What To Do On Christmas Day In Paris 2026
Christmas at Hôtel de Ville, with Notre-Dame in the distance - Ville de Paris
Christmas Day in Paris begins with church bells, holiday displays, and long Christmas lunches. The Eiffel Tower is open, boats cross the Seine beneath the city's decorated bridges, and concerts are performed at Sainte-Chapelle and other historic churches. After dark, the Champs-Élysées, Place Vendôme, and the grand department stores are illuminated for the season.
A Seine lunch or dinner cruise is our first choice for December 25, followed by the Eiffel Tower, a Christmas concert, or an evening at the Moulin Rouge. A handful of museums are open, while hotels and restaurants across the city serve special Christmas menus. Here are the Christmas Day activities we recommend booking in advance.
Christmas Day on the Seine
Dinner cruise on the Seine beneath Notre-Dame
A Christmas dinner on the Seine is our first choice for December 25. The boats leave from the river quays for a long meal through the center of Paris, with Notre-Dame, the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower along the route. Christmas lunch cruises make the same journey in daylight, with special menus prepared for the holiday.
Christmas Dinner on the Seine
By 8:30 on Christmas night, Bateaux Mouches is cruising along the Seine with dinner underway and a pianist and violinist playing on board. Notre-Dame, the Louvre, Pont Alexandre III, and the Eiffel Tower come into view along the route. Choose the Excellence menu for champagne and priority seating near the windows, then head to the open upper deck when the Eiffel Tower comes into view.
Christmas Lunch Aboard Bateaux Mouches
Christmas lunch departs from Pont de l'Alma on the Seine, with an aperitif poured as the boat sails toward Île de la Cité. The Christmas menu includes an appetizer, main course, cheese, and dessert, accompanied by French wine and live music. Between courses the upper deck opens onto views of the river, the bridges, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower.
Christmas Lunch Aboard Le Diamant Bleu
Le Diamant Bleu leaves from Quai d'Austerlitz at 12:30 pm on Christmas Day for a two-hour sail through central Paris. The kitchen prepares the holiday lunch on board: foie gras to start, capon stuffed with Armagnac, and a Christmas dessert, accompanied by a cocktail and wine. The route follows the Seine past Notre-Dame, the Louvre, Grand Palais, and the Eiffel Tower.
Spend Christmas Day in Paris
A Paris pâtisserie decorated for Christmas
Christmas Day leaves plenty of time for Paris before dinner. Make croissants with a French chef, spend the afternoon walking through Montmartre and central Paris, or visit the Eiffel Tower. These activities are available on December 25, with morning and afternoon times that can be planned around Christmas lunch or an evening on the Seine.
Make Croissants with a French Chef
Butter, flour, yeast, and a French rolling pin take over the kitchen during this small-group class with a Paris chef. Prepare the laminated dough, shape the croissants, and bake them in the oven before sitting down to taste the finished batch. It's a hands-on way to spend part of Christmas Day indoors.
Walk Through Paris on Christmas Day
This half-day walk starts in Montmartre before continuing through central Paris and past the city's familiar monuments. Sacré-Coeur, the Moulin Rouge, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, and the Eiffel Tower are part of the route, putting several neighborhoods and landmarks into one Christmas Day outing.
Visit the Eiffel Tower on Christmas Day
The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day. Visit during the afternoon for views across the city, or book an evening visit when the tower and the monuments along the Seine are illuminated. December 25 is a busy day at the tower, so reserve your guided visit well in advance.
Christmas Day Concerts in Paris
Christmas Day music is performed in historic churches and at the Paris opera houses, with classical concerts, ballet, and opera scheduled for December 25. This year's program already includes performances at Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille, with additional Christmas concerts to be announced closer to the season. These seasonal concerts sell out quickly so check the current schedule for performances and times.
Christmas Evening at a Paris Cabaret
Feathered costumes fill the stage during the Christmas cabaret at the Moulin Rouge
Christmas Dinner & Show at Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge serves a special Christmas dinner before the Féerie revue, with a French holiday menu and a half-bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne per person. After dinner, the cabaret takes over with the French cancan, elaborate costumes, large-scale sets, and a full cast beneath the red windmill.
VIP Dinner & Show at Paradis Latin
Dinner at Paradis Latin begins with a three-course menu by Guy Savoy, followed by dessert from Pierre Hermé and half a bottle of Bollinger champagne per person. VIP seating is in the Golden Square for L'Oiseau Paradis, with dancers, singers, and acrobats performing inside the historic cabaret on Rue du Cardinal Lemoine.
Christmas Evening at Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse keeps the focus on the stage, with the 90-minute Totally Crazy revue built around choreography, lighting, projections, and the cabaret's dancers. Choose the champagne option for the performance, then make separate dinner plans before heading to Avenue George V.
Museums & Monuments Open on Christmas Day
The Salon de Musique at Musée Jacquemart-André - Musée Jacquemart-André
A small number of Paris museums open their doors on December 25, including Musée Jacquemart-André and the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme. Notre-Dame and Sacré-Coeur also mark Christmas Day with Masses and other services. Check opening and service times again before December 25.
Musée Jacquemart-André
Musée Jacquemart-André is open every day of the year, including Christmas Day. The former home of Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart contains Italian Renaissance paintings, works by Rembrandt and Van Dyck, period rooms, and the couple's private apartments on Boulevard Haussmann. Read our guide to Musée Jacquemart-André →
Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme
The mahJ occupies the 17th-century Hôtel de Saint-Aignan in the Marais. Its collections trace Jewish history, art, and culture from medieval Europe through the 20th century, with paintings, manuscripts, religious objects, photographs, and an important collection devoted to the Dreyfus Affair.
Notre-Dame on Christmas Day
Christmas Day returns to the restored interior of Notre-Dame, with Masses and Vespers celebrated beneath the cathedral's newly cleaned stone vaults. The Christmas schedule is published separately each year; no reservation is required for services, although access is limited by the number of places inside. Read our guide to Notre-Dame →
Sacré-Coeur on Christmas Day
Sacré-Coeur has already published its Christmas Day schedule for 2026. Masses are celebrated at 7 AM, 11 AM, 6 PM, and 10 PM, with Christmas Vespers at 4 PM and carols at the basilica's Nativity scene at 5:15 PM.
Christmas Lunch & Dinner in Paris
The dining room at Maxim’s – Maxim’s Paris
Christmas Day lunch and dinner call for reservations well in advance. Start with the restaurants at the city's leading hotels, where Christmas menus range from a long holiday lunch to multi-course dinners with champagne and French wine. The Ritz Paris, Le Bristol, Four Seasons Hotel George V, and Le Meurice are among the hotels we check each year for their December 25 menus.
Hotel restaurants are the most reliable place to start, particularly for a traditional Christmas lunch or a formal dinner later in the day. Holiday menus are generally fixed, with specific seating times, and reservations for December 25 should be made well in advance.
Continue Planning Your Christmas in Paris
Celebrate Christmas in Paris →
Christmas Markets in Paris →
Things to Do in Paris in December →
Christmas Day in Paris →
New Year's Eve in Paris →
Things to Do in January 2027 →
FAQs About Christmas Day in Paris
WHAT IS OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN PARIS?
The Eiffel Tower is open on December 25, along with a small number of museums, Notre-Dame, Sacré-Coeur, Seine cruises, cabarets, and restaurants serving Christmas Day menus. Many shops and major museums are closed.
IS THE EIFFEL TOWER OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY?
Yes. The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year, including December 25. Christmas Day is a busy date, so reserve your visit in advance.
IS THE LOUVRE OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY?
No. The Louvre is closed on December 25. Musée Jacquemart-André and the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaïsme are among the museums open on Christmas Day.
ARE RESTAURANTS OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN PARIS?
Yes, although the choice is limited. Restaurants at leading Paris hotels are a good place to start, with fixed Christmas lunch and dinner menus common on December 25. Reserve well in advance.
ARE THERE CONCERTS IN PARIS ON CHRISTMAS DAY?
Yes. Classical and sacred music concerts are performed in historic churches, and opera and ballet may also be scheduled on December 25. Christmas Day programs and performance times vary from year to year.
DO I NEED TO BOOK CHRISTMAS DAY ACTIVITIES IN ADVANCE?
Yes. Christmas lunch and dinner cruises, Eiffel Tower visits, concerts, cabarets, and restaurant reservations have limited availability on December 25. Book the activities that matter most as soon as your plans are set.
Find Your Paris Hotel: Choosing The Right Area
Wake up near the cafés of Saint-Germain, the streets of the Marais, or the village lanes of Montmartre. Find a Paris hotel in the neighborhood you want to call home.