We already know that Paris is beautiful. Even on grey days, the elegance and timeless beauty of Paris shine through. And then in November, Paris starts twinkling. Christmas lights in Paris are lit and the city takes on a warm hue and a festive buzz during the shortest days of the year.
In French, the Paris Christmas lights are called the Paris Illuminations. Here are the best for Christmas in Paris 2023.
Paris Christmas Lights 2023
1. Christmas Lights In Paris The Champs-Elysées
Paris Christmas lights transform the iconic Champs-Elysées into a glittering wonderland. From Place de la Concorde all the way to the Arc de Triomphe, 400 trees, reminiscent of wine glasses, are lit in red. These 2.5 miles (4 km) of Christmas lights in Paris are a spectacular sight!
The evening when the Christmas lights in Paris lining the Champs-Elysées are first lit, the wide boulevard becomes car-free. It’s quite a celebration! Each year at the inauguration of the lights a French celebrity pushes the switch to “on,” illuminating the grand avenue with over 20,000 LED light bulbs. In 2023, French actor Gilles Lellouche is turning the lights ON!
These Paris Christmas Lights:
Dates: Sunday, November 19, 2023 to January 7, 2024.
On November 19, the Champs Elysées is a pedestrian-only zone from 10h to 17h!
The Christmas Lights on the Champs-Elysées are lit up from 5 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.
Pro Travel Tip: On December 24 and 31 the Paris Christmas lights on the Champs-Elysées are illuminated all night long.
Location: 8th arrondissement
Métro: Champs-Elysées-Clemenceau; Franklin D. Roosevelt; George V
Read More | The Best Christmas Markets in Paris in 2023
2. Paris Christmas Lights 2023: Place Vendôme
Place Vendôme exudes timeless elegance. With the most elegant of Paris Christmas lights, Place Vendome will take your breath away. Potted fir trees, spaced just perfectly, line the square illuminated with white lights and taller pine trees sparkle with twinkling lights. Exclusive jewellery and high-end fashion stores line Place Vendôme and the Ritz Hotel stands quietly in its luxuriousness. Not right in the square, don’t miss the Christmas window display at Ladurée Paris (14 rue Castiglione).
The Christmas lights in Paris at Place Vendôme are sure to take your breath away.
Read More | While standing in Place Vendôme, why not stop by the Ritz Hotel and have a cocktail in the Hemingway Bar? The sumptuous hallways are elegantly lit with lights. While there, you may consider taking a cooking class at the Ritz. It is an amazing Paris experience.
Where To Find These Christmas Lights in Paris:
Dates: 2023 dates TBA
Location: 1st arrondissement
Métro: Opèra, Tuileries
Where To Stay In Paris At Christmas
Hotels in Paris at Christmas book up quickly. Book well in advance.
Affordable Hotels: 13 Affordable Hotels in Paris
Boutique Hotels: These fabulous Boutique hotels in the Marais.
Eiffel Tower Views: 21 Hotels with an Eiffel Tower view Oh là là!
Paris Hotels:
- Chouchou Hotel with an eclectic vibe
- Hôtel de Joséphine Bonaparte in the heart of the Marais
- Hôtel des Académies et des Arts in Saint-Germain des Prés (the left bank)
Prefer staying in an apartment? Here are some fabulous Paris Apartments:
- Portrait of Splendour literally filled with portraits, in the Marais
- Joyau de Marais
- The Panthéon Pageantry
3. Rue Saint-Honoré At Christmastime In Paris
The sparkling lights along rue Saint-Honoré are one of the highlights of the Christmas lights in Paris. These Paris Christmas decorations are simply enchanting with illuminated Christmas garlands and wreaths strung across the street dotted with golden lanterns. The twinkling hot air balloon in front of Eglise Notre-Dame de l’Assomption is a Paris Christmas lights highlight!
Stroll past the designer boutiques, which all have wonderful Christmas window displays, but be sure not to miss these magnificent Paris Christmas lights:
- Dior Paris, 261 rue Saint-Honoré
- Chanel Paris, 19 rue Cambon at the corner of rue Saint-Honoré
- The Hot Air Balloon (Mongolfier Vendôme) at 1 Pl Maurice Barrès
- Hermès, Paris with its intricate window displays at 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
- Cartier, 17 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
The Paris Christmas Lights Along rue Saint-Honoré:
Dates: Coming soon!
Location: rue Saint Honoré -1st arrondissment; rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré – 8th arrondissement
Métro: Concorde, Madeleine
Pro Travel Tip: rue Saint-Honoré becomes rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré at rue Royale. Hermès and Cartier are found at the intersection of rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and rue Boissy d’Anglas.
Popular Paris Christmas Experiences
Here are the 19 magical things to do in Paris at Christmas
Paris Christmas Lights: Christmas Lights in Paris Walking Tour
Seine Cruise: Christmas Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Seine River
Christmas Eve: Celebrate Christmas Eve with a Cabaret Show
Gourmet Tour: Christmas Gourmet Tour of Saint-Germain des Prés
Cycle In Paris: 3-hour Christmas Tour in Paris on a Bike
Eiffel Tower: Eiffel Tower Summit Access – Skip the Line Ticket
4. Christmas Lights In Paris At Le Village Royal
At 25 rue Royale, you’ll find an elegant and chic shopping village. At Christmas time, its twinkling teddy bear and sparkling lights bring out the Christmas spirit! Take a stroll through the passageway and enjoy these Christmas lights in Paris.
These Christmas Lights in Paris:
Dates: Coming soon!
Location: 8th arrondissement; The passageway runs between rue Royale and rue Boissy d’Anglas
Métro: Madeleine
5. Best Christmas Lights Paris: Avenue Montaigne
Read More | A visit to Paris in January (at the beginning of the month) will allow you to catch the end of the Christmas lights. Paris is always a good idea, even in the winter.
Avenue Montaigne, the Champs-Elysées, and Avenue George V make up the prestigious Golden Triangle in the 8th arrondissement. Avenue Montaigne, known for its Haute Couture is a hotbed of boutiques including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Armani. And Christian Dior? He set up his first atelier here which you can now visit in the remarkable Galerie Dior.
The Christmas lights in Paris don’t get any more elegant than on Avenue Montaigne Stroll along Avenue Montaigne past the illuminated trees, fabulous Christmas window displays, and luxury hotels beautifully lit for the Christmas season in Paris. Did you know that the Hotel Plaza Athenée has a skating rink in the winter?
One of the best things about these Paris Christmas lights is spotting the Eiffel Tower. As you stroll down the avenue, the Eiffel Tower makes an appearance. A glimpse here, a glimpse there. She sparkles. It makes for a magical Christmas scene. Make your way all the way to the Pont de l’Alma and watch the Eiffel Tower glittering over the Seine.
These Christmas Lights in Paris:
Dates: Coming soon!
Location: from the Champs-Elysées to Place de l’Alma; 8th arrondissement
Métro: Franklin D. Roosevelt; Alma-Marceau
Essential Reading
25 Essential Paris Travel Tips will prepare you for Paris! Here are 39 best Paris experiences and also some terrific hidden gems. Only have one day in Paris? Follow this itinerary!
If you really want to explore secret Paris? There are over 60 secret spots in my eBook, Paris for the Curious Stroller.
6. Paris Christmas Lights: Le Jardin des Plantes
The Jardin des Plantes has the most unique Christmas lights in Paris. Dedicated to nature, this enormous botanical garden in the 5th arrondissement of Paris presents an evening lights festival with enormous statues of animals. In 2023, the theme is The Jungle! All along the pathways of the Jardin des Plantes, enormous versions of jungle animals and vegetation will be popping out from behind the trees.
It’s truly a magical and very educational experience to wander through this display of Paris Christmas lights. These Christmas Lights in Paris:
Dates: Open every evening from November 22, 2023, to January 21, 2024.
Cost: 15€ to 17€
Location: 5th arrondissement
Métro: Gare d’Austerlitz, Jussieu, Place Monge, Censier-Daubenton
Read More | How about visiting the most famous Christmas Market in Strasbourg? It’s been going strong since 1570 and is the perfect day trip from Paris.
7. Christmas Lights In Paris At The Village de Bercy
In the 19th century, the current Village of Bercy was a wine warehouse district. For over one hundred years, the world’s biggest wine market was held here. Fast forward to 2001 and the Village of Bercy transformed into an open-air, pedestrian-only shopping mall. The 42 storehouses, which are listed as Historical Monuments, are filled with boutiques and bistros. A definite place to visit when seeing the Christmas lights of Paris! Each year Bercy Village has a unique twist on their Christmas lights display.
Go for a stroll in the Village of Bercy for some festive cheer amongst twinkling Paris Christmas lights.
These Christmas Lights in Paris:
Dates: Coming soon!
Location: 12th arrondissement
Métro: Cour Saint-Emilion
Read More | The Village de Bercy is in the 12th arrondissement of Paris.
Pro Travel Tip: Don’t miss the Christmas Festival at the Musée des Art Forains.
8. Best Christmas Light Paris: The Tuileries Gardens
The largest Paris Christmas market is held at the Tuileries Gardens. The giant Ferris wheel is a huge attraction of this lively Christmas market. Are you taking a ride on the Ferris wheel to witness spectacular views over the sparkling Christmas lights in Paris? How about timing your ride for the top of the hour when the Eiffel Tower glitters?
9. Paris Christmas Lights: Parc de Saint-Cloud
If you want to go just a little further afield, the Parc de Saint-Cloud is presenting its Lumiéres en Seine. This light show, only in its second year, promises to be a magical 2 km walk through the forest and gardens with trees and sculptures, laser projections (did someone mention Dancing Swans and Fields of Fairies?) and music.
Dates: Coming Soon!
Cost: A single adult entry ticket ranges from 20€ to 22€.
Location: Domaine national de Saint-Cloud
Métro: Boulogne-Pont de St.-Cloud, exit avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny and cross the Bridge of St-Cloud
10. Christmas Lights In Paris: The Department Stores
The department stores in Paris jump into the “Christmas lights in Paris spirit” in the most creative of ways. Each year! It is exciting to see the window displays revealed and to wander through the interior of the stores with their unique Paris Christmas light displays twinkling! Don’t miss these Christmas lights in Paris!
Galeries Lafayette
40 Blvd Haussman, Paris 9
Just step into the centre of the marvellous department store, Galeries Lafayette, at Christmastime in Paris and be amazed. Already the Art Deco dome is a stunner but with the enormous Christmas tree that soars skyward, Paris Christmas lights don’t get any better! Look at the magnificent Christmas tree from the ground floor and then find the vantage points from the various floors. Don’t miss the Glasswalk, the 9-metre-long walkway that is suspended 16 metres high in the air! Go early to get a place in line.
Dates: 2023 November 15 (to be confirmed)
Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche
24 rue des Sèvres, Paris 7
The first every year to reveal their spectacular window displays, this year in 2023 Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche will be jumping into the Christmas Spirit in October!
Dates: from November 8, 2023
BHV Marais
52 rue de Rivoli, Paris 4
The theme for 2023 is “Le Noël en Forêt” (Christmas in the forest).
Dates: November 8, 2023
La Samaritaine
19 rue de la Monnaie, Paris 1
Dates: 2023 November 8
Printemps Haussmann
64 Blvd Haussman, Paris 9
Dates: 2023 November 8
11. Neighbourhood Streets At Christmastime In Paris
Christmas lights in Paris glow at every turn. Your favourite lights may be the ones on the street where you are staying. When I lived on rue du Bac during one of the confinements with a curfew, I would lean out my window at night and marvel at the Paris Christmas lights strung across the narrow street. Which Paris Christmas lights are your favourite?
Keep your eyes open for illuminated streets and squares to soak up the best Christmas lights in Paris:
- Blvd Saint Germain: Don’t miss the lights and adorable Food Truck selling hot chocolate in front of the Ralph Lauren Store. Right by the church is a Christmas market and plenty of lights!
- rue des Canettes close to Saint-Sulpice in Saint-Germain des Prés has a unique display
- Paris’s best market streets such as rue Montorgueil, rue Cler, rue Mouffetard, and rue des Martyrs
- Place Dauphine glows in pure elegance
FAQ Christmas Lights Paris 2023
When do Christmas lights go up in Paris?
Paris Christmas lights are lit up starting in mid-November each year. Don’t miss the glittering lights on the Champs Elysées, at Place Vendôme, and the Tuileries Gardens. Paris is enchanting when the Christmas lights are on!
When does Paris decorate for Christmas?
The first Paris Christmas decorations revealed are at the Bon Marché Rive Gauche department store at the end of October. Other window displays start appearing in early November.
I hope you enjoy these best Christmas lights in Paris 2023!
Until next time,
More Paris Travel Info…
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Other Wintery Seasonal Articles:
- Best Paris Christmas Markets
- French Christmas Traditions to Enjoy
- Paris in the Snow
- Paris in the Winter
- Galette des Rois
- How to Make the Perfect Cheese Board for the Holidays
Other Paris Seasons:
- Paris in the Spring: How to Enjoy the Best Season
- Where To Find the Best Spring Flowers
- Paris in the Summer
- Paris in the Fall
