Hi... I was just wondering what exactly can you do in Paris o xmas day if you%26#39;re alone? Would it be depressing? Also what days do the shops, galleries etc closed around xmas? Do they only closed on the day or before and after as well? Thank you for the help!
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If I may ask, how do you happen to be alone on Christmas; I know people travel alone, but on a holiday one is usually with some family or friends. I do not know what is closed or open; there are many threads on %26quot;Christmas%26quot; or %26quot;holidays in Paris%26quot; in the search box, or someone else can help. Are you religious? Attending a mass at Notre Dame or Sacre Coeur would be lovely, and you%26#39;d be surrounded by others. Hope you have a nice day regardless.
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haha that%26#39;s because I don%26#39;t generally celebrate xmas at all with family most of my family and relatives are buddhist so xmas is not a big thing for us...
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Try something new, go to a Church with Music, you could check out the churches in Paris.
Could be very beautiful and informative !!
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Since you don%26#39;t celebrate Christmas, consider it is just a %26quot;normal%26quot; day, very much Sunday alike as the shops will be closed (only on Christmas day, everything will be open on Wednesday 24th and on Friday 26th).
So stroll around a few neighborhoods, sit in cafés with a hot chocolate and a good book, enjoy a nice meal...but don%26#39;t miss the Christmas windows at the Grands Magasins on Boulevard Haussmann (the windows are great and so are the kids in front of it)!
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Thanks heaps for the tips guys... definitely would love to see those xmas decorations and maybe go to a church etc... makes me feel better to know that they%26#39;re open before and after xmas day because I don%26#39;t want to waste too many days just walking around but can%26#39;t actually do anything (visiting museums/galleries/shopping etc)
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Lufchic - just an idea. I have a lot of Jewish friends who don%26#39;t celebrate Christmas - you could head to one of the Jewish area%26#39;s of Paris - here%26#39;s a paragraph from a NY Times article this Sunday and the link:
As you enter the narrow, cobblestone rue des Rosiers, the smell of fresh-baked challah drifts from bakeries, and school kids in yarmulkes pop out of doorways adorned with the Star of David. This is the heart of Jewish Paris. Many Parisians say that the nation’s best shwarma and falafel are served at L’As du Fallafel. Alas, every tourist from every continent seems to be in on the news, resulting in lines more common to Madonna concerts. Instead, cross the street to Mi-Va-Mi (23, rue des Rosiers; 33-1-42-71-53-72), where the lines are shorter, the service is friendlier, and the falafel (5 euros) and spit-grilled shwarma (7 euros) are almost equally good. Ask for some zesty red salade Turque on top and finish with excellent fig strudel (3.20 euros) at nearby Florence Finkelstein (24, rue des Ecouffes; 33-1-48-87-92-85).
…nytimes.com/2008/10/19/travel/19hours.html
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My first trip to Paris as an adult was during Christmas (although I think I arrived on 12/26). I stayed in a very inexpensive hotel that had a nice common area and met quite a few fellow travelers. It was quite cold when I was there, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself, including being snowed on one evening by the Pantheon. I just googled Paris at Christmas and found this great photo essay for inspiration (not much info, though). …about.com/od/…parischristmas_10.htm
I also found this list of museums open on Xmsas day: I%26#39;ve never been to any of these, but it%26#39;s a longer list than I would have expected.
Musee du Luxembourg http://www.museeduluxembourg.com/
Musee Jacquemart-Andre -- I%26#39;ve heard this is wonderful www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com/en/jacquemart/
Paris Erotic Museum www.musee-erotisme.com/fichiers/billet.php… and they have a voucher on the web site for a 3E discount
Espace Salvador Dali www.daliparis.com/english/practical.html
Musee du Grevin Wax Muxeum http://www.grevin.com/discover (Closed Jan 5 - 9 inclusive)
Have a great time!~
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Okay...one more thing...Notre Dame%26#39;s official site has a calendar of events, including concerts and masses on Christmas eve and day.
Christmas Eve: www.notredamedeparis.fr/index.php…
Christmas Day: www.notredamedeparis.fr/index.php…
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Think of this as an adventure! I think it will be amazing, not depressing. Walk around the city, enjoy the sights and sounds. I find myself alone on many holdays also. Many people don%26#39;t understand that not everyone has family. I prefer to travel solo also. It beats making myself a third wheel in someone else%26#39;s house! Have a wonderful time!
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Jeanne - don%26#39;t suppose you found what is open on New Year%26#39;s day?
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