Paris vs German Christmas market

[railwayworker]

Hi,

Sorry to add to the no doubt numerous threads on Christmas markets - I have read some old threads, I promise!

Looking at either a trip to Cologne or Paris in December. Would love a wander around a traditional Christmas market but have done Bath, Manchester and Birmingham and if Cologne is similar then I'm wondering if Paris has a better mix of Christmas market stalls but also 'normal' shops etc. I enjoyed Bath, found Birmingham too busy to see anything and went very early in the day to Manchester but suspect it may have been a repeat of Birmingham.

Anyone have any views? I speak OK French but no German which might be skewing my thoughts!

Or do I go off piste and do Copenhagen?

I've been to the Christmas markets in Cologne many years ago but I loved it. There was a good mix of stalls set out in different locations, one which is right by the cathedral. There is also your high street shops for other shopping. Two things that stick in my mind about Cologne was that it was very very cold (I'm from Scotland and this was a whole new level of cold) and I didn't find cologne a particularly pretty place (unlike Paris). I'm not sure what Paris has to offer in terms of Christmas markets, I always thought Lille was the place to go??

I am from Germany so I am a bit biased.

I can recommend Hamburg, there is a large market at the city hall and several smaller one all over the city center. You can take a train to a city called Lübeck, which is a really lovely old town.

Hamburg can be flown to with Easyjet from Gatwick if you are in the South East and there is a direct tube into Hamburg city center.

Or go south, Nuerberg but that can be extremely busy.

German Christmas markets are wonderful! We go every year

Berlin is wonderful with lots of different markets to visit. Some foodie, crafty etc. Some have rides and animals etc.
Have also been to and enjoyed Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Heidelberg. Haven't done Cologne markets but it's a beautiful city which I can only imagine being improved by Christmas!
I was hoping to try Hamburg or Munich this year but we will have a newborn and toddler so will be skipping a year.

I also lived in Birmingham so have been to that market a lot. It's lovely and quite authentic but way to busy to really enjoy it. Might try Bath this year as our consolation trip if you would recommend it.

I wouldn't go to Paris for the Christmas markets but there are sooooo many other things to do there! Lille Christmas market is brilliant - took kids there years ago and it was fab. Also Bruges is good. DH has lived in Germany and always going on about German markets being better especially Frankfurt. But I can't imagine any if them being a disappointment

May I commend Brussels Christmas market to you? Easy to get to too