What’s On in Paris – December 2024

Looking specifically for Christmas markets, holiday events, and what’s open on Christmas and New Year’s Day? Check out the 32-page 2024 Paris Holiday Guide with holiday events from mid-November 19th through January 6th.

VACANCES SCOLAIRES (French School Holidays): December 21st, 2024 – January 6th, 2025

November 28-December 1
The 46th annual Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants celebrates independent wine makers at the Palais des Expositions – Porte de Versailles in Paris, Pavillion 3, open 10am-8pm (until 7pm the last night). Entry €6 (includes your souvenir tasting glass). In addition to hundred of winemakers, there are also a few food stands, cart rental, and wine tasting workshops.

December 1 (and every 1st Sunday)
Many museums and monuments in Paris are open for free the first Sunday of the month. In November, that includes the Orsay, Picasso, Pompidou, Cluny, Arts-et-Métiers, Orangerie, Cité de l’Architecture, Quai Branly, and the Château Fontainebleau. Be sure to check each museum’s website, as some still require you to have a timed ticket; even if the entrance is free. See the full list here.

December 1
Paris Loves Vinyl #13 returns to ESPACE REUILLY (21 rue Antoine-Julien Hénard, 12th arrondissement), for the ultimate vinyl collector’s event featuring over 100,000 records, 70 sellers from around the world, and live sets by 8 top DJs across genres like Jazz, Soul, Disco, Funk, Hip-Hop, Rock, Afro, and more. Specialists from Record Clinic will be on-site for vinyl diagnostics and cleaning, while Dust & Grooves launches its photography project on vinyl collectors in France. Open 10am-6pm; early tickets recommended for priority access. Details and lineup at www.parislovesvinyl.com.

December 5-8
It’s time for the 30th annual Grande Braderie de la Mode AIDS, a huge sale of 150 top brands to benefit HIV/AIDS charities at the Magasins Generaux (1 rue de l’Ancien Canal, Pantin, metro Eglise de Pantin). New clothing and accessories (shoes!) are for sale at 70% off their regular price. Open Thurs-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat-Sun 11am-6pm. Get there as early as possible in the day for the best selection. Entry is €2, RESERVATIONS REQUIRED: https://www.aides.org/braderie

December 5–7
Vidéo-mapping: Caillebotte en lumière transforms the Seine façade of the Musée d’Orsay into a canvas with 11 animated sequences designed by students from the Gobelins, l’École de l’Image. This free sound-and-light show, accompanied by an original score from the Conservatoire de Paris, runs in an 18-minute loop from 5:30pm to 11pm on December 5 and until 10pm on December 6 and 7, visible from the nearby Seine quays. A unique way to see Caillebotte’s works reimagined and the museum’s architecture illuminated with creativity.

December 6-9
Salon Saveurs des Plaisirs Gourmands gathers 250 exhibitors at Espace Champerret, 6 rue Jean Oestreicher, 17th arrondissement, offering gourmet delights like charcuterie, cheeses, chocolates, seafood, wines, and artisanal spirits. Perfect for holiday preparations, enjoy direct sales from producers, tastings of innovative creations, and a festive Friday evening from 7-9pm. Open Friday 10am-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-7pm, and Monday 10am-6pm (last entry 30 minutes before closing). Tickets are €7 online, €10 on-site, and free for children under 14.

December 7-9
Prix d’Honneur Animato 2024 brings four piano prodigies to Salle Cortot, 78 Rue Cardinet, 17th arrondissement, for free recitals featuring works by Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, and Rachmaninov. Performances: Saturday and Sunday at 3pm and 8pm, with a final concert Monday at 8pm. Audience members get to vote for the “Prix du Public Animato.”

December 7-15
Notre-Dame Cathedral is set to reopen its doors to the public on December 8^th for its first mass since the devastating fire on April 15, 2019. Read this article for the full schedule of opening events and ceremonies, the changes to expect after the extensive renovations, and the new ticketing system for visitors: Everything You Need to Know for Notre Dame’s Reopening

December 10 & 17
La Notte Castafiore at La Felicità, 5 Parvis Alan Turing, 13th arrondissement, offers free karaoke nights with a lively blind test, and DJ set in a massive Italian-inspired food court at Station F (the biggest start-up incubator in France). There are multiple kiosks selling authentic Italian cuisine and tons of seating, both indoors and on the terrace. Popular with French students from the nearby university. The music starts at 9pm and the party continues until 11:30pm.

December 12
Lost in Frenchlation celebrates their 9th anniversary tonight with a screening of the French film “Le Sens de la Fête” (C’est La Vie!) with English subtitles at L’Arlequin (76 Rue de Rennes, 6th), followed by a Q&A with the directors. Drinks and raffle giveaway from 7pm, screening at 8pm. Tickets €11.50. I’ll see you there!

December 12-15
Pop-Up Sport by TrashTalk and So Foot returns for its second edition at 23 rue du Sentier, 2nd arrondissement, a sports-lover’s paradise with 11 mini-shops offering new and premium second-hand sports items: jerseys, sneakers, hoodies, posters, books, mugs, and more from football, basketball, cycling, and beyond. Open Thursday and Friday 12pm-8:30pm, Saturday 10am-8:30pm, and Sunday 10am-7pm. Free entry, accessible via metro Sentier (line 3) or Bonne-Nouvelle (line 9). Perfect for holiday shopping with prices from €15 to several hundred.

December 13-15
The annual Expo4Art art fair at the Halle des Blancs Manteaux (48 rue Vieille du Temple, 4th) features 70 painters, sculptors, photographers and designers who want to promote their work and their talent. Free entrance, open Friday from 3-9pm and Saturday to Monday from 11am- 8pm.

Through December 15
The Espace Monte-Cristo (9, Rue Monte-Cristo, 20th) presents Les Mondes Imaginaires, an immersive journey into fantastical realms through the works of artists like Eva Jospin, Tadashi Kawamata, and Agnès Varda. Encounter enchanted forests, mystical creatures, and explore surreal landscapes that blend nature and imagination. The artworks blend nature and fantasy, creating a unique experience that transports you to otherworldly dimensions, perfect for those seeking creative and imaginative adventures. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-6pm. Free entry.

December 26 – January 4
The Louvre museum is usually open late nights Wednesday and Fridays until 9pm, but for the holiday season they’re open until 9pm every night except Tuesdays (when they’re always closed), December 31st and January 1st. Reserve your timeslot online in advance (up until 7:30pm, rooms start closing at 8:30pm).

December 31st
The City of Paris always throws a free party on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées to ring in the New Year (aka Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre), with a midnight countdown light show and fireworks on the Arc de Triomphe (the Eiffel Tower fireworks are only on Bastille Day). Although we’re still waiting on the official announcement (check back mid-December), festivities usually begin at 7pm with musical and artistic programming, and a laser show projected onto the Arc de Triomphe from 11:40pm, with fireworks after the midnight countdown.

Through December 31
The Maison de Famille de Louis Vuitton (16, rue Louis Vuitton, Asnières-sur-Seine, closest metro Gabriel Péri) presents La Malle Courrier: Louis Vuitton and Sport, an exhibition celebrating the brand’s iconic trunks and their connection to sports. Discover vintage treasures like tennis racket covers and bowling bags, alongside custom trunks made for the 2024 Olympics. I’ve never actually visited this location, so not sure if it’s worth the trek, but for Vuitton fans, give it a try. Open Saturday and Sunday, 11am-5pm. Free entry.

Through January 5, 2025
The exhibition Lesage, 100 ans de mode et de décoration celebrates the centenary of the renowned embroidery house Lesage, known for its work with Chanel. The show highlights its exceptional craftsmanship, from vintage pieces like Balenciaga’s jacket (1962-1963) to modern creations such as Chanel’s 3D collection and collaborations with young designers. At the Gallery du 19M, 2 Place Skanderbeg, 19th arrondissement, open Wednesday to Friday 11am-6pm, weekends 11am-7pm. Free admission with reservation online (slots fill up fast!). It’s on the edge of the city along the périphérique; I recommend taking the bus 45 or tram 3b to get as close as possible (or a taxi if you can afford it).

Through January 5, 2025
The wonderful Musée Jacquemart-André (158 Boulevard Haussmann, 8th) celebrates its reopening after a full renovation with Masterpieces from the Borghese Gallery. For the first time, works by Caravaggio, Raphael, Bernini, and Botticelli travel from Rome to Paris. Highlights include Boy with a Basket of Fruit by Caravaggio and Lady with a Unicorn. Open daily 10am-6pm (until 10pm on Fridays). Tickets €18, reduced prices available. Don’t forget to visit the museum’s gorgeous salon du thé.

Through January 19, 2025
Don’t miss “We Are Here”, the free exposition of the world’s greatest street artists at the Petit Palais. Over 200 extra-large contemporary artworks and installations by artists like Shepard Fairey, Invader, Seth, Hush and Vhils are found mixed right into the permanent collection of the beautiful Petit Palais, the city’s Fine Arts Museum in the gardens of the Champs Elysées. Watch the video here to get an idea of what to expect.

Through January 19, 2025
The Musée d’Orsay (Esplanade Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, 7th) presents Gustave Caillebotte: Painting Men, an exhibition that highlights the often-overlooked works of this discreet impressionist (and my personal favorite!). Through 70 modern masterpieces, including his famous Les Raboteurs de Parquet (The Floor Scrapers) the show explores how Caillebotte captures the nonchalance and struggles of Parisian men in the late 19th century. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9:30am-6pm (until 9:45pm on Thursdays). Tickets €16, reduced €13, free for under-26.

Through February 2, 2025
The Musée Bourdelle (18 Rue Antoine Bourdelle, 15th) presents Rodin & Bourdelle, a striking exhibition that brings together over 160 works from these two monumental sculptors. Rodin, a master of modern sculpture, and Bourdelle, his former student, share a deep connection with materials like marble and the unfinished aesthetic. The exhibition explores their shared influences, with pieces like La Main de Dieu by Rodin and La Main désespérée by Bourdelle. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm. Tickets €10, reduced €8. Great little café upstairs.

Through September 7, 2025
The Bibliothèque Nationale de France (5 Rue Vivienne, 2nd) presents Le monde pour horizon, a year-long, three-part exhibition showcasing rare maps, prints, manuscripts, photos, costumes, and stage jewelry. Highlights include Hokusai’s The Great Wave and Toulouse-Lautrec’s Divan Japonais poster. With rotating exhibits every four months, visitors can return for new discoveries throughout the year. Open Tuesday 10am-8pm, Wednesday to Sunday 10am-6pm. Tickets €10, reduced €8.

Through September 21, 2025
Musée d’Art et d’Histoire Louis-Senlecq (31 Grande Rue, L’Isle-Adam) presents Trois siècles à L’Isle-Adam, an exhibition showcasing the town’s history through paintings, sculptures, watercolors, engravings, vintage posters, postcards, and historical photographs. Visitors will explore L’Isle-Adam’s evolution from the 18th century to the mid-20th century. Highlights include works by artists like Jules Dupré, depictions of the Oise River landscapes, and a focus on the town’s industrial and leisure history. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm. €6.