A Girls Trip to Paris in December, Just Us Girls.
Planning a girls trip to Paris — or treating yourself to a solo escape? This is my guide to Christmas in Paris: the grand magasins at their festive best, the Christmas markets, Avenue Montaigne and the hidden boutiques only locals know. Below you'll find where to stay, what Paris in December actually feels like, what to wear, and a three-day shopping itinerary. Send for the complimentary Holiday Shopping in Paris guide and I'll add my full list of addresses.
Girls Trips • Solo Women • Christmas Markets • Grand Magasins
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Where I'd Shop
Galeries Lafayette and Printemps at their holiday best, Avenue Montaigne for fashion, Le Marais for independent designers, and Saint-Germain for the boutiques Parisians actually love.
The Christmas Markets
The Champs-Élysées stalls, the Tuileries market, and the smaller neighborhood marchés de Noël — with the vendors and the vin chaud worth stopping for.
Where I'd Warm Up
The historic cafés and salons de thé between stops — the hot chocolate that lives up to its reputation, and the quiet tables nobody else finds.
Splurges Worth It
A private after-hours appointment at a boutique, a personal shopper at a grand magasin, and the handful of experiences that turn a shopping trip into a memory.
Paris in December: what to expect.
The questions every group asks me before a Christmas trip to Paris — answered from my own Decembers in the city.
How cold is Paris in December?
Cool and damp rather than harsh — think jacket weather, not snow boots. Snow in Paris is rare and never lasts. Grey afternoons are part of the charm when the lights come on at four and every café window glows.
What to wear in Paris in December
A good wool coat, a scarf you can loop twice, and boots you can walk cobblestones in all day. Layers beat bulk — you'll be in and out of heated department stores constantly. Leave the umbrella-sized handbag behind; you'll want your hands free for shopping bags.
When do the Christmas markets open?
The marchés de Noël generally run from late November through the first days of January, with the Tuileries and Champs-Élysées markets the two biggest. Go on a weekday evening if you can — weekends belong to the whole city.
How many days do you need?
Four nights is the sweet spot for a girls trip: three full days of markets, grand magasins and long lunches, with a morning to spare. Five or more, and I'd add a day trip out to Champagne or the Loire Valley.
Best Areas to Stay.
The right neighborhood makes a Paris holiday shopping trip effortless. These are the four I send my clients to — each one a short walk from a different kind of magic.
1st Arrondissement — Tuileries & Palais-Royal
First-timers & market lovers
Steps from the Tuileries Christmas market, the Louvre, and Place Vendôme. Walk to Galeries Lafayette, warm up in the Palais-Royal gardens, and never need a taxi.
8th Arrondissement — Champs-Élysées & Avenue Montaigne
Fashion & grand magasin splurges
Front-row to the Champs-Élysées market lights and the couture houses of Avenue Montaigne. Printemps and Galeries Lafayette are a short ride, the Arc de Triomphe is your evening stroll.
4th Arrondissement — Le Marais
Boutique hunters & cool girls
Independent designers, concept stores, and vintage in winding stone lanes. The most walkable neighborhood in Paris for a girls trip — with the best falafel and hidden courtyards between shops.
6th Arrondissement — Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Slow mornings & café culture
The bookshops, patisseries, and left-bank boutiques Parisians keep to themselves. Café de Flore for breakfast, then a short Metro to any market. Quiet, elegant, perfectly Parisian.
Suggested Itineraries.
A starting point — the shape I'd give a first girls trip to Paris in December. Every itinerary I build is from a blank page; this is the rhythm the city wants in winter.
Grand Magasins & Lights
- Morning: Galeries Lafayette — the glass cupola, the holiday windows, the rooftop view of Paris
- Lunch: A café table on Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin
- Afternoon: Printemps holiday floors and a personal-shopper appointment
- Evening: Walk the Champs-Élysées Christmas market with vin chaud
Le Marais & Hidden Boutiques
- Morning: Independent designers and concept stores in the Marais
- Lunch: A hidden courtyard table the locals know
- Afternoon: Vintage hunting and the Place des Vosges arcades
- Evening: Saint-Paul vin chaud, then dinner in a 17th-century cellar
Saint-Germain & Splurges
- Morning: Café de Flore breakfast, then left-bank bookshops and boutiques
- Lunch: A salade niçoaise on Boulevard Saint-Germain
- Afternoon: Avenue Montaigne for the splurge — or a private after-hours boutique visit
- Evening: Tuileries market one last time, then a farewell hot chocolate
Three days is a taste. Five is a real trip. Tell me your dates and I'll design the rest.
Ready for the real thing?
Skip the guide and let's design your Paris holiday shopping trip, around you.
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