Christmas Day Paris 2025 – Pure Holiday Magic

When you wake up in Paris on Christmas morning, the city feels suspended in a winter dream. Café windows glow against the chill, church bells echo across quiet streets, and even the Seine seems to move more slowly. It's a day when Paris feels both hushed and festive — calm yet filled with anticipation. From elegant holiday lunches to candlelit concerts, Christmas Day in Paris is made for savoring the season's beauty one delightful moment at a time.

In this guide we show you where to find the most memorable moments — from festive feasts to music, lights, and timeless traditions that make Christmas in Paris unforgettable.

Memorable Christmas Day Paris Events

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day on the River Seine

For a Christmas Day celebration that feels straight out of a dream, step aboard a glass-topped bateau and glide through the heart of Paris as the city sparkles around you. The menu is pure indulgence — champagne, fine wines, and a multi-course gourmet feast served as landmarks drift by in their holiday glow.

Choose a leisurely lunch, a twilight cruise, or the festive 9:15 PM sailing — each one offers its own kind of magic. It’s a Christmas experience made for memory-making, blending elegance, music, and the glow of the Seine at its most enchanting. These sailings will sell out, so book right now… This cruise is also available on New Year's Eve!

At A Glance

⭐ Rating: 4.4/5
📆 Availability: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve
🍽️ Options: Lunch cruise, early evening dinner cruise, late evening dinner cruise
🍷 Wine & Champagne: Of course!
👍 We Recommend: Christmas Day lunch Cruise, New Years Eve 9:15 cruise
✅ How to Book: Holiday Dinner Cruises in Paris...

A Christmas Day Dinner Cruise in Paris

Set sail from the heart of Paris on Christmas Day and drift past illuminated bridges as you enjoy a classic 4-course French dinner on the water with live music. This evening cruise offers sweeping views of iconic sights like the Eiffel Tower, an à la carte gourmet menu, and an atmosphere made for celebration. Be sure to secure your table early — spontaneous bookings rarely work out on this one.

At A Glance

⭐ Rating: 4.5/5
📆 Availability: Most days in December, including Christmas Day at 8pm
🍷 Wine or Champagne: Bien sur !
👍 We Recommend: Excellence Menu with Champagne
✅ How to Book: 4-Course Christmas Dinner Cruise...

Swan Lake Ballet at Théâtre des Champs-Élysées

Swan Lake remains one of ballet's most timeless love stories — a tale of devotion and destiny set to Tchaikovsky's magnificent score. At the elegant Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, this Paris performance surrounds you with sweeping music, luminous staging, and the grace of dancers who make each movement shimmer with emotion.

It's an evening of pure classicism, where romance and tragedy unfold beneath the gilded Art Deco ceiling of one of Paris's most beautiful theaters. Few experiences capture the magic of Paris at night quite like Swan Lake. Available on December 24 and 26, but not Christmas Day.

Classical Music for the Season

Candlelight performances in historic churches, a ballet performed at Notre-Dame Cathedral, The Four Seasons at La Madeleine, and special concerts at Salon Gustave Eiffel on the Tower itself. These are just some of the December 25, 2025 classical music options in Paris. But you must book now before tickets are gone.

Selected Holiday Performances in Paris

• 🎻 VIVALDI'S FOUR SEASONS ON THE SEINE →
• 🎻 CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT ÉGLISE DE LA MADELEINE →
• 🎻 CHRISTMAS CONCERTS AT LA SAINTE CHAPELLE →

Spend Christmas night in Paris where the lights shine brightest — at the legendary Moulin Rouge. Beneath the red windmill, the evening begins with champagne and a festive dinner prepared by top Parisian chefs, followed by the iconic Féerie cabaret show. Dazzling costumes, glittering sets, and a full orchestra create a celebration as only Paris can deliver.

It's an unforgettable way to toast the holiday — sparkling, spirited, and unmistakably Paris. Transportation is also included.

At A Glance

⭐ Rating: 4.7/5
⏰ Duration: 6:45 pm start, 4.5h duration
🍽️ Dining: 3-course "Belle Epoque" menu
📆 Availability: Every day in December, except New Year's Eve
🥂 Champagne: It's the Moulin Rouge!
❗️ Entertainment: Féerie, the Moulin Rouge cabaret
✅ How to Book: Moulin RougeDinner + Show...

Christmas on the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is the one Paris attraction that is open every day of year, including Christmas Day. Instead of standing in a long line outside in the Paris winter, book this guided tour. It's how we do it.

More Christmas in Paris Events & Activities

Christmas Season VIP Dinner Cruises

Step aboard one of the luxurious dinner boats and immerse yourself in the winter beauty of Paris while you enjoy a memorable holiday dinner, prepared on board by a team of French chefs. Sip champagne and enjoy live music as you take in the best views of Paris. Choose the Service Premier option for the best seating, the best menu, and the ultimate experience aboard this comfortable, glass-walled boat.

`

The Marriage of Figaro at Palais Garnier

Experience one of opera's greatest treasures at The Marriage of Figaro — Mozart's luminous 1786 masterpiece — performed at the illustrious Palais Garnier. With its richly woven score, gleaming ensembles, and a plot of love, trickery, and social upheaval, this production captures both wit and heart.

Don’t miss your chance to savor every aria and ensemble in one of Paris’s most timeless settings for the operatic arts. December 9, 16, 19, 22, and 27 only.

Museums Open on Christmas Day

Musée Jacquemart-André

It will come as no surprise that there are not many Paris museums open on Christmas Day,, but we've managed to find a few that will be open and are worth investigating. Of course, the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay and the Pompidou will be shuttered that day. Here are a few museums that have been open on Christmas Days past. But, be sure to check on the museum website before you just show up on December 25!

Musée Jacquemart-André

Set in a magnificent 19th-century mansion, Musée Jacquemart-André on Boulevard Haussmann in the 8th is open every day, including Christmas Day and New Years Day.

• 58 Boulevard Haussmann 75008
• Guide to the museum…
• Museum website…

Musée d'Art et d'Histoire du Judaism

The Jewish history museum, (MAHJ) is open every day except Mondays. On national holidays the hours are 11 AM to 7 PM, although the museum is closed on January 1.

• 71 Rue du Temple 75003
• Museum website…

Institut du Monde Arabe

The museum of everything Arab is also open on Christmas Day and only closed on Mondays. Built on the banks of the Seine in 1987, the stunning building designed by Jean Nouvel is a landmark worth visiting. On the 9th floor, the rooftop terrace has remarkable views of the monuments of Paris, including Notre-Dame.

• 1 Rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard, Place Mohammed-V 75005
• Museum website…

Christmas Decorations in Paris

Each Christmas season hundreds of trees on iconic Avenue des Champs-Elysées are decorated. From Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe these arbres de noël are aglow with a bevy of colorful, energy-efficient lights. It's a delight to walk along the avenue at dusk during the holiday week

Christmas lights in other areas also set Paris twinkling. Extra-special care is put into decorating the lavish windows and the streets around the department stores and other shopping districts. A few favorites streets and stores are —

• Galeries Lafayette, Boulevard Haussmann
• Printemps, Boulevard Haussmann
• Le Bon Marché, 7th Arrondissement
• BHV, in the Marais
• Faubourg Sainte-Honoré, 8th Arrondissement
• Forum des Halles, 2nd Arrondissement
• Place Vendôme, 1st Arrondissement

Christmas Day Restaurants

December 25 and January 1. The restaurants that are open offer a special dinner menu on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Eve. It takes a bit of research to find one that fits your budget. The sky is the limit. For instance at Le Cinq, the restaurant at the Four Seasons George V Hotel, the Christmas holiday menu started at over 600€ per person the last time we checked. A more restrained menu is offered by the one-star Le Violon d'Ingres in the 7th Arrondissement

If you are planning to have dinner on Christmas Day in Paris — and we think it's a great idea, it's a wonderful experience — you must book well in advance. As December nears, restaurants will post their special holiday menus and hours online. It's necessary that you make a reservation, and as soon as you can.

We suggest you start with restaurants located at the top hotels in Paris — most of these are pretty darn good, with quite a few Michelin stars sprinkled among them. If they don't have their holiday menu and hours posted, just send them a message.

Le Violon d'Ingres in the 7th Arrondissement

There are other, more casual brasseries that are open 365 days and cater to a tourist crowd. Many, if not most, of them are past their glory days as far as food goes, but they can still be a fun experience. We're thinking of the brasseries that are part of the Flo Group, like Bofinger, La Coupole, Julien, Le Vaudeville, Terminus Nord, Brasserie Balzar, Le Boeuf sur le Toit. They're likely to be open Christmas day.

Don't Forget Our Guide to Christmas in Paris

One more reminder — for the latest updates of what's on in Paris during the holiday season, be sure to read our complete guide. We'll keep it updated as things change.

FAQs – Christmas Day in Paris

WHAT IS OPEN ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN PARIS?
The Eiffel Tower is open 365 days a year including Christmas Day. Some museums like Musée Jacquemart-André and Institut du Monde Arabe are also open. Seine River dinner cruises operate on Christmas Day, and select restaurants offer special Christmas menus with advance reservations.

WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS TO DO ON CHRISTMAS DAY IN PARIS?
The best things to do on Christmas Day in Paris include taking a VIP Seine River dinner cruise, visiting the Eiffel Tower with skip-the-line tickets, seeing the festive lights on the Champs-Élysées, dining at a special Christmas restaurant, attending classical concerts or ballet performances, and exploring the few open museums.

DO I NEED RESERVATIONS FOR CHRISTMAS DAY ACTIVITIES IN PARIS?
Reservations are essential for some activities on Christmas Day in Paris. Seine River dinner cruises, restaurant dining, and special events sell out quickly. Book well in advance, ideally in October or November, to secure your preferred activities and dining times for December 25.