Paris events & things to do in December 2026
Expect 8°C/47°F days and about 11 rainy ones in December. Start with these:
- Eiffel Tower★ 4.7 · 486.7k reviewsGustave Eiffel tower from the 1889 Exposition Universelle, standing above Champ de Mars in the 7th arrondissement.
- Père Lachaise Cemetery★ 4.6 · 4.5k reviewsLarge cemetery in the 20th arrondissement with cobbled lanes and famous graves from Oscar Wilde to Edith Piaf.
- Festival de Cinéma Européen des ArcsDec 12 – Dec 19Source: festival calendar
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By TripSapien Research · Updated June 3, 2026
Paris in December 2026
Weather
TempTemperature
47°F / 36°F
8.1°C / 2.2°C
RainPrecipitation
11d
2.4in · 60mm
LightDaylight
8.1h
December is cold and wet, but Christmas lights on Champs-Elysees and department-store windows make evening walks worthwhile.
Events & festivals
Event calendar- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Christmas Markets of Paris 2026
Various Christmas markets across Paris offering festive goods, crafts, and seasonal treats.
Planning lead · verify independently · Source: festival research
- Dec 1 – Dec 31
Le Beaujolais Nouveau
The third Thursday in November marks the release of Le Beaujolais Nouveau and the beginning of the Christmas season.
Planning lead · verify independently · Source: Month Signals
- Dec 5 – Dec 13
Fête des Lumières de Paris 2026
An annual light festival illuminating iconic Parisian landmarks with spectacular light installations and projections.
Planning lead · verify independently · Source: festival research
Show all 5 events for December
- Dec 10 – Dec 20
Paris Jazz Festival - Winter Sessions 2026
A series of jazz concerts held in various intimate venues around Paris celebrating winter jazz music.
Planning lead · verify independently · Source: festival research
- Dec 15 – Dec 27
Festival du Cirque de Paris 2026
A contemporary circus festival featuring performances by international and French circus artists.
Planning lead · verify independently · Source: festival research
Holidays, observances & long weekends
Holiday and observance schedules can affect services and venue hours; confirm each place directly.
- Dec 25Christmas DayPublic holiday
- Dec 25-Dec 27Long weekend
About Paris
City overview
Paris is arranged by the Seine, the two river islands, and a spiral of 20 arrondissements that starts near Notre-Dame's Kilometre Zero. The Louvre-Tuileries axis, the Latin Quarter around the Sorbonne, the Marais around Rue des Rosiers, and Montmartre above Pigalle give first-time visitors a practical mental map.
Food & drink
Paris food ranges from croissants, steak frites, onion soup, crepes, and macarons to falafel on Rue des Rosiers and Vietnamese banh mi around Rue Mouffetard. Budget travellers can use bakery sandwiches, street crepes, and EUR20-40 prix-fixe menus away from the Champs-Elysees. Wikivoyage notes Paris has Europe's deepest Michelin field and the world's second-highest Michelin-star count after Tokyo.
Top sights
Ranked for December suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Seine river walk
- 2Centre Pompidou
- 3Musée d'Orsay
- 4Louvre Museum
- 5Notre-Dame de Paris
- 6Arc de Triomphe
- 7Basilique du Sacré-Coeur
- 8Sainte-Chapelle
1Seine river walk
5★ · 9outdoorOpen dailyThe UNESCO-listed riverbanks connect the Eiffel Tower, Musée d'Orsay, Louvre, Ile de la Cite, and Notre-Dame. Walking the quais is often faster and clearer than making short Metro hops through Chatelet.
2Centre Pompidou
4.4★ · 123outdoorInside-out Beaubourg arts centre in the 4th arrondissement, next to the Marais and Hotel de Ville. Escalators climb the exterior for broad views over Notre-Dame, the rooftops, and Montmartre.
Wikipedia
3Musée d'Orsay
4.8★ · 113,561indoorClosed MonImpressionist museum inside the former Gare d'Orsay railway station on the Left Bank. The 1900 station clock and the upper gallery view over the Seine are as memorable as the Monet, Degas, and Van Gogh rooms.
Show 3 more sights
- 4Louvre Museum
- 5Notre-Dame de Paris
- 6Arc de Triomphe
Neighborhoods
1Louvre, Les Halles, and the 1st arrondissement
The geographic centre: Louvre, Tuileries, Palais Royal, Place Vendome, and the Les Halles transport hub. It is monument-dense and useful for short stays, but crowded around the Pyramid and Chatelet.
2Le Marais (3rd and 4th arrondissements)
Former marsh district of Rue des Rosiers, Place des Vosges, Musee Carnavalet, Hotel de Ville, and Centre Pompidou. It has small streets, Jewish bakeries, boutiques, and busy bars without the Champs-Elysees scale.
3Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Left Bank university-and-cafe territory around the Sorbonne, Pantheon, Jardin du Luxembourg, Saint-Sulpice, and Boulevard Saint-Germain. Rue Mouffetard and Place de la Contrescarpe keep the student-food angle visible.
Day trips
22km / 20-40min by RER C from central Paris
Versailles
Louis XIV palace and gardens on the southwest edge of the region. Reserve palace entry and leave time for the gardens, Grand Trianon, and the walk from Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche station.
75km / 45min train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Vernon plus shuttle
Giverny
Claude Monet's house and water-lily garden are strongest from late spring through early autumn. Avoid rainy days because the garden is the point of the trip.
32km / 40min by RER A to Marne-la-Vallee-Chessy
Disneyland Paris
Two-park resort east of Paris. It is an easy rail day trip, but weekend and school-holiday lines make dated tickets and early arrival important.
Getting around
Paris Metro and RER cover the city, with RER B linking Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles, Saint-Michel Notre-Dame, and Denfert-Rochereau for EUR13. Metro Line 14 now serves Orly for EUR13, and the Seine quays are often the clearest route between Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and Musée d'Orsay.
Planning a Paris trip?
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Common questions about Paris in December
- Is it worth going to Paris in December?
- Yes. December in Paris averages 8°C / 47°F highs, 2°C / 36°F nights, and about 11 rainy days.
- What's on in Paris in December 2026?
- Paris has 1 dated event listed for December 2026. Dates and details are in the events and festivals section.
- What is the most eaten food in Paris?
- Paris in December works best around Eiffel Tower, Père Lachaise Cemetery, and Seine river walk. December is cold and wet, but Christmas lights on Champs-Elysees and department-store windows make evening walks worthwhile.
- What to pack for Paris in December
Pack for December's weather, not a generic Paris checklist.
- A warm coat and insulating layers for average highs around 8°C / 47°F.
- A heavier evening layer because nights average 2°C / 36°F.
- Compact rain gear and shoes that handle wet pavement across about 11 rainy days.
- How many days do you need in Paris
- 4 days covers the main Paris highlights at a realistic pace. Add 3 extra days if you want the listed day trips.
- Is Paris worth visiting in December
- Yes. December in Paris averages 8°C / 47°F highs, 2°C / 36°F nights, and about 11 rainy days.
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