The essentials
The Christmas season in Paris runs from the switch-on of the Champs-Élysées lights, on Sunday 22 November 2026, to the first days of January 2027; the winter sales start on 6 January. The Christmas markets open one after another from 14 November, and the Louvre is closed on 25 December and 1 January.
It is cold and often rainy, but it rarely snows. In December, the average temperature in Paris ranges from 3.8 °C to 8 °C, it rains (1 mm or more) on about 11 days and there are about 57 hours of sunshine in the whole month; in January, 3.2 °C to 7.6 °C, about 10 rainy days and 59 hours of sunshine. These are the 1991-2020 averages from Météo-France at the Paris-Montsouris station.
Official weather warnings and recent earthquakes in France are on Alerts in France.
Getting there and what you need to enter
- Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland: a valid national identity card or passport.
- Other travellers, for short stays: since 10 April 2026 the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational. When you enter the Schengen area your fingerprints and a photo are taken, and passports are no longer stamped.
- ETIAS, the online travel authorisation, is not yet in operation: the EU will announce the date months in advance. The planned fee is €20.
- If your nationality needs a visa, check France-Visas, the official French visa website.
- From the airports: RER line B links Charles de Gaulle and Orly with the centre and with the Gare du Nord, the Eurostar station.
Getting around
- To the Champs-Élysées take metro line 1 (Charles de Gaulle–Étoile, George V, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau stations), line 9 (Franklin D. Roosevelt), line 13 (Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau) or RER A (Charles de Gaulle–Étoile), according to RATP.
- Strikes and demonstrations: before you set off, check whether your train (SNCF) or your metro line (RATP) is affected. When there is a demonstration, RATP closes stations.
- Always carry an identity document. According to the United Kingdom, in France you must be able to prove your identity when the police ask, or within 4 hours at a police station.
What to see and do
See the Champs-Élysées lights
The switch-on is on Sunday 22 November 2026 from 6:30 pm, with the avenue closed to traffic and free access. After that, the lights come on every evening from 23 November to 3 January 2027, from 5 pm to 1 am.
Visit the Christmas markets
Six markets with confirmed dates for 2026-2027. The Champs-Élysées market is back this year.
| Market | Where | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Tuileries Garden | 1st arrondissement | 14 Nov 2026 – 3 Jan 2027 |
| Champs-Élysées | gardens on the lower part of the avenue, 8th arrondissement | 22 Nov – 4 Jan |
| Notre-Dame | Square René-Viviani, 5th arrondissement | 26 Nov – 27 Dec |
| Saint-Germain-des-Prés | 6th arrondissement | 27 Nov – 6 Jan |
| Eiffel Tower | Quai Jacques-Chirac, 7th arrondissement | 5 Dec – 3 Jan |
| La Défense | outside Paris | opens 12 Nov |
Go inside Notre-Dame
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 7:50 am to 7 pm, Thursdays until 10 pm; Saturdays and Sundays from 8:15 am to 7:30 pm. Last entry is half an hour before closing. Hours change with celebrations.
- Admission: free.
- Booking a time slot is not compulsory, but it speeds up entry: it is free at resa.notredamedeparis.fr from two days before the visit, according to the Diocese of Paris.
Go to the Louvre
- Opening hours: Monday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm; Wednesday and Friday from 9 am to 9 pm. Last entry is one hour before closing.
- Closed on Tuesdays, 25 December and 1 January.
- Admission: €22 for residents or citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA) and €32 for everyone else. Under-18s and EEA residents under 26 do not pay.
- Free admission for everyone on the first Friday of the month from 6 pm: 4 December 2026 and 5 February 2027 (the museum is closed on 1 January).
- Booking a time slot is not compulsory, but the museum recommends it, also with free admission.
Spend a day at Disneyland Paris
The Christmas season, “Disney’s Enchanted Christmas”, runs from 7 November 2026 to 6 January 2027. This year it comes for the first time to the “World of the Snow Queen” area in the Disney Adventure World park.
See the year out on the Champs-Élysées
The City of Paris celebrates New Year’s Eve on the Champs-Élysées. On 31 December 2025 there was a free video-mapping show on the Arc de Triomphe and fireworks at midnight, from 11:50 pm to 12:20 am, with no concert: the Police Prefecture did not authorise one. The programme for 31 December 2026 has not been announced yet; we will add it here when it is published.
- 1Champs-Élysées — Lights 22 Nov – 3 Jan · market 22 Nov – 4 Jan · New Year’s Eve
- 2Tuileries Garden — Christmas market 14 Nov – 3 Jan
- 3Louvre — Closed Tuesdays, 25 Dec and 1 Jan
- 4Notre-Dame and Square René-Viviani — Cathedral: free admission · market 26 Nov – 27 Dec
- 5Saint-Germain-des-Prés — Christmas market 27 Nov – 6 Jan
- 6Eiffel Tower, Quai Jacques-Chirac — Christmas market 5 Dec – 3 Jan
- 7Arc de Triomphe — New Year’s Eve video mapping (2026 programme not announced)
Shopping
The winter sales run from Wednesday 6 January 2027, at 8 am, to Tuesday 2 February 2027 throughout metropolitan France, except four eastern departments (Meurthe-et-Moselle, Meuse, Moselle and Vosges), which have their own dates.
Safety
Is France safe to visit right now?
The Telcomia Safety Index for France is 1.5/4 (Increased caution, level 2 of 4) as of Nov 14, 2026. It is a composite of official advisories from Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany, recalculated daily.
91 diplomatic missions from 71 countries, across 13 cities.
Situation now·
France: protests and weather after the 5 November rail strike
On 5 November 2026 four SNCF unions (CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail and CFDT-Cheminots) went on strike over pay: SNCF expected slightly disrupted TGV services, disrupted Intercités and TER services and one train in three on RER line D, and a march was called in Paris that day, for which RATP was closing 25 metro stations. Late on 4 November no new strike had been announced, and 2027 pay talks are scheduled for January (Sortir à Paris, 4 November). Germany notes that violent riots broke out in several cities during the protest days of 17 and 24 October and that more cannot be ruled out; the UK warns of a greater likelihood of demonstrations, sometimes at short notice, and possible partial and localised curfews, and Spain keeps the Vigipirate plan at the 'vigilance renforcée' level. As for the weather, Météo-France considers a warmer-than-normal autumn most likely (60%) and wetter in the west (50%); in the mountains, chains or winter tyres are mandatory from 1 November to 31 March.
What governments advise
Travel normally, avoid demonstrations and check your train and metro stations before you set off.
What to do
- 1Check your train the day before and on the day on the SNCF website or app, in case new strikes are called.
- 2Avoid demonstrations and areas with a heavy police presence, and follow the authorities' instructions.
- 3If there is a march, check in advance which metro stations RATP is closing.
- 4Watch your belongings in stations and on public transport, where pickpocketing is common.
- 5In an emergency call 112.
- 6With a Telcomia eSIM for this trip, your embassy's details, the risk level and the emergency phrases with audio stay saved on your phone and open even without a connection.
Questions travellers are asking this week
Is it safe to travel to France right now?
Yes, with care. The UK warns of a greater likelihood of demonstrations and possible local curfews, and Spain keeps heightened vigilance; neither advises against travel.
Is it safe to fly to France after the bomb threats?
Yes. On 5 November an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted under military escort to the Évreux air base, west of Paris, and its 151 passengers and six crew were moved to safety; no explosives have been reported. No government has changed its travel advice for France because of the threats.
What is the weather like in France in November?
Météo-France considers a warmer-than-normal autumn most likely (60%) and wetter in the west (50%), though cold spells can occur. In the mountains, winter tyres or chains are mandatory from 1 November to 31 March, according to Spain.
Are there more train strikes in France after 5 November?
Late on 4 November no new strike had been announced; 2027 pay talks are scheduled for January. Check your train the day before.
Are there curfews in France?
The UK warns that local curfews are possible. Check the notices of the prefecture of the city you are travelling to.
How the Telcomia app helps
- Your embassy and its emergency numbers, one tap away.
- An alert if the risk level rises during your trip.
- Everything saved on your phone to read offline.
- Emergency phrases in the local language, with audio.
- Mobile data from the moment you land, so alerts reach you.
Sources: United States — Department of State (Nov 5, 2026) · United Kingdom — Foreign Office (FCDO) (Nov 5, 2026) · Germany — Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) (Nov 5, 2026) · Spain — Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC) (Nov 5, 2026) · sortiraparis.com (Nov 4, 2026) · meteofrance.fr (Oct 30, 2026) · aljazeera.com (Nov 5, 2026) · english.news.cn (Nov 5, 2026)
A dated summary of official and press sources. It does not replace instructions from the local authorities or your embassy.
What governments say
Checked on 12 November 2026.
- The United States asks for “increased caution” (level 2 of 4). Pickpocketing and phone theft are common at airports, on the metro and trains, at tourist sites and stations. Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France. Demonstrations are frequent and usually peaceful, but they can disrupt transport: avoid them.
- The United Kingdom does not advise against travel. It warns of pickpockets on the Paris metro, on the RER lines and at the main stations, of several serious assaults on RER line B (Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, Gare du Nord) and line D (Stade de France), and of demonstrations that can be called with little or no warning. It considers it very likely that terrorists will try to carry out attacks in France, including at tourist sites, on transport and in crowded places, and asks you to follow the instructions of the police and the authorities.
- Spain, at the busiest tourist sites and on public transport, recommends not carrying all your documents, money and cards in the same bag, staying alert at cash machines, being discreet with your phone and not leaving bags or backpacks unattended. It warns of new demonstrations in Paris and the surrounding area.
- Germany has no travel warning for France.
Documents and theft
- Report it at a police station. Spain explains that, if there was no assault, you file a “main courante” and, if there was a violent robbery, a “plainte”. Keep the report: the consulate and your insurer will ask for it.
- Lost passport: your consulate can issue an emergency travel document to get you home. See which one serves you, according to your passport, in the France safety guide.
Health and emergencies
- Phone numbers: 112 (emergencies), 15 (ambulance), 17 (police), 18 (fire brigade) and 114 (by SMS or chat, for deaf and hard-of-hearing people).
- In bars and clubs, the United Kingdom advises buying your own drinks and keeping them in sight.
Staying connected
- With a mobile plan from an EU country, in France you use your data at no extra cost (roam like at home).
- With a plan from outside the EU (United Kingdom, United States, Latin America…), check the roaming price first. A data eSIM for France connects you as soon as you land and you keep your usual number: see plans for France.
When should I activate my France eSIM?
Each plan shows before you pay when it starts counting. Plans that start on connection start counting the first time they connect to a network in one of the countries they cover: install the eSIM before you leave, keep the line off until you arrive in France, and you'll have data as soon as you land. Some also work in other countries (each plan lists which): if the line connects earlier, at home or on a layover, it starts counting there. Plans that start when you buy them are best bought on the day you'll start using them.
Travellers’ questions about Paris at Christmas
When are the Champs-Élysées lights switched on?
On 22 November 2026 from 6:30 pm. After that they are on every evening, from 23 November to 3 January 2027, from 5 pm to 1 am.
When do the Paris Christmas markets open in 2026?
The Tuileries market opens on 14 November; the Champs-Élysées one on the 22nd; Notre-Dame on the 26th; Saint-Germain-des-Prés on the 27th, and the Eiffel Tower on 5 December. Outside Paris, La Défense opens on 12 November.
Do I need to book to go inside Notre-Dame?
No. Admission is free; booking a free time slot at resa.notredamedeparis.fr from two days before only lets you get in faster.
Are there fireworks in Paris on New Year’s Eve?
On 31 December 2025 there was video mapping on the Arc de Triomphe and fireworks at midnight on the Champs-Élysées. The programme for 31 December 2026 has not been announced yet.
When are the 2027 winter sales in France?
From 6 January 2027, at 8 am, to 2 February 2027 in most of France.
What is the weather like in Paris in December?
Cold and damp: between 3.8 °C and 8 °C on average, about 11 rainy days and about 57 hours of sunshine in the whole month (Météo-France, 1991-2020 averages).
What do I need to enter France?
If you are from the EU, the EEA or Switzerland, an identity card or passport. If not, since 10 April 2026 you are registered in the Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and photo) when you enter the Schengen area. ETIAS is not working yet.
Where next
Photos
- The Christmas lights on the Champs-Élysées, in December 2025. — TorbeyCharbel, CC BY 4.0
- The southern pond of the Tuileries under snow, on 7 January 2026: the exception, not the rule. — DunboyneDiana, CC BY 4.0
- The Guimard entrance of Porte Dauphine station, on line 2. — Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The avenue with the lights on, in November 2024. — Tangopaso, Public domain
- Chalets at a neighbourhood Christmas market, in the 15th arrondissement, in December 2016. — Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
- The façade of Notre-Dame, a year after the reopening, in December 2025. — Gerda Arendt, CC0
- The Cour Carrée of the Louvre, the quietest way in to the pyramid courtyard. — Arunkumar Vijayan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- The Arc de Triomphe, where the New Year’s Eve video mapping is projected. — Wilfredor, CC0
- The arcades of the rue de Rivoli, opposite the Tuileries, in December. — Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0
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