For the past four years, I have had the chance to enjoy the annual Christmas Market in Paris. The French capital glows in Christmas spirit during November when "Marche de Noel" takes place. Family and friends won't be able to resist the magical charm of the Christmas season especially when fun, food and warmth meet on the Champs-Elysées!
This is my fourth time here and each time, I can't resist living the season's ambiance a month earlier...
From mid-November, the beautiful Avenue des Champs-Elysees in Paris is alive with Christmas spirit. On this magnificent, wide avenue crowned by the Arc de Triomphe, you will find a winter wonderland of Christmassy chalets stretching from the Place de la Concorde to the Champs-Elysées roundabout. With more than a hundred wooden chalets, stallholders will be selling arts and crafts and delicious specialities from various regions of France and other Christmas delicacies from all around Europe.
The cold winter holiday season is warmly enjoyed in the city of lights with the traditional Paris Christmas markets that spring up each year. The markets, with their iconic clusters of wood chalets offering custom holiday treats like mulled wine, gingerbread, sausages and specialties from various regions of France, are an essential part of celebrating Christmas in Paris. They also make an ideal outing with kids in Paris. Visit one of Paris's many holiday markets for a scenic winter stroll, or stock up on traditional foodstuffs or handcrafted toys, clothing and other items for gifts. This is a great opportunity to pick up some French delicacies to enjoy at home over the holiday period, such as champagne, truffles, chocolate, foie gras, different types of cheese and meat and so on. At the market you can also enjoy freshly made crêpes and waffles, and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine accompanied with delicious cinnamon biscuits. This is what I do...
Food you can find at the market: Gaufres, donuts and chi-chi Bread Chocolate, cakes and macarons. Mulled wine. Dried sausages. Ham. Dried fruits. Freshly smoked salmon. Hotdogs and sandwiches. Truffles, cookies and cakes. Freshly prepared sandwiches. Cheese from the four corners of France. Crepes and galettes de sarasin. Restaurants with Christmas ambiances. Fruit skewers dipped in chocolate Soup. Corn and french fries. Tartiflette baked in huge recipients, potato pancake with applesauce. Chestnuts. Hot chocolate and tea. Turkish kebab. Bretzels. Caneles de bordeaux. A Brazilian restaurant. Nutella is used intensively everywhere.
Merry Christmas.
