36 Dazzling Ways To Begin The New Year In Paris – January 2025

January in Paris may bring cold weather and crisp winter air, but it’s also a month filled with experiences that invite you to see the city in a different light.

Early January offers a unique opportunity to experience the magic of Christmas with fewer crowds. It’s the time when Paris reveals its quieter side, making it perfect for everything from cozy dinners on the Seine to insightful tours of iconic sites.

Join us as we explore ways to dive into Paris’s timeless charm, even on the chilliest of days.

Esprit de Paris – The Top Experiences

Things to Do in Paris January 2025

An Elegant Evening on the Seine

Cruising the Seine on a boat from Bateaux Parisiens, Paris unfolds before you in all its winter splendor. Glide past the city's most beloved landmarks aboard a glass-walled bateau as you enjoy a gourmet French meal. For the ultimate experience, we recommend the Premier Service for the best views, the finest dishes, and an atmosphere that truly captures the romance of Paris.

A Night with Maxim's of Paris on the Seine

This evening cruise pairs Maxim's of Paris with the sparkling lights of the Seine, offering a meal steeped in the tradition of Parisian elegance. With dishes inspired by the Belle Époque bistro and reserved window seats for the best city views, it's a blend of Parisian nostalgia and unforgettable scenery—a superb choice for an intimate evening

Step into Marie Antoinette's Versailles

Experience the grandeur of Versailles without the long waits, on a tour guided by an expert versed in the palace's storied history. This activity includes the Hall of Mirrors, the famed gardens, and, if you wish, Marie Antoinette's hamlet. It's an intimate way to connect with the legacy of the French royals, far removed from the crowds. Bonus: also visit Marie-Antoinette's hamlet and farm by choosing the option with access to her estate.

Masterpieces of the Louvre Tour

The Louvre is the world's most popular museum, which unfortunately means it is also the busiest. Avoid waiting in lone lines by zipping ahead of crowds on this fascinating walking tour with fast access tickets. Your expert guide will personally take you right to the highlights — Venus, Mona, Nike, and other influential pieces.

Eiffel Tower Priority-Access Tours

Our top tip to avoid the long lines at the Eiffel Tower is to sign up for a skip-the-line-tour. Meet your guide at the base of the tower and follow her past the long lineups. You get priority access while your guide fills you in on history and fun facts. Since availability at the Tower is limited, you should book your tour as early as you can.

Bateaux Mouches Dinner Cruise + Live Music

Indulge your inner romantic on a magical evening cruise along the Seine, viewing the City of Light at its most magical. You dine on a decadent 4-course classic French dinner, accompanied by live music on-board, as you float past illuminated landmarks like the Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Eiffel Tower.

Classical Concerts in Paris's Historic Venues

Imagine listening to Mozart or Vivaldi in a historic Parisian church — an experience that lingers long after the music fades. Choose from performances at iconic venues like La Sainte-Chapelle or the stunning Palais Garnier. With an ambiance as enchanting as the music, a classical concert here is a special way to experience Paris.

A Taste of St-Germain-des-Prés

Explore the heart of the Left Bank of Paris on this expert-led tour, where champagne, classic French food, and cultural insight come together. Taste carefully selected champagnes, paired with artisan cheeses and delectable pastries, as you wander from shop to shop in this storied neighborhood. A perfect way to savor French flavors in a truly Parisian setting.

Dinner + Cabaret at the Moulin Rouge

One of the most iconic evening experiences in Paris is dinner and the cabaret show at Moulin Rouge. Take your seat to dine on the classic Belle Époque Menu (our recommendation), complete with champagne. Afterwards you can marvel at the cabaret that features 100 performers and flamboyant costumes of feathers, rhinestones, and sequins. Truly a night to remember.

Musée d'Orsay Impressionism Tour

Skip the lines at Musée d'Orsay to marvel at stunning Impressionist works by the likes of Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, and Renoir on this tour led by an Impressionism expert guide. D'Orsay holds the world's most important collection of Impressionist art. Since the lines are always long, the best way to get to see the art is on a skip-the-line tour. Once the tour finishes, you're free to spend as much time as you want perusing the masterpieces.

The Heart of Paris – Île de la Cité

Journey through the ancient heart of Paris on a guided tour of the Île de la Cité, including visits to La Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame. Your guide will share the history behind these architectural treasures, offering you a glimpse into the city's remarkable past as you walk through one of Paris's most historically rich areas.

Arrange Your Airport Transfer

One of our most appreciated pieces of advice is to arrange your transportation from the airport into Paris before you leave home. It's comforting to be prepared when you arrive. Its easy and affordable way to book a luxurious shuttle service right to your hotel.

The Best Latin Quarter Hotels

The historic and charming Latin Quarter is one of the best places to stay in Paris. Luckily, it's also home to some of our favourite hotels in the city. Here, you are in the center of things, with easy access to Saint-Germain, the Marais, the Seine, the Paris Islands and Notre Dame Cathedral. Let's take a look at the new 2025 list of the best hotels in the Latin Quarter, with current prices.

The Wonders of Versailles

Things to Do in Paris January 2025

Best of Versailles with Priority Access + Gardens

With priority access and a guided tour, this visit to Versailles brings you into the splendor of the French royal court. Explore the palace, the meticulously designed gardens, and savor the rare chance to wander the grounds at a relaxed pace, away from the usual crowds — a royal experience in every sen

Half-Day, Priority-Access Tour of Versailles

If you want to spend only half a day at Versailles, this tour is a great way to visit the royal estate and skip the lines. Led by an expert guide this activity includes transportation right from your hotel. It's available in the morning and in the afternoon.

Go Deeper Into France On Day Trips

Things to Do in Paris January 2025

Spend a Day in the Champagne Region

Your car winds through the celebrated vineyards and villages where champagne has been made for centuries. On this small-group tour, your driver will take you along the picturesque Route de Champagne with plenty of tours and tasting at top producers. Sample all you want — someone else does the driving. It's a delicious, bubbly adventure you'll not soon forget!

The D-Day Landing Beaches

The landing beaches of Normandy are undoubtedly the most famous battle sites of World War II. Sign up for this popular small-group tour that takes you to the most important locations — the beaches, the monuments, the museums, and the dedicated cemeteries. This all-inclusive day trip also includes lunch and a tasting of the region's famous ciders.

The Castles & Wines of the Loire Valley

Set off on a journey to the Loire Valley's most beautiful chateaux, where history, architecture, and enchanting landscapes come together. From moats to mazes, these castles offer a glimpse into Renaissance life in France. Relax as you're taken from Paris to the Land of 1000 Castles and back, all in one day.

Delectable Food & Wine Experiences

Things to Do in Paris January 2025

A Tasting Experience in a Paris Cheese Cellar

In the heart of the Marais, descend into a private cheese cellar where an affineur guides you through tastings of seven traditional French cheeses, each paired with wines. It's an intimate and authentic way to explore France's love for cheese in a small-group setting that ensures a memorable experience. The group size is limited to 10 to ensure there's more cheese for you!

A Taste of Montmartre Food & Wine Tour

Located on a hill above the rest of the city, the former village of Montmartre is home to cobblestone streets, café terraces, and some of the best food shops in Paris. Take a guided walking tour to visit 8 of them as you taste delicious French cuisine, sampling fresh cheeses, charcuterie, wine, pastries, and chocolate paired with French wine.

Champagne Evening Cruise Along the Seine

We're adamant — there's no better way to celebrate your stay Paris than a champagne-fueled cruise down the Seine, the most romantic river in the world. You'll also discover it's the very best way to see the sights of the city as you glide past the monuments on a bateau sipping bubbly! Thursday, Friday, Saturday in January.

Wine Tasting in the Heart of Paris

The weather outside may be chilly but you'll be warm inside a charming wine cellar smack in the center of Paris. The professional sommeliers on these fun tastings cover a lot of French wine territory and deliver an extensive tasting of wines — from Champagne to Sancerre, from Bordeaux to Burgundy, from Alsace to the Rhône. It all takes place in a wine bar steps away from the Louvre.

Savoring Paris in the Marais

This immersive food tour takes you through the Marais, where you'll visit its finest food shops, sample French classics, and explore its bustling market. With a focus on heritage foods—baguettes, cheese, wine, and more—you'll gain a deep appreciation for the role food plays in Parisian culture.

Bateaux Parisiens Gourmet Lunch Cruise

Take a break from sightseeing for a fun, casual, and affordable lunch cruise along the Seine. Getting out on the river is something you must do in Paris, so why not have lunch at the same time? Look out the window at the monuments of Paris passing by. Combine great dining with a tour of Paris… riverside. Available everyday. This lunch cruise is very popular, so book early.

A Meal with a View at Madame Brasserie

Dining on the Eiffel Tower is another one of those iconic Paris experiences. At Madame Brasserie, Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx offers a menu that reflects the city's culinary sophistication. With reserved seating and panoramic views of Paris, it's an unforgettable way to spend an evening high above the city lights.

Learn to Make Croissants with a Pastry Chef

Sure — you can just eat croissants and pains au chocolat during your trip to Paris. But you can, instead, learn how to bake them yourself. Join a Parisian pastry chef in a professional kitchen and dive into the art of French pastry-making. From rolling the dough to the final bake, you'll leave with both a newfound skill and a delicious reward to savor.

Market Tour & French Cooking Class

What better place to learn about French cooking than Paris? Especially when your class also includes a trip to an outdoor food market to meet butchers, fishmongers, and produce sellers to gather the fresh ingredients for your cooking. This popular class teaches you how to create an entire French meal — entrée, plat, et dessert.

What's On At The Museums

Things to Do in Paris January 2025

Louvre Museum Skip-the-Line Tours

Don't spend your precious time in Paris waiting in the long line-ups at the Louvre. A small-group tour gets you ahead of the lines and into the world's largest & most popular museum. Highlights include the Venus de Milo, the Winged Nike of Samothrace and of course Mona. Group size is limited to six, which makes this perhaps the ultimate Louvre experience.

Harriet Backer – The Music of Color

This is the first retrospective of Harriet Backer's(1845-1932) work in France. Although little is known about her outside her native Norway, Backer was the most renowned woman artist of the late 19th century. You will fall in love with her tender portraits of rural Norwegian life.
• Musée d'Orsay
• Ends January 12, 2025
• Information…

La Collection – Revoir Picasso

In 2014 Pablo Picasso's most important public collection was permanently installed in the lavish setting of the Hôtel Salé, a mansion in the Marais. A decade later, the museum pays homage with a three-year retrospective starting with a tribute to Françoise Gilot. Beyond her famous book — Living with Picasso, published in 1965 — Gilot's own artistic career spanned from Réalités Nouvelles to her large compositions of the "emblematic paintings" of the 1980s.

• Musée Picasso
• To March 12, 2027
• Information…

Figures of the Fool

This ambitious exhibition focuses on the medieval figure of the fool through 300 works of art — from ivories, boxes, small bronzes, medals, drawings, prints to paintings and tapestries.

• Louvre Museum
• Ends February 3, 2025

A New Look at Watteau's Pierrot

Formerly known as Gilles, Watteau's Pierrot is one of the most famous masterpieces in the Louvre's collection. Discovered by the Director of the Louvre during the time of Napoleon, it garnered praise from writers and art historians for its mischievous and melancholy mood. It will be seen for first time since undergoing extensive restoration.

• Louvre Museum
• Ends February 3, 2025

Surrealism

Retracing 40 years of the wacky world of Surrealism, this touring exhibition celebrating the global spread of this 20th-century art movement opens Paris before moving on to Madrid, Hamburg and Philadelphia.

• Centre Pompidou
• Ends January 13, 2025
• Information…

The Top Events In Paris

Things to Do in Paris January 2025

Jour de l'An

New Year's Day is a French National Holiday and most shops, services, museums & restaurants will be closed. But just being in Paris at the start of the year is a pleasure. We've assembled a list of some of the things you can do on le jour de l'An.

January Sales

On your mark, get ready, shop! In January one thousand Paris boutiques and grands magasins commence the annual beginning-of-the-year sales. France being France, even store sales must be authorized by the préfectures of each département (local government). It's hard to describe the shopping frenzy that the January sales inspire. Here are a few of our favorite department stores:
• Printemps…
• Le Bon Marché…
• Galeries Lafayette…

Paris Fashion Week January 2025

It's Paris Fashion Week again. This month in Paris the designers and models will be unveiling menswear for Fall/Winter 2025-2025. Although you can't buy tickets to the fashion shows, if you hang out in the trendy bars around the Carrousel du Louvre you might have a celebrity sighting. Be on the lookout for a collection of tall, thin models. (Or is that a mirror you're looking in?!) Men's Fashion Week precedes Feminine, which starts in late February.
• Information…

Maison & Objet

Discover the latest trends in decoration, design, furniture, accessories and textiles. The live, on-site version is back — at Paris Nord Villepinte in January!
• Paris Nord Villepinte
• Information…