Paris Christmas markets 2026: dates and hours

Paris does not have one central Christmas market but several, spread across the city. The short answer for 2026: the market at La Défense opens first, on Thursday 12 November, and runs to 3 January 2027. The Champs-Élysées market is back after almost ten years, from Sunday 22 November 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027. The market at Notre-Dame runs from Thursday 26 November to Sunday 27 December 2026.

Paris Christmas markets 2026: dates and hours

Dates and hours from the City of Paris and Paris La Défense (see sources), as of 4 November 2026. All three are free to enter. Check holiday hours shortly before you go, especially for 24, 25 and 31 December.

The three seasons differ a lot in length, and La Défense has one of the longest in Europe:

Season: calendar days from the first to the last day.

The three big markets

Champs-Élysées. According to the City of Paris, this market returns after almost ten years away. It stands on the avenue itself and coincides with the Christmas lights in the trees, so go after dark. This is the market most visitors will look for first; expect it to be busy at weekends.

La Défense. This is the largest of the three and lies just outside the city limits, in the business district to the west. The organiser describes 15,000 square metres, nearly 300 exhibitors and a real ice rink of more than 500 square metres at the foot of the Grande Arche. Hot wine, roasted chestnuts, raclette sandwiches and pretzels are part of the food on offer. It feels less like old Paris and more like a very large fair among glass towers.

Notre-Dame. The smallest of the three stands on Square René Viviani, on the Left Bank across the river from the cathedral. It is the one with a real Parisian setting, and the one where the city publishes daily hours: 10:00 to 21:00 on Friday and Saturday, 10:00 to 20:00 on the other days.

What about the Tuileries and other markets?

For the Tuileries we found no official date for 2026; listings on other websites contradict each other. Do not plan around that market until the organiser or the City of Paris confirms it. The city keeps a running calendar of Christmas markets (see sources), updated on 2 November 2026, where smaller neighbourhood markets appear as they are announced.

A day at the markets

• Late morning: take metro line 1 to La Défense and walk the stalls while it is calm.
• Afternoon: take line 1 back into the city. Tickets for museums and sights in Paris^* are on Tiqets if you want an indoor stop.
• Early evening: head to Square René Viviani for the view of Notre-Dame as the light goes.
• Night: finish on the Champs-Élysées under the lights.

Our guide to Paris in December has more ideas for the season, including the tree at Galeries Lafayette.

Getting there

Metro line 1 connects La Défense with the stations along the Champs-Élysées, which makes these two markets easy to combine. Square René Viviani is close to Saint-Michel. If you arrive on your last day with bags, luggage storage in Paris^* is available through Radical Storage. Travelling from outside the EU, an eSIM for France^* from Airalo is usually cheaper than roaming.

Where to stay

For the markets, the 8th arrondissement near the Champs-Élysées is central but expensive. The Latin Quarter in the 5th arrondissement puts you close to Notre-Dame and has more choice at different budgets. Any hotel near metro line 1 makes La Défense simple to reach.

Weather in December

Paris is mild and damp in December: on average about 8.8 °C by day and 3.4 °C at night, with 76 mm of rain over the month (2015–2024). Frost is the exception, rain is not, so pack waterproof shoes and a jacket with a hood rather than heavy winter clothes.

How YesTrip helps

YesTrip builds a day-by-day plan for Paris with a map, shows the forecast for your travel days and suggests a matching packing list. You can add a market evening to the plan and share the trip with whoever is coming along. If you want to see more markets on the same trip, the Strasbourg Christmas market 2026, the Colmar Christmas market 2026, the Bruges Christmas market 2026 and the Brussels Christmas market 2026 are all further options, and our overview of the best Christmas markets in Europe compares the classics.

Paris trip planDay by day, with map and tips

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