La Défense Christmas Market – the Greatest Christmas Market in Ile-de-France!
Positioned within the enterprise district of La Défense, on the foot of La Grand Arche, La Défense Christmas Market is the biggest winter truthful within the Paris area, with a powerful variety of round 300 chalets!
This pop-up seasonal venue is filled with enjoyable actions and scrumptious native meals.
One of many locals’ favourite locations to be in Paris at Christmas time, maintain studying to find all of the magic of La Défense Christmas Market.
La Défense Christmas Market Dates 2024 and Hours
La Défense Christmas Market dates 2024 are from Thursday, 14 November 2024, to Sunday, 29 December 2024, which suggests 46 days to get pleasure from this spectacular market!
La Défense Christmas Market Hours
La Défense Christmas Market hours rely upon the day of the week:
- Monday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The exceptions to those market hours are Tuesday, 24 December (from 11 a.m. to eight p.m.) and Wednesday, 25 December (closed).
As a result of that is Paris’s enterprise district, probably the most crowded occasions differ from different Christmas Markets in Paris. The most effective occasions to go to La Défense Christmas Market to keep away from the crowds are on weekdays, from 2 p.m. to five p.m. Through the lunch break, the market is totally packed!
Get to La Défense Christmas Market
There are numerous methods to get to La Défense Christmas Market by public transportation. I’ll solely point out the primary ones.
The quickest approach to get to La Défense Christmas Market is by RER A practice. The closest RER A station is La Défense – Grande Arche. In Paris, you’ll be able to catch any RER A practice heading west at Nation, Gare de Lyon, Châtelet – Les Halles, Auber, and Charles de Gaulle – Etoile stations.
You can even use the Paris metro, line 1. The closest metro station is La Défense – Grande Arche (terminus). The journey from Paris to La Défense by metro is for much longer, although.
To make use of the metro in Paris, you should purchase a carnet de 10 (a set of 10 particular person tickets) that you’ll cost on a plastic card (Navigo Straightforward) or in your cell. If you happen to plan on utilizing the metro typically, try the completely different Paris metro tickets for a less expensive possibility.
La Défense Christmas Market – Issues to Do
1. Christmas Buying
Among the best issues to do at La Défense Christmas Market is go to the charming Marché Artisan (Artisan Village) for some distinctive Christmas-themed purchasing!
You will see 50+ picket chalets the place artisans promote treasured, hand-made objects, from crafted jewellery to purses, home ornaments, and meals merchandise.
You probably have an eye fixed for type, this market is the perfect place to identify superior high-quality equipment embodying French stylish essence that may make for pretty presents.
Noëlle is one other must-visit place to your Christmas purchasing. Positioned in entrance of the Christmas tree, it’s a large indoor store providing ornament objects and distinctive presents.
Most stalls function objects made in France, however additionally, you will have the possibility to buy hand-crafted objects constituted of India! There’s additionally La Cabane à Mario (extra on this beneath) promoting merchandise from Québec.
2. Journey Nearly to Québec
Yearly, La Défense Christmas Market has a visitor of honor. This 12 months 2024, guests can journey just about to the opposite aspect of the Atlantic Ocean, to Québec in Canada!
Immerse your self within the environment of Québec at Place Ville de Québec. Right here, you will see La Cabane à Mario, providing typical merchandise like cookies, every kind of maple-based merchandise, native beers, and extra.
Not removed from La Cabane à Mario, you will see a typical restaurant the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from conventional dishes from Québec in a heat environment.
Final however not least, the six themed store home windows will shock you with the unbelievable range of Québec tradition. Attempt to win a visit to Québec Metropolis by voting your favourite one!
- The Ice Resort
- The sugar shack
- The Dufferin Terrace slide
- Nature close by
- The longhouse in Wendake
- Ice fishing
3. La Défense Christmas Marketplace for Children
If you happen to go to Paris with youngsters, they may absolutely love the fairground a part of La Défense Christmas Market, particularly the youngest ones.
Along with the ice rink and the completely different exhibits (extra on this beneath), there are two merry-go-rounds and a large Christmas tree sponsored by the Metropolis of Québec.
Children (and adults) can even meet Santa Claus in his illuminated chalet. Hand him your Christmas wishlist and take footage with him!
You will see Santa Claus on Wednesdays from 2:30 p.m. à 6:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 12:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and on Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to eight:30 p.m. Santa can even be there on Monday, 23 December, from 12:30 p.m. to eight:30 p.m., and Tuesday, 24 December (final likelihood!) from 12:30 p.m. to five:30 p.m.
4. Ice Skating for Children and Adults
An exercise that may’t be missed from a correct Christmas market is an ice rink! At La Défense Christmas Market, you will see the ice skating rink on the west aspect of the market, on the foot of La Grande Arche.
With a powerful measure of 450 m2, this ice rink is far larger than the one on the Tuileries Christmas Market! Lace up your skates and prepare to have a blast across the big deer.
The ice rink at La Défense Christmas Market is open from 22 November 2024 to five January 2025. The opening hours are:
- Sunday to Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The exceptions to those opening hours are 24 and 31 December (from 11 a.m. to six p.m.) and 25 December (closed).
The doorway charge is 5€ for teenagers (as much as 13 years) and 10€ for adults. Skate rental prices 2€ and carrying gloves is obligatory.
5. Particular Occasions at La Défense Christmas Market
On weekends, La Défense Christmas Market hosts a number of occasions for teenagers and adults, from Christmas carols and gospel to music and dancing exhibits.
The occasions happen on Saturdays from 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 2 p.m.
What to Eat at La Défense Christmas Market
There are numerous enjoyable issues to do at La Défense Christmas Market, and sampling native meals specialties is considered one of them!
Browse the chalets to search out those promoting scrumptious meals you can get pleasure from on the go, or head to the Christmas Market’s completely different eating places for a sit-on meal.
The venue affords “a culinary tour of France” with many regional French specialties on supply, from Alsace to Brittany and from Normandy to the French Antilles.
Among the many improbable savory meals you will see are wursts and tarte flambée from Alsace, many hearty soups, and the must-try tartiflette from Savoye. Tartiflette is a French-style tacky potato bake with pickled onions, cream, and charcuterie.
If you happen to love tacky stuff, you also needs to attempt raclette, which is the title of a dish and its foremost ingredient. This packed-flavored cheese (largely French reblochon cheese) is melted on a raclette grill and placed on prime of boiled veggies like potatoes or grilled meats.
Throughout our go to to the market this 12 months, we additionally noticed chalets providing American meals, Indian meals, Brazilian Meals, and Tibetan meals.
For these with a candy tooth, meals stalls supply mouthwatering deliciousness like gauffres (sizzling waffles), crêpes, nougat from France, every kind of chocolate, and fairground sweets just like the barbe à papà (cotton sweet).
To scrub all this scrumptious meals down, you’ll be able to select from all kinds of drinks, like native beers, grog (a drink constituted of sizzling water, lemon, honey, and rum), and the well-known vin chaud (mulled wine).
Eating places & Meals Courts at La Défense Christmas Market
Right here’s the checklist of indoor eating places in La Défense Christmas Market 2024:
- Délices du Sud-Ouest – Southwest Delicacies
- Spécialités Québecoises – Specialties from Québec
- Delicacies Bourguignonne – Delicacies from Burgundy
- Saveurs Créoles – Flavors from the French Antilles
- Grillades Brésiliennes – Grilled meals from Brazil
- Mets Savoyards – Dishes from Savoye
- Plats Alsaciens – Dishes from Alsace
Along with these eating places, there are two meals courts: a small one, extra cozy, and a much bigger one for teams.
Disclaimer: This put up consists of affiliate hyperlinks, that means I get a small fee in case you make a purchase order by means of my hyperlinks. It prices you nothing extra (actually, if something, you’ll get a pleasant low cost) however helps me to go on creating unbelievable Paris content material for you. I belief all merchandise promoted right here and would by no means suggest a product that isn’t of worth. World in Paris is a participant within the Amazon Companies LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no expense to you.
