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Thinking about Paris, France in December with kids? I am French, I was born and grew up in Lyon, and I go back to France most years, so Paris at Christmas is a trip I know well. We spent the Christmas holidays in Paris in December 2021 and January 2022, and the photos in this post are from that trip. This guide covers the Christmas markets in Paris, the Christmas lights on the Champs-Élysées and at Galeries Lafayette, ice skating, Disneyland Paris at Christmas, what to do on a rainy day, the weather and what to wear, what closes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and how to get around Paris with kids in winter.
If you are planning Paris for the first time, start with my 5 day Paris itinerary with kids, which works all year. This post adds everything that is special about Paris in December.
Is Paris a good idea in December with kids?
Yes, if you plan around the short days and the cold. The city is decorated from mid-November to early January, the Christmas markets are open, the department store windows are made for children, and Disneyland Paris runs its Christmas season. Days are short, though: around mid-December the sun sets before 5 pm, so the lights come on while the kids are still awake, and that is a big part of the magic.
One date to know: the French school Christmas holidays in 2026 run from Saturday 19 December 2026, and classes start again on Monday 4 January 2027. Paris families are off school during those 2 weeks, so museums, ice rinks and Disneyland Paris get busier. If your dates are flexible, the first 2 weeks of December are calmer.
Christmas markets in Paris with kids
Paris Christmas markets are easy to fit into a day with kids, because each one sits next to something else you will want to see. Here are the ones families look for most.
The Tuileries Christmas market
The Tuileries market, also called La Magie de Noël, sets up in the Jardin des Tuileries, right next to the Louvre. It has wooden chalets with food and gifts, plus fairground rides and a big wheel, so it is the one most families pick. Listing sites give different dates for 2026, and the official dates were still not published when I checked in October 2026, so look at the organiser’s page before you plan your day around it. It pairs well with the Louvre in the morning.
La Défense Christmas market
La Défense, on the edge of Paris at the end of metro line 1, has one of the largest Christmas markets in the Paris area. Paris La Défense says it runs from mid-November to the end of December. It is a good option on a cold day because the shopping centre is right there when the kids need to warm up.
Notre-Dame and Champs-Élysées
The Notre-Dame Christmas market is in Square René Viviani, across the river from the cathedral, and it was reported for 26 November to 27 December 2026. A Champs-Élysées Christmas market was also reported to return on 22 November 2026. Both dates come from Paris listing sites, so check them closer to your trip.
Going late in the afternoon works well with kids: you see the chalets in daylight, and by dinner time the lights are on.
Paris Christmas lights: Champs-Élysées and Galeries Lafayette
The Christmas lights are free, and because it gets dark so early you do not have to keep anyone up late to see them.
The Champs-Élysées lights
Every year, the trees along the Champs-Élysées are wrapped in lights from the Place de la Concorde up to the Arc de Triomphe. In 2025 they were switched on on 16 November and stayed on until early January, according to the City of Paris. For 2026, the switch-on was reported for 22 November 2026. Walk a section of the avenue rather than the whole thing with small kids, because it is long.
The Eiffel Tower also sparkles every evening after dark, and in winter that happens early enough for a short walk to Trocadéro before dinner. I share the best photo spots in my Paris itinerary from a French mom.
Galeries Lafayette and the department store windows
The Christmas windows of the big department stores on Boulevard Haussmann are animated displays that families come to see every year. Inside Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, a giant Christmas tree goes up under the glass dome. The 2026 windows and tree were reported to be revealed on 12 November 2026, with a theme by the designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. Printemps, right next door, also does Christmas windows, so you can see both in one walk. The rooftop terrace at Galeries Lafayette is free and has a view over Paris.
If the kids would rather sit than walk, other families love seeing the lights from the water. You can look for Seine river cruises and Paris tours on Viator.
Ice skating in Paris in winter
Ice rinks open across Paris and the Paris region over the Christmas season. The most famous recent one is the Grand Palais des Glaces, a huge rink set up under the glass roof of the Grand Palais. For the 2025 to 2026 season it ran from about mid-December 2025 to early January 2026. Its 2026 dates had not been announced when I checked in October 2026, so watch the Grand Palais website. During the French school holidays, go when it opens, because the rinks get busy in the afternoon.
Disneyland Paris at Christmas
Disneyland Paris runs its Christmas season, Disney’s Enchanted Christmas, from Saturday 7 November 2026 to Wednesday 6 January 2027. The season includes a Christmas parade, the lighting of the big Christmas tree in Town Square, and Santa to meet until 25 December. For 2026, Christmas also reaches the World of Frozen area at Disney Adventure World for the first time, which is the second park, formerly Walt Disney Studios.
Our first visit to Disneyland Paris was on this winter trip. My daughter liked seeing the characters, but that was pretty much it, and she was jet lagged and slept. We brought our favourite travel stroller, the Babyzen YoYo, plus snacks, water and lots of patience. When we went back on a later trip, the biggest thing I learned is that Disney is a system, so have a plan before you go.
What made a difference for us:
- Under 3 is free: no ticket, just walk in.
- There are 2 parks, and with kids, 1 park per day felt much better.
- We prefer staying in Paris, because it is easier to mix Disney with real Paris, the food is better, and the RER A train goes straight to the park.
- Bring a stroller, even for older kids, because the walking adds up fast.
- Rainy days meant fewer crowds and almost no wait times for us.
All my tips, from tickets and the app to food and characters, are in my full guide to Disneyland Paris with kids. Book tickets well ahead for the Christmas holidays, since prices change by day and the school holiday weeks are the busiest.
Museums and things to do in Paris on a rainy day with kids
December in Paris is often grey and wet, so keep a list of indoor plans ready. These are the ones families with young kids look for the most.
- The Louvre: book your tickets in advance. I learned this the hard way. Follow it with the Tuileries market if the rain stops.
- The Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie and its Cité des Enfants, an interactive science museum with areas for toddlers and for older kids. Book a Cité des Enfants session ahead during the school holidays.
- The Jardin des Plantes and its galleries, with the natural history museum and animals.
- The Aquarium de Paris, near Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower.
- A croissant or macaron baking class, which other families love as a rainy morning plan.
You will find many more indoor and outdoor ideas in my list of kid-friendly adventures in and around Paris, and a longer plan in my 10 day Paris itinerary for families.
Paris weather in December and what to wear
Paris in December is cold and damp more than snowy. Average temperatures sit around 3 to 8°C, and rain is common, with only a few hours of sun on most days.
What works for kids in Paris in winter:
- A warm, waterproof coat with a hood, so an umbrella is one less thing to carry.
- Layers underneath, because metro stations, shops and museums are warm inside.
- Comfortable waterproof shoes for cobblestones and puddles.
- A hat, gloves and a scarf for the evenings under the lights.
- A rain cover for the stroller.
What is open in Paris on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day?
In France, the big Christmas meal, le réveillon, happens on the evening of 24 December, at home with family. That changes what is open:
- On 24 and 31 December, many shops close earlier than usual, and many restaurants either close or serve a set holiday menu that you have to book.
- 25 December and 1 January are public holidays in France. Most shops are closed, and many museums close too, including the Louvre and the Cité des Sciences.
- Outdoor plans like the Christmas lights, the Eiffel Tower view from Trocadéro and the parks are always there, and Disneyland Paris stays open through the holidays.
Book your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals before you leave home, buy some groceries on the 23rd or the 24th in the morning, and check each museum’s own website for its holiday hours.
Where to stay in Paris with kids in December
Stay close to a metro line you will use every day, so you can go back to rest between plans. One thing I always check before booking in Europe is whether there is an elevator. In Paris, our UPPAbaby stroller did not even fit in the elevator at our Airbnb, and I had to fold it every single time we went in or out. Here is what I check before every international trip with kids.
Hotel or apartment? On one Paris trip we were jet lagged and the kids were fully awake at 1 am, and in the hotel we were able to move around in the lobby. I explain how I choose in hotel or Airbnb with kids, and the family-friendly neighbourhoods are in my Paris city guide.
When you are ready to book, you can search Paris hotels on Booking.com or compare Paris hotels on Hotels.com.
Getting around Paris with kids in winter
From Charles de Gaulle airport, the easiest start with kids, luggage and a long flight behind you is a booked transfer. You can book an airport transfer with Kiwitaxi, so the driver is waiting when you land.
In the city, the metro is fast, but many stations have stairs and no elevators. Buses are slower but much easier with a stroller, and in winter they keep everyone warm and dry. All my tips on tickets, passes, apps and the stations to avoid are in getting around Paris, France with kids. For maps and messages from the moment you land, I use an eSIM, and you can get an Airalo eSIM for France.
The flight from Canada to Paris is overnight, so jet lag is part of the first days. Plan the first evening light, and read my tips for jet lag with kids and how kids sleep on a plane in economy.
More of France at Christmas
If you have more time, take the train out of Paris. I share easy ideas in my day trips from France’s most famous cities, and Lyon, my hometown, is about 2 hours away by high speed train. Lyon is famous for its Fête des Lumières, the festival of lights in December, and here is my 5 day Lyon itinerary for families. Still choosing where to go for the holidays? Read how to choose your family’s Christmas break destination.
What I pack for trips like this
The things I actually use are in my Amazon store: my packing essentials list and my electronic must-haves for travel list.
If you are planning Paris in December, my pre-travel checklist is the list I run before every trip, and it is free. You can get it here.
Planning Paris with your kids this Christmas? Send me a message on Instagram and tell me when you are going.