Editor: Irina
Starting to dream about New Years in Paris 2021? So, it's time to download useful information about this wonderful city. Let's get it straight: don't expect too much from winter-festive Paris, but don't miss out on its purely Christmas features.
Celebrating the New Year in the most romantic city of the whole planet is already an event that you can tell your grandchildren about. New Year's Paris - Christmas markets with mulled wine and hot chocolate, live showcases at Printemps and Lafayette galleries, festive programs at Moulin Rouge and Disneyland, a multicolored crowd on the Champs Elysees at midnight. Let's figure out what, where, how much and how cold it is?
Weather in Paris in December-January
Probably the only thing that can reduce the degree of fun is the weather in Paris on New Year's. In December and January, the capital of France is usually damp, windy and chilly. The air temperature is kept around + 6 ° С during the day, and at night it can freeze. Alas and ah, but snow in Paris can not be seen either on New Years or in winter in general. But to get under a small prolonged under-rain is quite.
How is Christmas celebrated in France?
Christmas in France, as well as throughout Europe, is an important, family and very beautiful holiday. Mandatory attributes: cozy Christmas markets, ice skating rinks in the city center, the main Christmas tree near the cathedral, family gatherings on Christmas Eve with traditional treats (turkey / duck, truffles, oysters).
As for the holidays in Paris for the New Year 2021 - here is a completely different story. It is more of a holiday for visitors, immigrants and young people.
Where to celebrate New Years 2021 in Paris?
Louvre - Arc de Triomphe - Notre Dame de Paris
(we all liked to walk around the Louvre in the Tuileries garden)
Of course, you can celebrate the New Year in Paris everywhere: there would be a suitable mood and company. Catch a list of the most popular locations:
- Under the eiffel tower or overlooking it on the Trocadero and the Champ de Mars. Tourists come there because "this is Paris." And where, no matter how there, to celebrate the New Year! In fact, nothing special will happen at the main symbol of the city: the illumination at midnight - and the obsessive offers to buy champagne - are the same as every hour.
Get ready for the crowds - On the Champs Elysees in front of the Arc de Triomphe. The same story as with the Eiffel Tower. There are a lot of people, noisy, pass only through security, no city fireworks and entertainment - just cool illumination and a general atmosphere of joy and celebration
- To the ballet Raymonda (Raymonda) at the Opera Bastille - tickets € 55 - until 22.30
- At the Basilica of the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre. The place is very pleasant, of course, crowded, but with a great view of Paris
- On a boatfloating on the Seine. Food, must-have outfit and romantic night city landscapes. The issue price is € 90 per person. www.francetourisme.fr
- In an authentic cabaret - Moulin Rouge (€ 500- € 1000), Lido (€ 300- € 700), Crazy Horse (€ 250-290), Brasil Tropical (€ 250). The price includes a New Year's program, menu and drinks; except for Moulin Rouge and Lido: the "inexpensive" there includes a bottle of champagne only
- At Disneyland (special offer from 8 pm to 1 am) - celebrate the New Year in the company of Mickey Mouse with music, parades and fireworks - well, isn't it a dream? :) In general, special tours with the capture of Disneyland were organized for the New Year in Paris 2020
- In the restaurant - there is for any budget, dress code and with different cuisine (specifics below)
- In the hotel / apartment - large chains usually offer a festive dinner. If you do not like noisy gatherings at all, the layout of "solitude, French champagne, foie gras and the president broadcasting from the phone screen" is also good
Do not forget that it is better to book all programs and performances in advance (from October), on the official websites of establishments / companies.
New Year parties
If you are looking for a fun New Year's Eve in France, the Parisian clubs are right for you. The best parties will be here (prices for New Year's programs on December 31 are indicated):
- YOYO - € 55- € 65
- La Java - € 20
- Wanderlust - € 49
- Rex Club - € 20- € 25
- L'aquarium - € 49
It's cool to come there to dance. But there are also parties with dinner, for example, at Le Duplex - with a dinner in a restaurant and a further break on the dance floor (from € 100). Prices for cocktails in clubs: € 10-20.
How much does a tour to Paris for New Year 2021 cost?
Paris on a tour has a place to be. Prices and offers can be monitored on several resources:
- Travelata
- Level.Travel
- Onlinetours
Touring is always easier, but it is more profitable to travel to European capitals on your own. Then you have more choice and there are opportunities for saving (rent a house away from the main streets, cook in an apartment, buy cheap tickets with a transfer).
Below we have calculated how much a ticket to Paris for two for the winter holidays costs:
| for 4 days | for 7 days | for 10 days | |
| Hotel 2-3 * | from 72,000 rubles | from 75,000 rubles | from 92,000 rubles |
| Hotel 4 * | from 82,000 rubles | from 95,000 rubles | from 120,000 rubles |
| Hotel 5 * | from 110,000 rubles | from 155,000 rubles | from 200,000 rubles |
All prices for tours to Paris from the plate were relevant for the New Year 2020 and meant departure after December 25 and from Moscow. On Catholic Christmas, prices are about the same. Please note that some 4-star hotels are more expensive, but in reality they are not very different from their 3-star brothers. Here are a must-read reviews of tourists.
Airfare prices
The fact is also understandable: air tickets for the New Year are becoming more expensive. Manage to track more or less adequate on aggregators:
- Skyscanner
- Aviasales
Now the breakdown of prices per person is as follows:
- From Moscow: 16-20 thousand rubles in both directions with a transfer (via Warsaw, Riga, Frankfurt, Geneva) and from 30 thousand direct round-trip flights (Air France or Aeroflot fly).
- From St. Petersburg: from 20 thousand rubles with a transfer and about 27 thousand - without.
Housing prices
Our apartment, which we rented next to the Eiffel Tower
(via Airbnb for 4,700 rubles / night)
The good news: housing prices in Paris for the New Year do not lend themselves to an upward trend (after all, the main holiday is Christmas). Bad: in this city everything is always expensive.
For one night in the simplest hotel in the city center, you will have to pay from € 90 for two. Rooms in distant districts will cost a little cheaper - from € 50 (but also plan for transport). It is more profitable to rent apartments, a decent studio in a non-tourist area will cost € 65, in the center - from € 90.
Accommodation in Paris for the New Year can be found on:
- Booking - hotels
- Airbnb - apartments (and up to € 46 bonus on first booking)
Prices for holidays in Paris in winter
The cost of a vacation for two with self-booking air tickets and accommodation can differ with the cost of a New Year's tour, both up and down. But food prices in Paris are the same for everyone:
- Lunch at an inexpensive cafe for two - from € 30
- Dinner in a restaurant - € 55- € 60 (no alcohol)
- Picnic for two "from the supermarket" - € 10- € 15
(wine, baguette, pate, cherry tomatoes, cheese, sweet buns) - Onion soup - € 10- € 12
- Snails (6 pcs.) - € 8- € 12
- A glass of mulled wine at the fair - from € 4
- Cappuccino - from € 2.5
- Croissant - € 1.2
- Burger and fries at McDonald's - € 7
The fare on the Paris metro is € 1.90 per trip. There are travel passes, but they did not seem beneficial to us. For some reason, we managed to pass not one, but two times 8 out of 10 purchased tickets - such is the "life hack". From 17:00 on December 31 to 12:00 on January 1, the metro is free!
Personal experience. I think you know that Paris is an expensive city. We've been here 3 times, but only the last one bothered to write down our daily expenses. It turned out that the day we spent ≈ 70 euros for two - this is WITHOUT accommodation and entrance tickets to museums / attractions. Just food, water and transport: we had breakfast at home, dined in a cafe, had a ton of croissants, cheeses and desserts :)
Paris hotels with New Year's program
Walking around Paris, it is important to be able to get lost and turn into such streets 🙂
New Year's at a hotel in Paris is usually greeted by those guests who come on tour. A festive banquet with a program is offered in advance (usually the price includes unlimited alcohol, a buffet table, several main courses). The New Year's hotel will not surprise you with interesting shows, these are just dances, a DJ, beautiful illuminations. The surcharge for such a holiday is around € 300.
Another thing is New Year's Eve dinners in super luxury 5-star hotels like George V, Shangri-La, Four Seasons. Here the emphasis is on an exquisite dinner from the chef, a luxurious interior, classical music, fireworks. A special dress code is also required. Such hotel restaurants charge a price tag of € 500- € 900 per person.
Good reviews of the thematic programs at Le Bristol. There are three of them: varying degrees of sophistication (from € 280 for a party in a tea salon to € 850 for a ballroom with performances, and this is without drinks).
Restaurants and cafes
Signed up in advance for dinner at La Jacobine restaurant - tried desserts
from the beloved Eric Kayser
Most often, New Year in France, visitors begin to celebrate in a restaurant, subsequently moving to the streets - a scenario similar to Russian :) Festive dinners are praised in establishments:
- Bistro Parisien (from € 395) - with a Seine cruise
- Chez Jenny (€ 120)
- Le Procope (€ 189)
- Nos Ancêtres Les Gaulois (€ 150) - no dress code, but specific setting
What to see in Paris?
The main attractions in Paris:
- Eiffel Tower - Rise € 10- € 25
- Louvre - € 17
- Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees - rise € 12
- Luxembourg garden
- Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur Basilica
If you have an intensive museum program (after all, the Louvre is not the only one), buy the Paris Pass for € 130 and you will receive free admission to more than 60 iconic sights, museums and tours in Paris for 2 days. A super plus is skip-the-line.
Where to go exactly for the New Year's atmosphere? Here are some purely winter holiday ideas:
- Christmas markets:
- 1.1 In the Tuileries Gardens (previously held on the Champs Elysees). There are Christmas decorations, New Year's souvenirs, fried chestnuts, sausages, waffles, punch and attractions
(Nov 15-Jan 5, 2020) . - 1.2 Another cool Christmas market - in the La Defense business district
(Nov 21-Dec 28, 2019) . - 1.3 Around Notre Dame de Paris (December 13-29, 2019).
- 1.4 In front of the Gare de l'Est - Gare de l'Est (December 4-20, 2019).
- 1.1 In the Tuileries Gardens (previously held on the Champs Elysees). There are Christmas decorations, New Year's souvenirs, fried chestnuts, sausages, waffles, punch and attractions
- Christmas tree at Notre Dame de Paris.
- Ice rink. The most spectacular is Le Grand Palais (the cost of skiing with rental is from € 17 to € 25, open from December 13 to January 8, 2020). Skating rinks are also set up near the City Hall, the Eiffel Tower, in La Defense, but not every year.
- Christmas showcases in Le BHV Marais stores (this year dedicated to Strasbourg, 13 November-2 January, 2020), Galeries Lafayette (20 November-5 January, 2020), Printemps (7 November-5 January, 2020).
Shopping - New Years Sale
After the New Year's party in Paris, it's time to go shopping :) Please note that on January 1, you won't be able to go through the boutiques - almost everything in the capital is closed. And you can get on New Year's discounts only after the holidays: a full-fledged winter sale starts on January 8 and lasts until February 4, 2021.
Top places for shopaholics in Paris:
✓ Galleries Lafayette Shopping Center
✓ Shopping center Printemps (+ great free view on the top floor)
✓ Flea markets (the largest is Saint-Ouen)
✓ Le Bon Marche Department Store
✓ Boutiques on the Champs Elysees
✓ Rue de Rivoli and Marais
✓ La Vallée Village Boutique Village
TAX FREE option: if you buy goods in one store for the amount of € 175 (by one check), you can return up to 20% of the purchase price at customs.
Holidays in Paris with children
The Eiffel Tower lights up after 8-9 hours
(depends on the season)
Young children will not be so interesting in Paris itself. Although, plus the New Year's holidays - there are colorful fairs with carousels / attractions, skating rinks. If the child is older, then you can safely take a sightseeing tour, for example, a hop-on hop-off bus for € 34 per day, and introduce them to museums.
But all this fades into the background, because in Paris - the dream of many children (and adults) - Disneyland!
New Years at Disneyland Paris
A few tips if you decide to go to Disneyland during the holidays (excluding the evening of December 31):
- It will be cold
- It will be sooo crowded
- It will be a shame not to make it to the second park (which is likely),
therefore - take tickets 1 park-1 day
It's easy to book: go to the official website, choose tickets. By the way, there are two parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios. On December 31, ACCORDING TO REGULAR TICKETS, they work until 18:30, and the cost for a visit to both is from € 107 per adult and from € 100 for a child up to 12 years old; for one - from € 87 for an adult and from € 80 for a child.
A different alignment if you celebrate New Year's Eve in the park (from 20:00 to 1:00). In addition to the usual entertainment, open after midnight, there will be a parade with Disney characters, the coolest fireworks in the New Year and dances to the sets from The Incredibles. Prices: from € 99 for the above per person (both adult and child); from € 245 (adult) and € 150 (child up to 12 years old), if you book dinner as well.
