The Best Christmas Photo Spots in Paris

Are you looking for the best places take photos in Paris during Christmas? I got you covered! Christmas season is really a great moment to visit Paris! The city is really magical with its Christmas trees, dazzling lights and Santa vibes everywhere! There are many places that are decorated for the occasion: main squares and streets, Christmas markets, department stores windows, store facades… Therefore I am gifting you this guide with all the places you should not miss: the Best Christmas Photo Spots in Paris! Take a look at this list and you will know all the most instagrammable Christmas places in Paris!

The festivities are starting from mid-November until early January.

Place Vendôme

Place Vendôme is one of the fanciest squares in Paris. In fact you can find here the world’s great jewellery brands and even the Ritz! Every year in November, a few big lighted Christmas trees are placed on the 4 corners of the square. This creates the perfect Christmas set-up, that’s why it is one of the best Christmas photo spots in Paris!

In 2019 for the first time the Ritz Paris even built a wooden chalet in the middle of the Place Vendôme! From the 7th of December to the 5th of January, you will be able to buy there some delicacies like creamy steaming hot chocolate,  Christmas gingerbread, apfelstrudel, marbled cake, chocolate teddy bear, tea or jams. The winter menu has been designed by François Perret: at the helm of the Ritz Paris kitchens and now been named the best pastry chef in the world!

Location: Place Vendôme, 75001 Paris

Galeries Lafayette

Galeries Lafayette’s flagship store is turning into a real Winter Wonderland during Christmas season! Christmas is a major tradition for the luxury department store located in Boulevard Haussmann, inside and outside. There are many reasons why it has to be part of the best Christmas spots in Paris, read them below!

Location: 40 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris

Christmas decorations in Galeries Lafayette

On one hand, you will discover inside the Galeries Lafayette a huge sparkling tree hanging from the gorgeous Art Nouveau dome. Every 30 minutes there is a light show around the Christmas tree!

If you want to get an extraordinary view over this Christmas tree and the whole departement store, you have to go to the Glasswalk! Located on the third floor of the main store, this 9-metre long walkway suspended 16 metres high in mid-air, will get you right into the middle of the dome and the very top of the tree! This experience is highly instagrammable for sure!

What you need to know before taking photos here: You will be able to access the Glasswalk with a group of 10-15 people so taking pictures will be a challenge! Therefore to be more successful, I recommend you to be the first in your group to access the walkway or the last one to leave before the next group. The Glasswalk is open all year long but it’s more busy during Christmas time. People are even starting to queue  in front of the Glasswalk before the 10am opening.

More info: Glasswalk Galeries Lafayette

On the other hand, the facades of the department store are completely decorated and illuminated. Every day during the holiday season, a crowd of people (especially families) are pressing themselves to watch the whimsical and stylish creations in the window displays!

The theme is different each year and some talented artists are working to create a magical installation to wow the visitors. In 2019 for example the store is turning into a Christmas beehive!

Ice-skating rink in Galeries Lafayette

For the first time this year, Galeries Lafayette went the extra mile and built a 160 square-metre 160 square-metre ice rink on the store’s rooftop terrace. It is open every day from 10am to 8pm and accessible to all visitors for free during 20 minutes. You can enjoy there a fantastic view over Paris overlooking Boulevard Haussmann, the Opera Garnier and even the Eiffel Tower!

More info: Ice rink Galeries Lafayette

The Christmas Market in the Tuileries Garden

From the 15th of November until the 5th of January, the Tuilerie gardens is hosting a wonderful Christmas market. This beautiful park located close to the Louvre museum will be animated with wooden chalets and Christmas lights for the greatest joy of locals and tourists, with or without kids! This is the biggest Christmas market in Paris: 13 to 15 million visitors are visiting it during the season!

Let me tell you what you can find in this Christmas market:

• Crafts and gift ideas, for example 10 French craftsmen (cabinetmaker, glass blower…) and designers from Paris are selling their products
• Entertainments and merry-go-rounds such as flying chairs, a ghost train, mazes, a train, a Ferris wheel and a skating rink
• Tasty food with gastronomy coming from all over France: there is a gourmet market with 20 cabins gathering 20 French regions, a Wine Bar and several restaurants.

Location: Jardin des Tuileries 75001 Paris

Opening hours: The market is open from Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. It expects you from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on December 25 and 31.

The entrance is free!

Village Royal

Village Royal is a chic passageway in Paris filled with luxury retailers. Every year they decorate this little village for Christmas and it’s very pleasant to walk around!

In 2019 they have set up the cutest teddy bear Christmas sculptures: a big one with a bench in front of it and a smaller one carrying red balloons. They are absolutely adorable and unique in Paris!

Location:25 rue Royale 75008 Paris

More info: Village Royal

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche is one of the most nicely decorated department stores of Paris! The white-tiled escalators you have in the background are really outstanding with their unique design. And when you add all the hanging Christmas trees, it’s even better!

This department store will please the fashionistas, the home decorating addict and the foodies with the Gourmet market on the first floor La Grande Epicerie!

Opening hours: Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Friday/Saturday 10am – 8pm, Thursday 10am – 7:45pm, Sunday 11am – 7:45pm

Location: 24 Rue de Sèvres 75007 Paris

More info: Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche

Galerie Vivienne

Galerie Vivienne is one of the most beautiful covered arcades in Paris! It was built in 1823. Not only you will find there beautiful decorations during the Christmas period, but the mosaics on the ground and the glass roof are amazing. It had to be inside my guide of the best Christmas photo spots in Paris!

The passage is filled with boutiques like fashion designers and old bookstores. If you are a foodie, the gourmet food and wine shops will please you. On top of that, you can also restore yourself as there are 3 restaurants.

What you need to know before taking photos here: The entrance of the Galerie is free. But they do not like photographers: it’s a private place and you need an authorization to shoot. Therefore make sure to take your photos quickly or you might get kicked out!

Opening hours: 8:30am to 8:30pm (closed on Sundays)

More info: Galerie Vivienne

The facade of Louis Vuitton in Place Vendôme

Louis Vuitton’s very first store is located in the luxurious Place Vendôme. Louis Vuitton Maison Vendôme occupies two historic hôtel particuliers designed in 1714. Each year the beautiful facade is decorated for Christmas.

In 2018 a quirky Christmas tree was implemented on the building. This tree didn’t look like the traditional Christmas pine tree but more like a magical weeping willow! It was very unique but not so “instagrammable” compared to the previous year decorations or to the facade of the competitors like Dior.

In 2019 the luxury brand decided to go back to its 2017 decoration: a giant golden sun streaming spiralling metal rays. Despite the fact it doesn’t look so “christmasy”, it’s extraordinary and highly photogenic!

Passage Jouffroy

Passage Jouffroy is another one of those charming covered arcades in the capital. It was built in 1836 and is situated on the Grands Boulevards.

The holiday is a good moment to visit this passage as it is housing many interesting establishments. For example there is a cute toys store named “La boîte à Joujoux” which means in English « the Toy Box ». There is also a fabulous boutique selling antiques and decorations – especially unique Christmas decorations – named La Maison du Roy. It is a real Aladdin’s Cave that will amaze you! Then the Hôtel Chopin has some pretty little Christmas tree in front of its entrance.

But if you walk in Passage Jouffroy, do not miss the beautiful iron and glass architecture and the marble paving! And last but not least, the Musée Grévin and its famous waxwork models will please adults and kids!

Location: 10-12 Boulevard Montmartre 75009 Paris

The facade of Dior in Avenue Montaigne

The facade of the birthplace of the house of Dior in Paris located in the 30 of Avenue Montaigne is usually amazingly decorated from sidewalk to eaves for the holiday season!

For example, in 2018 the facade was ornated with a huge and luxuriant white lighted Christmas tree populated with a menagerie of wild animals (such as giraffes, monkeys, tigers and birds). But the installation was really different in 2017: it was dedicated to the Cruise 2018 collection, with impressive hot air balloons! Unfortunately in 2019, the historical store is under renovation so the facade is covered. The good news: it will get three times bigger in 2021!

Location: 30 avenue Montaigne 75008 Paris

Avenue Montaigne

Avenue Montaigne is connecting the Champs-Elysées to the Alma Bridge. It is one of the most exclusive and luxurious arteries in Paris!

This glamorous street is illuminated with thousands of lights during the holiday season. It’s really a beautiful scenery!

Location: Avenue Montaigne 75008 Paris

There are so many places to see during the holiday in Paris that you will have more than enough to fill in your vacations!

If you want to make see the iconic places of Paris you should also read The Best Of Paris in one day !

Have a look at all my articles about Paris here: Paris.

In case you are looking for more Christmas vibes, take a look at my blogpost about A Magical Christmas Getaway in Alsace.

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