Nov14

France for the Holidays

by Paris Weekender
Posted In: Getting Out of Paris, Must Do in Paris

A number of people have asked me over the years what to do in Paris or elsewhere in France if visiting around Christmas and New Year’s. These are generally family holidays in France. Many businesses will shut down and Paris is not known for its New Year’s nightlife. But there are still some great options to make a winter visit worthwhile.


Notre Dame at Christmas

My favorite part of winter in Europe is the Christmas markets. Strasbourg and Colmar can be very cold but these small cities are beautiful with all the holiday lights and other decorations. And the plentiful vin chaud or hot spiced wine can help with the cold…. Strasbourg is now only 1h46 hours from Paris by train. So it’s doable as a day trip, though spend a night if you can. There are wonderful hotels, such as Les Haras, and world class restaurants. I also recommend renting a car and exploring some of the smaller towns of Alsace.

Lille has a nice Christmas market, though not quite as atmospheric as the Alsacian options. I have not visited the Christmas markets in Provence (Avignon and Aix-en-Provence for example), but this link has some more information on this and other intriguing markets. If you have time to venture 3 hours or so by train into Germany, Cologne’s market is world famous and well worth the trip.
Finally, if you’re staying in Paris, you can still hit up a Christmas market or two! Find out more here.
Here are a few more sources for planning your winter holidays in France:
Sick of traditional Christmas cards? Here’s an idea!
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What are your favorite things to do in Paris and further afield around the holidays? I’d love to hear from you!
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Nov07

November 11th

by Paris Weekender
Posted In: Must Do in Paris

This Sunday marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice after World War I. Secrets of Paris has provided us (here) with a great summary of the events commemorating this centennial.

Be sure to read my post about visiting Compiègne, the town just outside Paris where the armistice was signed at 11am on November 11, 1918.

 

 

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Oct31

English Bookstores in Paris

by Paris Weekender
Posted In: Must Do in Paris

Paris Insiders Guide has shared a helpful list of 7 English-language bookstores in Paris.

Take a look at my write-up of Jeffrey Mercer’s Time Was Soft There, his account of his adventures while staying and working at George Whitman’s Shakespeare & Co., #4 on the Paris Insiders list. Shakespeare & Co. offers not just books but frequent lectures and other events.

And don’t forget about the American Library in Paris.

Do you have a favorite English book shop in Paris?

 

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Oct24

Walking Paris’s Perimeter

by Paris Weekender
Posted In: Must Do in Paris

If you did not catch this week’s New York Times article on walking the 35-mile perimeter of Paris, you can catch it here. While the author doesn’t mention it specifically, it appears he followed the GR2024, deemed the only 100% Parisian long distance footpath.

While this perimeter tour would not be my first choice for visiting the city, it is a good reminder that there’s more to see than just central Paris and the major tourist attractions. There is also something highly satisfying about walking your way through the city, seeing how different neighborhoods are connected, and getting a sense of the city’s size and scope.

If you’re looking for a different way of seeing the city, including the city center but also some more out-of-the-way spots, my suggestion is to follow the long-distance trail markers that run east-west and north-south through the city. I’ve hiked them both; you can find more details here (east-west; map) and here (north-south; map).

I still need to follow Route 3 on the above map, through the northern neighborhoods of the right bank!

 

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Oct10

Regional Wine Festivals in France

by Paris Weekender
Posted In: Getting Out of Paris, Must Do in Paris

Complete France recently posted a list of their top picks for regional wine festivals in France. Quite a number of them are in October, so get planning now!

The Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre right in Paris is this coming weekend!

And don’t forget, November 29th-December 2nd, 2018 is the 40th annual Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants (wine fair) in Paris, at Porte de Versailles. This is the biggest wine fair of the year. Not to be missed!

 

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