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Christmas Markets in Paris.

  • Writer: Connie Mott
    Connie Mott
  • Dec 30, 2016
  • 3 min read

If you don't know about the Christmas Markets then I suggest you pull up a seat. I've never seen anything like it and they're by far my new favorite part about Christmas and about Paris.

In the US we have the dreaded Black Friday where everyone rushes to the mall to take advantage of the best 24-hour deals of the year. This is the prime time to stock up on Christmas gifts or to get that e-reader you've been looking at since May. It's a hectic, methodical day that leaves you tired and in serious need of a drink. Across the big Atlantic pond, we have a more civil alternative. We have Christmas Markets. Every Parisian knows that it's time to start singing carols when the big white pop-up tents start lining the Champs-Èlysées.

Merchants from all over France bring their businesses to the capitol to share their craft with a wider audience. The possibilities are seemingly limitless at these markets; there are soaps, toys, scarves and the amount of hand-made products is absolutely unreal. Not only are there vendors with trinkets, but another important pillar of the markets are selling Christmas food. By this I mean cheeses, candy and duck. Well, they sell all kinds of meats but I'm assuming duck is a popular Christmas delicacy because most stands were giving out samples of their duck meat. After stocking up on your wine cheese and meats you're probably getting a little hungry or even tired of walking through the vast and never-ending market. Lucky for you, there are also stands that make you fresh foods to enjoy in tandem with your shopping experience. There are so many foods to choose from and everyone has a different craving when they're passing by these stands, but one almost universal choice is the mulled wine (vin chaud.) It's an amazing way to warm up on a cold winter night and it's a high-quality experience for your taste buds, in my so humble opinion.

Not at all but on the Champs-Èlysèes there's a small "amusement park" with some kiddie rides, haunted houses and carnival games. During the evenings closer to Christmas, there's a Santa Display where Santa and his sleigh are pulled across the sky while he tells the kids to be good and revel in the Christmas magic.

While not part of the Christmas markets, I feel that it's important to mention two other magical entities that contribute to the magic of the season. The first being La Grande Roue, the big ferris wheel at the end of the Champs-Èlysèes which is lit at night and adds a certain something to the air. The other is the ice skating rink in the Grand Palais. The rink is only put up for the winter and cost a pretty penny to get into, but in my advice, it's well worth it. There's dance music playing and a disco ball creating a really exhilarating skating experience. At some points they even have strobe lighting which is hilarious to see people skating at one moment and then the next they've fallen.

Now this is just how the markets are in Paris. I've been told by so many friends that the German markets are even more extravagant but I've, unfortunately, never had the chance to experience that myself. Although I plan to expand my repertoire in the near future!

(My middle name is Noel so this is basically my village)


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