The 15 Best Christmas Trips in Paris

1.Tootbus Open-Top Christmas Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,365 reviews · 1h 30m · from $46Our pick

Ride through Paris at night on a 90-minute Tootbus Christmas tour from Boulevard des Capucines to Boulevard Haussmann. You’ll see the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Opera, and department stores with multilingual audio, Christmas songs, Wi-Fi, and a self-guided walking app.

“Great way to see Paris decorated for the holidays! We really enjoyed the ride. It is cold, so definitely bring warm clothes and gloves. One should be at the meeting point one hour before so you can pick where you wish to stay on the bus. Definitely worth it…”

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2.Bastille Day Special Evening Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 83 reviews · 2 hours · from $224

Board at Port de Solférino for a two-hour Bastille Day dinner cruise with a three-course French meal, Champagne, wine, water, and coffee. You’ll pass the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, bridges, and illuminated Paris, with a chance to watch the national fireworks from the Seine.

“Terrible experience, awful food and different from what was advertised when purchasing the tickets. We bought the dinner option with veal and were served duck liver pâté and a piece of guinea fowl, and the portions were tiny for the very expensive price we paid. The only good thing was the super attentive waiters, because the guy who checked the table reservations was also rude. I do not recommend this boat; you can find better and cheaper boat tours.”

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3.Paris Tootbus Festive Christmas Lights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 83 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $46

Ride through central Paris for 90 minutes on an English-language Tootbus Christmas lights tour. You’ll pass Place Vendôme, the Louvre, Champs-Elysées, Arc de Triomphe, and Eiffel Tower, finishing near the department-store windows on Boulevard Haussmann. Dress warmly and expect city traffic.

“It was nice to do a drive to see the Christmas lights, but having said that, Paris doesn’t have a lot of Christmas lights. Also, it would have been nice if they had played Christmas music during the tour. We’re glad we did it once, but would not do it again.”

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4.Private Christmas Lights Tour by Citroën 2CV

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 62 reviews · 2 hours

Ride through Paris at night in a private vintage Citroën 2CV for two hours. Your English or French-speaking driver, including guides such as Brice, François, Doug, and William, shares city stories, adapts the route, and stops for photos. Pickup and drop-off cover Paris arrondissements 1 through 20.

“We had a lovely time! Our tour guide was so great and the Christmas lights were gorgeous!”

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5.Paris Christmas Illuminations and Local Festivities Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 43 reviews · from $355Top rated

Join guide Milan Melet for a 3 to 4 hour private Christmas tour through Paris by chauffeured vehicle and on foot. Visit Galeries Lafayette, the Tuileries market, Place Vendôme, and the Champs-Elysées, with a Ferris wheel ride, seasonal treats, and hotel pickup included.

“Our guide, Milan, was well versed in French history and local Paris venues. His enthusiasm lifted the four of us and greatly added to our appreciation of our surroundings. Three cheers for Viator and Milan!”

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6.Bateaux Mouches New Year’s Eve Special Dinner Cruise in Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 22 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $577

Board Bateaux Mouches at Port de la Conférence for a five-hour New Year’s Eve celebration. Cruise past Paris landmarks during a four-course dinner, then stay aboard for music and dancing until 2am. Champagne, wine, soft drinks, vegetarian choices, Wi-Fi, and an open upper deck are included.

“A recepção é ótima pois tem uma estrutura adequada posta tipo de festa reveion Tanto a música quanto a comida estavam preparadas com muito carinho para os convidados O percurso do barco durou em torno de 2h00 e foi muito bacana o reveillon e a virada de ano foi com o bote parado na frente da torre Eiffel”

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7.Paris Christmas Lights Small Group Walking Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 19 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $78

Walk through Paris with a local guide such as Walid, Lou, Juliette, or Emily, stopping at Rue Montorgueil, Galerie Vivienne, the Tuileries market, Place Vendôme, and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Your group has six people or fewer, with hot chocolate or mulled wine included.

“Very interesting your. Walked to holiday markets and saw Christmas lights and learned some history. I would remind this tour”

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8.Paris Christmas Gourmet Food Small Group Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 17 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $251

Spend three hours in Saint-Germain-des-Prés collecting French Christmas treats, from candied chestnuts and nougat to chocolate Yule logs. Your guide explains the 13 Desserts of Christmas, leads you through seasonal shops and market areas, and ends with tea or coffee in a Parisian tearoom.

“The food tasting was amazing! The guide, and the "student guide" were extremely well informed on the areas we toured as well as the history of the buildings. Both were enjoyable companions and made the tour go quickly. We were disappointed the Christmas markets weren't open yet but that was beyond your control. Very satisfied with the experience.”

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9.Paris Christmas Lights & Stories with Tastings on Champs-Élysées

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $70

Walk Paris’s Christmas-lit Champs-Élysées and Avenue Montaigne with a local English-speaking guide, stopping for Alsatian biscuits, a macaron, chocolates, and thick hot chocolate. The small group is capped at 15, and guide Aladia adds historical photos and festive stories to the 90-minute evening route.

“Our Guide Aladia was friendly, knowledgeable and spoke perfect English. She told us interesting stories and showed us historical photos of the places we visited. Everyone was lucky enough to have photos taken by her for our memories to be treasured for the future. She was well organized at the Fortwenger and Maison du Chocolat for our tastings. The light shows were breathtaking! Merci beaucoup! I highly recommend this tour and our Guide! She made the whole tour so enjoyable! Merci a vous, Debra”

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10.Paris Christmas Lights Walking Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 13 reviews · 2 hours · from $88

Follow a French, English, or Spanish-speaking guide from Rue Étienne Marcel through Galerie Vivienne, Palais-Royal, the Tuileries, Place Vendôme, and La Madeleine. Expect Christmas lights, local traditions, a sweet treat, and hot chocolate or mulled wine in a group of six or fewer.

“Ruben was an excellent guide, very Engaging, knowledgeable and entertaining.”

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11.Bateaux Mouches Christmas Special Lunch Cruise in Paris

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 13 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $150

Meet at Port de la Conférence for a 1-hour-45-minute Christmas lunch cruise on the Seine. Enjoy a three-course meal, one bottle of wine for two, tea or coffee, live music, and views of Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower area, and Paris bridges.

“From the moment we boarded the boat, we knew it was going to be a wonderful experience. The staff was so welcoming and the entire place was beautifully decorated. The food and the wine was superb. And the views were spectacular.”

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12.Private tour Paris Christmas lights tour 2 hours in Citroën 2CV

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · from $147

Ride through festive Paris in a private, chauffeured Citroën 2CV for about two hours, with a core 45-minute drive past the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Moulin Rouge, and Place Vendôme. Guides such as Rene-Jean, Dov, and Alexander add local stories. Each passenger receives a French-made Saint James scarf.

“Vi var 6 gubbar som bokat 2 Citroen 2 CV med guider jag blev uppringd dan innan där man kollade om att allt stämde och att vi fått info om var vi skulle träffas . Bilarna med guider dök upp i tid och vi hade en fantastisk trevlig tur på Champselyse kan bara rekommendera denna trip. 6 goa gubbar från Götet.”

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13.Paris Christmas Tour with a Local Guide: Custom & Private

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $142

Spend three private hours exploring Paris at Christmas with a local host. Visit Hôtel de Ville, Notre Dame’s market, Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, BHV Marais, and Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis Church, with time to shop and enjoy mulled wine, hot chocolate, or a soft drink.

“Very personalized to what we wanted to do and see. Our guide went above and beyond to give us a great expedience in Paris.”

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14.Guided New Year’s Eve Bar Crawl with Drink

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · from $85

Meet your English, French, Italian, Arabic, Korean, or Spanish-speaking guide at Bull's Brothers Pub. Visit two Paris bars for a welcome shot, drinking games, and drink deals, then skip the club line and dance into the new year in the Latin Quarter.

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15.Christmas Special Lunch Cruise on the Seine River

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7 reviews · 2 hours · from $147

You’ll enjoy a two-hour Christmas lunch cruise from Pont de l’Alma with French dishes, half a bottle of wine per person, piano music, and views of Paris landmarks. A maître d’hôtel leads you to your table, while the upper deck offers prime Eiffel Tower photo opportunities.

“En underbar båttur och lunch på Bateaux Mouche. Servicen är toppen och maten mycket god. Hjälpsam servicepersonal och vackra vyer.”

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