Mirrors, the king and queen's private residences, as well as the magnificent gardens.

Half-Day, Priority-Access Tour of Versailles

If you want to spend only half a day at Versailles, this tour is a great way to visit the royal estate and skip the lines. Led by an expert guide this activity includes transportation right from your hotel. It's available in the morning and in the afternoon.

What's On at the Museums

Things to Do in Paris January 2024

Private Louvre Nighttime Tour

This private tour of the Louvre is one of the very best VIP experiences in Paris. Imagine the Louvre at night, when the crowds have diminished and your art-expert guide takes you on an exclusive tour to the museum's most well-known artworks. Stand in front of works by Raphael, da Vinci, Caravaggio. This one-of-a-kind VIP art experience is only available on Friday nights, and it's very likely to sell out!

Edvard Munch

In collaboration with the Munch Museum in Oslo, Musée d'Orsay is devoting an exhibition to the famous Norwegian painter Edvard Munch (1863-1944) who, though he created numerous paints over sixty years, still remains largely unknown.
• Musée d'Orsay
• Ends January 22, 2024
• Information…

Picasso à l'Image

Here's a chance to see art films, archives, and documentaries shot during Picasso's lifetime, presenting facets of his personal and artistic life.
• Musée Picasso
• Ends February 12, 2024
• Information…

Rosa Bonheur – LAST DAYS

To celebrate the bicentenary of the birth of Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899), the Musée des Beaux-Arts in her hometown of Bordeaux and the Musée d'Orsay in Paris are presenting a retrospective of her paintings.
• Musée d'Orsay
• Ends January 15, 2024
• Information…

Giuseppe Penone – Dessins

Italian sculptor Giuseppe Penone (born 1947) is known for his large scale sculptures of trees, but he has always kept a pencil and paper nearby for his drawings. This exhibition presents over 200 of his drawings donated by Penone to the Pompidou, along with six sculptures.

• Centre Pompidou
• Ends March 6, 2024
• Pompidou Exhibition Information…

Mardi Gras Indians – LAST DAYS

If there's one event that captures New Orleans it's the Mardi Gras Carnival with floats, brass bands, and lots of street dancing. Part of the scene, and tracing their roots to the French colonial era, are the Mardi Gras Indians (also known as Black Masking Indians) who parade in magnificent Native American costumes adorned with pearls, sequins, and feathers. The exhibition is organized with the Louisiana State Museum.

• Musée du Quai Branly
• Ends January 15, 2024
• Information…

Walter Sickert – Painter & Transgressor

A major retrospective dedicated to the English painter Walter Sickert. Sickert painted subjects considered too audacious for this time, such as music hall scenes and de-eroticized nudes.

• Petit Palais
• October 14, 2022 to January 29, 2024
• Information…

André Derain – Paysages Méridionaux

Influenced by the masters, André Derain (1880-1954) turned to more classical painting after World War I. His landscapes capture the intense light of Provence. Hence, "Southern Landscapes".

• Musée de l'Orangerie
• Ends March 6, 2024
• Information…

Parisiennes Citoyennes!

"Women of Paris!" This historical exhibition takes you on a journey in search of traces of women's struggles for emancipation from the French Revolution to the achievement of parity in politics,

• Musée Carnavalet
• Ends January 29, 2024
• Information…

Kanak Journals

It took Roger Boulay, a museum curator, more than two decades to document 3,000 sketches and watercolors of the Kanak people. In case you've forgotten your cultural geography, the Kanak are the indigenous people of New Caledonia, a southwest Pacific island territory still governed by France. The Kanak speak more than twenty distinct languages with eleven dialects including Creole, and use French as their common language. This is a must-see exhibition!

• Musée du Quai Branly
• Ends March 12, 2024
• Information…

The Splendours Of Uzbekistan's Oases

Take a journey to the crossroads of civilization where Uzbekistan, Samarkand, and Bokhara meet. For the first time in Europe, masterworks from the region will be on display, including wall paintings from the Ambassadors' Hall in Samarkand and one of the oldest Korans from the early days of Islam.

• The Louvre
• Ends March 6, 2024
• Information…

The 1001 Designs Of The ABCd'Orsay

This joyful ABC is a fun, modern take on alphabet picture books of yore, and shows a contemporary perspective on 19th-century classics.

• Musée d'Orsay
• Ends March 12, 2024
• Information…

Top Events in Paris

Things to Do in Paris January 2024

Jour de l'An

New Year's Day is a French National Holiday and most shops, services, museums & restaurants will be closed. But just being in Paris at the start of the year is a pleasure. We've assembled a list of some of the things you can do on le jour de l'An.

January Sales

On your mark, get ready, shop! In January one thousand Paris boutiques and grands magasins commence the annual beginning-of-the-year sales. France being France, even store sales must be authorized by the préfectures of each département (local government). It's hard to describe the shopping frenzy that the January sales inspire. Here are a few of our favorite department stores:
• Printemps…
• Le Bon Marché…
• Galeries Lafayette…

Paris Fashion Week January 2024

The show must go on. In this case it's Paris Fashion Week starting January 19. Although you can't buy tickets to the fashion shows, if you hang out in the trendy bars around the Carrousel du Louvre you might have a celebrity sighting. Be on the lookout for a collection of tall, thin models. (Or is that a mirror you're looking in?!) Men's Fashion Week precedes Feminine.
• Information…

Maison & Objet

Discover the latest trends in decoration, design, furniture, accessories and textiles. The live, on-site version is back — at Paris Nord Villepinte in January!
• Paris Nord Villepinte
• Information…

Grand Prix d'Amérique Harness Racing World Championship

The hottest trot race in France, and one of the richest events in the world in this sport. In January 2024 qualifying races are being run, and it looks as if the finalé will take place at the end of January, with other races running to the end of February.

• Hippodrome, Boise de Vincennes
• January & February 2024
• Information…

Pinder Circus

A fairytale, holiday setting and a wonderful show for the whole family. Check the website for updates.

• Pelouse de Reuilly, 12th Arrondissement
• Information…