Paris is in full festive swing this week, so if listeners are in town, this is the moment to lean into the lights, the music, and the holiday magic all over the city. Christmas markets, special exhibitions, concerts, and immersive light shows are popping up across the capital and will carry you right through the weekend with something different every day and night.

Start by heading to Boulevard Haussmann, where the legendary Galeries Lafayette has gone all out for Christmas with an enormous decorated tree under the glass dome and whimsical animated window displays designed by a guest illustrator. According to Sortir à Paris, the store has also turned its rooftop into a temporary open-air ice rink, so listeners can skate above the city with a direct view of the Eiffel Tower and the rooftops glittering in the cold night air. Down at street level, it is the perfect area to wander between department stores, warm up with a chocolat chaud, and watch families pressing up against the windows.

For pure holiday coziness, the Christmas markets are the big stars of the week. Sortir à Paris reports that the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market is back, lining the paths with wooden chalets selling gifts, regional specialties, mulled wine, and street food, along with fairground rides and yet another ice rink for those who have not had enough skating yet. Over near Notre-Dame, a smaller, more intimate market in Square René Viviani focuses on French crafts and artisanal food, creating a charming village feel in the shadow of the cathedral while choirs and street performers bring live music into the mix.

Listeners who love lights and immersive experiences should carve out an evening at Parc Floral for the Luminous Odyssey, a night trail filled with giant illuminated lanterns, dreamy installations, and even a drone show that paints shapes and colors in the sky. Sortir à Paris notes that this runs all week and into the weekend, turning the park into a glowing fantasy world that is fun for both adults and kids. Another after-dark highlight is AURA Invalides, a sound-and-light journey under the great dome of Les Invalides, where projections and music transform the historic monument into an atmospheric, almost spiritual spectacle.

Art and culture fans are spoiled too. This week sees special late openings at the Fondation Louis Vuitton for its Gerhard Richter exhibition, described by Sortir à Paris as an intimate nocturne where visitors can wander the galleries after hours in a quieter, more contemplative atmosphere. Over at the Louvre, a new Gallery of the Five Continents invites listeners to explore works from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania in one continuous, thoughtful route, perfect for a slow afternoon before heading back out into the festive streets.

Cinema lovers should not miss the “Vietnam Cinema – Itinéraire de Lumière” festival running at venues like the Grand Rex and Pathé Palace, which, according to Sortir à Paris, offers award-winning films, talks, and an exhibition tracing fifty years of Vietnamese filmmaking. And for something more hands-on over the weekend, Paris Select and other local guides highlight various DIY and craft workshops tied to the season, from gift-making sessions in chic concept stores to festive pastry classes where you can learn to assemble a jewel-like bûche de Noël.

If listeners just want to soak up the street atmosphere, Paris Secret points to the new illuminations along the Champs-Élysées, where around 400 trees twinkle with coordinated colors and patterns above the busy avenue, making a simple evening stroll feel like a cinematic moment. Combine that with a detour through Saint‑Germain‑des‑Prés or Place Vendôme for more twinkling facades, and the city itself becomes the main event.

Wherever listeners choose to go, this week in Paris is about leaning into the lights, the ice rinks, the art, and the smell of roasted chestnuts in the cold air. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss what’s happening next. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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