Paris in Winter | 48 Hrs⎮Ultimate Travel Guide | Markets, Landmarks and Café Stops – Travel guides for couples; romantic escapes, city breaks + worldwide adventures

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This guide forms part of our complete France Travel Guide , featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across France.

This article is also part of our 48 Hrs; Paris in Winter series, exploring Normandy Beaches and experiencing Eurostar for the first time. Read the complete itinerary here.

Full Paris Winter Itinerary:

How we explored Paris despite the cold, rain and shorter winter days

As long as you’re prepared with waterproof footwear, an umbrella & a nice warm raincoat, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy Winter in Paris. There’s plenty to do & see, less crowds, and often the flight/hotel pricing is better than in the high season.

We discovered a hotel that was not too far from the Eiffel Tower, literally right around the corner to the Trocadero. It was called Hotel du Bois, and the owner gave off classic Basil Fawlty vibes (IYKYK), a little flustered but generally kind & helpful. The rooms here were very tiny, (when we mentioned this to “Basil” he smiled, shrugged his shoulders & said “C’est Paris!”), the stairwells were tricky to manoeuvre but it was clean & close to everything.

After dropping our luggage in our room, we found the nearest Hop On Hop Off bus stop & bought a two-day pass. It’s such a reasonable way to get around the city & the history you can learn while wearing the headset is really interesting. We usually go around the city we’re visiting once, full circle, then decide where we’ll get off on the next turn around. It saves walking so much, expensive taxis & kept us warm & dry.

We got off at the Champs Élysées, the famous 1.9 long avenue in Paris connecting the Arc de Triomphe & the Place de la Concorde. It’s lined with luxury shops, theatres, flagship stores & cafes.

This neighbourhood is bordered by the open-air Jardins des Champs Élysées gardens plus museums like the Grand Palais & Petit Palais.

As we wandered along the city we came across the Flame of Liberty, that is now a permanent memorial/shrine & place of remembrance for Princess Diana. This was right above the tunnel where she was killed in 1997, even though it was never intended to be a memorial for the Princess, fans and well-wishers from all over the world transformed the site by leaving flowers, photographs, candles, and written messages.

We decided to try a restaurant called Cafe du Trocadero, that happened to have a great view of the Eiffel Tower, and was reasonably near to our petit hotel. Hôtel du Bois is approximately a 15–20-minute walk from the Trocadéro viewpoint, depending on the route. We had a delicious meal, with excellent service (turns out our French speaking server was from Alberta, Canada!).

Glasses of wine for each, Steak Frites for Mr. MRT & Polenta with miso, Haloumi, pan-fried mushrooms & snow peas for me.

Then we discovered there was a wonderful Winter Market! Located right in the heart of Paris (between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde), is the largest Christmas market in the city centre, the Tuileries Garden Christmas Market (La Magie de Noël). Along with dozens of wooden chalets selling artisanal gifts and festive food (raclette, crepes, mulled wine, gifts), it featured a large, traditional open-air ice skating rink. The Christmas Market is open for seasonal hours only.

Paris is a place that we love to explore, seeing something different every time we visit. The architecture, the history… what’s not to love?

Top 5 Things to Enjoy in Paris During Winter

1. Explore the Louvre and Paris Museums

Winter is an excellent time to explore indoor attractions such as the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée de l’Orangerie and Musée Rodin. Crowds may be lighter than during summer, although timed admission should still be reserved for major museums.

2. Experience Paris from the Seine

A covered sightseeing cruise provides views of the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Musée d’Orsay and historic bridges without spending hours outside. Evening and dinner cruises add the spectacle of Paris illuminated after dark.

3. Visit the Tuileries Christmas Market

From approximately mid-November until early January, the Tuileries Garden hosts one of central Paris’s biggest festive events. Expect wooden chalets, French comfort food, mulled wine, rides, seasonal entertainment and—in some years—an outdoor skating rink. Dates and attractions change annually, so readers should check before travelling.

4. Discover the Covered Passages

Paris’s historic covered passages are particularly appealing on a wet winter day. Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas and Passage Jouffroy contain independent shops, bookstores, restaurants and traditional architectural details.

5. Enjoy Parisian Cafés and Winter Evenings

Cold weather provides a convincing excuse to stop for hot chocolate, coffee, pastries or a leisurely French meal. After sunset, visit the illuminated Eiffel Tower, Place Vendôme, Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées. Winter’s early sunsets make it easier to experience nighttime Paris without staying out especially late.

Top 3 Winter Tours in and Near Paris

1. Seine River Sightseeing or Dinner Cruise

A heated riverboat is one of the most comfortable ways to see Paris during winter. Typical sightseeing cruises last approximately one hour, while lunch and dinner cruises generally last two to three hours. Boats pass landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre-Dame and Musée d’Orsay. Bateaux Mouches⁠

2. Louvre Museum Guided Tour

A two-to-three-hour guided Louvre tour is ideal for a cold or rainy day. A smaller guided tour helps visitors navigate the enormous museum and locate major works without spending valuable time studying floor plans. Reserve a timed entry, even during winter.

3. Palace of Versailles Day Tour

A guided half-day or full-day trip to Versailles provides transportation from Paris and admission to the palace. Winter generally brings fewer visitors, but the fountains are switched off, some groves are closed and statues may be protected from the weather. The gardens remain open except during severe conditions. Palace of Versailles⁠

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