I have a few free hours in Paris this week - please help advise me on make the most of them

[parisindecember]

I have a work event just outside of Paris this week which will end at 3pm. I'm not travelling back until the morning after, so I have the afternoon and evening to venture into Paris and try and make the most of the Christmassy atmosphere.

I've only been to Paris once before, and I didn't prepare well for it and felt like I missed out on a lot of it as, again, I only had a few hours there. I saw the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe and that was about it.

My priority is to look at beautiful architecture, see the Christmassy sites/go to a Christmas market, try French onion soup and have a thick 'proper' hot chocolate (was thinking Angelina's for this?), and see the Eiffel Tower sparkle again. I'm not a big foodie so not really looking for a sit down meal, just want to see as much as possible.

Does anyone have any recommendations for any of the above, or can share your advice or experience with Paris? I would really appreciate it!

We were in Paris in August. If you only have a few hours I would recommend only doing one thing rather than trying to fit in a number. You could go to the Louvre and sit in the cafe (you don’t have to actually go in to do that) but could sit on the terrace overlooking the pyramid. You could do the Eiffel Tower or Sacre Coeur - all involving also sitting in cafes!

Omg please go the graveyard💕 xxx

en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71470/Cimetiere-du-Pere-Lachaise

There's a night bus tour which will show you the lights and the architecture. Definitely Angelina's for chocolate, go to one of the petit Angelina's ( I like the one outside the Jardin de Luxembourg.)

The two things that I remember more than anything else from my trip was seeing the Venus de Milo in the Louvre (a long queue to get in though) and a boat trip down the Seine. But I did go in the summer, so no Christmassy things to do.

My favourite thing there is to go for a walk through the Tuileries or wander the streets of the Marais/Ile de la Cité. Or Canal St-Martin.

The OP is visiting late afternoon/evening. Pere Lachaise closes at 5.30pm.

OP: where you will arrive into central Paris? I'd check what options you have for stations and then base an itinerary on that.

I've been in Paris in December and it was lovely just wandering around (as it is at any time of year) but with Christmas lights and Christmas shop windows.

Personally I prefer north of the river (I've never understood the appeal of the Left Bank). The Marais area is lovely with narrower streets and lovely shops, eg Place des Vosges and rue des Francs Bourgeois. From there you could keep heading west toward the Louvre/Place de la Concorde/Champs-Elysees/Arc de Triomphe. But explore the side streets along the way (rue de Rivoli is pretty heavy traffic nearer the Louvre and not a relaxing walking experience). Rue St Honore (at its western end) has high-end designer clothes shops (Chanel etc) which at this time of year will be good for shop windows.

The Eiffel Tower goes into sparkle mode on the hour (after dark) for a few minutes. So try to be at a spot where you can see it at 7/8/9pm.

I agree the Pere Lachaise cemetery is not really an option given the time of day. Would suggest the Musee D'Orsay or the Louvre.

This was amazing! Hardly any queues and so much cheaper than the Eiffel Tower with better views imo.

www.tourmontparnasse56.com/en/

I think I would do one magical thing/one wonderful area rather than trying to fit in the Eiffel Tower and markets and soup and all the things.

For me it would be starting at Shakespeare & Co for a browse then walking across the river and Île de la Cité (disclaimer: dunno if you can do this since the fire?), make a wish at Point Zero, then walk up to the Marais – hot chocolate on the way – and finish with falafel and a beer at L’As Du Falafel. Then as much wandering the Marais and tiny shops etc as you can fit in depending on the weather.

I'm on the way back from Paris and spent the afternoon/evening there yesterday.

We got the metro to Galleries La Fayette, and sat in the top cafe with city views. Lovely spot of shopping (however was incredibly busy!!). The streets were lined with people and live music with great atmosphere.

We walked down to the Christmas markets on the Tuileries, which again were great, but busy.

Then walked along the river to the Concorde and the Eiffel Tower. Quick about turn to the Trocadero.

Lots of lovely cafes and refreshment spots along the way. If we had more time a river cruise would've been nice.

I love the area around Notre dame, ile de re / left bank and momatre

I much prefer Musée d’Orsay to The Louvre. It’s open until 6pm and 9.45pm on Thursdays. An evening boat trip would be nice too and I would also recommend Le Marais for shopping and a wonder.

Thank you all! Just reading through your replies now and trying to plan! I think I will give the Christmas markets a miss, I've had a look online and they seem very much like Winter Wonderland in London rather than the quaint little market I had imagined up lol

I did a night cruise down the Seine last time which was magical, so would totally be up for doing that again.

I'm not really into art museums, I know that sounds awful but it's just not my area of interest.

I didn't explore left bank at all when I was there last time, aside from a bus tour! So I think I'll aim to head towards the Notre Dame and just wander around

Shaekspeare and Co is right near Notre Dame and has a café next to it now where you could probably get your hot chocolate. Its very cold at the moment - dress warm!

Go to the Samaritaine, a beautiful department store beside Pont Neuf.

English website here

https://www.dfs.com/en/samaritaine/mobile

When I lived in Paris in the 90s they had a small free roof viewing area up the very top from which you could see across all the roofs of Paris, all the main sights, and it was so much lower than the Eiffel Tower so you felt much more "in" the city, if you see what I mean. Was at the top of the "Magasin 2" building if I remember rightly. Can't work out from the website if it is still there but the decorations in store will be lovely anyway. Open till 8pm.

That would’ve been my suggestion too, if you want Christmassy atmosphere.

But OP, your plan to wander around Norte Dame and towards Place de la Concorde would be nice. The Champs Elysee were always beautiful and festive at Xmas too.

Place Vendôme will be beautifully-decorated right now too.

I also always loved the view from the terrace of the Sacré Coeur. Montmartre is a bit tacky but the church itself is stunning.

To look at from the outside I mean. Sure it's great inside if you like that sort of thing but I just meant the way it dominates the hill and is so pretty and curved and white. No need to go inside to appreciate it, in my view.

OP eve if you don't like art galleries the Pompidou Centre is still fun, you can go up the escalators to the top and get a view from there too.

Thanks for the link to La Samaritaine @TerraNostra, I hadn't realised it had reopened. When where you last there? It closed in 2005 and reopened in 2021 after redevelopment. I've never been inside - only came across it after it had closed.

I lived in Paris and my favourite area for a wander was the marais- place des Vosges- ile de la cite - ile saint louis.

Absolutely gorgeous.

Agreed with this and Le Marais area, grab a falafel there (Lenny Kravitz are in one of the falafel places.

The opera house is stunning (the ceiling) and Victor Hugo house. I’d go to the Pompidou Centre too only because I love it. Galeries Lafayette if you get time too.

www.ontheluce.com/paris-at-christmas-time/

Interesting, I was quite pleased to see it still open, had no idea it had been shut so long. Haven't been since well before 2005. The rooftop view bit might well not have survived the redevelopment though.

Blatant placemark as I have 4 days in Paris to fill.

Can anyone recommend some good restaurants (mid-price,if such a thing exists in Paris)?