Laurel Steele is an Istanbul-based writer from Michigan with work published by Turkish Airlines, Urban Travel Blog, and numerous websites not worth mentioning. She's lived and traveled overseas since 2010 and currently divides her time between Turkey, Guatemala, and friends' couches. She stays busy practicing Ashtanga, watching K-Dramas, and redesigning the house for her semi-adopted street cats Kimchi and Baykuş. She occasionally posts on Instagram and sends out a newsletter.
Laurel Steele is an Istanbul-based writer from Michigan with work published by Turkish Airlines, Urban Travel Blog, and numerous websites not worth mentioning. She's lived and traveled overseas since 2010 and currently divides her time between Turkey, Guatemala, and friends' couches. She stays busy practicing Ashtanga, watching K-Dramas, and redesigning the house for her semi-adopted street cats Kimchi and Baykuş. She occasionally posts on Instagram and sends out a newsletter.
Hi, I'm Laurel!Laurel Steele is an Istanbul-based writer from Michigan with work published by Turkish Airlines, Urban Travel Blog, and numerous websites not worth mentioning. She's lived and traveled overseas since 2010 and currently divides her time between Turkey, Guatemala, and friends' couches. She stays busy practicing Ashtanga, watching K-Dramas, and redesigning the house for her semi-adopted street cats Kimchi and Baykuş. She occasionally posts on Instagram and sends out a newsletter.
Hi, I'm Laurel!Laurel Steele is an Istanbul-based writer from Michigan with work published by Turkish Airlines, Urban Travel Blog, and numerous websites not worth mentioning. She's lived and traveled overseas since 2010 and currently divides her time between Turkey, Guatemala, and friends' couches. She stays busy practicing Ashtanga, watching K-Dramas, and redesigning the house for her semi-adopted street cats Kimchi and Baykuş. She occasionally posts on Instagram and sends out a newsletter.
Although born just outside of Paris, living many years in the French capital has made tour guide Milan a pur jus Parisian. However, it was after spending several years overseas working—mostly as a photographer—that he returned to Paris ready to “fully absorb the energy of [his] city and share it.”
For the past four Decembers, Milan has run a private tour of the city’s most Christmassy attractions and landmarks. He carefully crafted the excursion to highlight the “good vibes” and “good energy” that only come but once a year. From the “rooftop view from [the] legendary department store” Galeries Lafayette Department to the cheery winter markets, guests can expect a distinctly Parisian winter wonderland. Here’s his advice for enjoying holly jolly Paris.
Cozy storefronts, historic side streets, and expansive boulevards illuminated with holiday decorations make the City of Light even brighter during winter months. (And don’t be surprised to see Pere Noel (Santa Claus) ringing a bell on a street corner.) Meanwhile, festive interiors of department stores, like Galeries Lafayette, delight shoppers and tourists with their holiday displays and towering Christmas trees. The main attraction on Milan’s tour is quite rightly the Christmas markets (Marches de Noel), though. Here, you’ll find charming booths, mulled wine, and an unrivaled “spirited ambiance,” plus a bird’s-eye view of the holiday vistas during a ride on a famous ferris wheel.
Wintertime visitors in Paris can’t leave the city without enjoying a glass or two of mulled wine. The festive combination of sweet red wine, brown sugar, citrus, and half a dozen spices encapsulates Christmastime in a glass. The hot beverage is easy to find at any of the holiday markets, including La Magie de Noel aux Tuileries and at cozy cafés, such as the Maison Sauvage in Saint-Germain. Another French winter classic is cheese fondue. You can devour some of the best at Pain Vin Fromages in the Marais district, which also serves cold-weather favorites including chocolate fondue and raclette.
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Paris’ Christmas markets are the number one place for wintertime visitors to pick up souvenirs, such as handicrafts, French sweets, and holiday ornaments. Milan suggests La Magie de Noel aux Tuileries, Marche de Noel de Notre-Dame, and Village de Noel de l’Hotel de Ville. If you prefer to do your holiday shopping indoors, ornately decorated department stores—like Galeries Layfayette Haussmann—are the perfect spot for high-end gifts.
When deciding on accommodation, Milan suggests visitors "stay near the center of the city," within the first eight arrondissements (districts). The Ritz Hotel on Place Vendome presents guests with a number of events and activities in December, including a pastry-making masterclass, pop-up Christmas chalet, Champagne tastings, holiday dinners, and a New Year’s Eve party. Similarly, the Plaza Athenee on Montaigne Avenue offers its visitors decadent wintertime meals and events fit for royalty. With an interior dripping with decorations and lights, a December stay is bound to capture the spirit of the holidays, Parisian style.
Milan believes that the distinct mood of the Parisian holiday markets are unmissable. For maximum festivity, he suggests stopping by the Tuileries Gardens, where visitors can enjoy a skating rink, ferris wheel, and carousel. For a cozier sightseeing experience, check out the elaborate displays at department stores such as Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, and BHV Marais. Or, for some live holiday entertainment, Milan recommends a show at one of Paris’ iconic cabarets—the Moulin Rouge, Crazy Horse, or Folies Bergère.
