Christmas in Paris
Since mid-November, Paris has been busy preparing for Christmas decorations this year. Streets are decorated with colorful wreaths, shops and trees are also brightly lit.
For Parisians, Christmas is a big holiday, an occasion for families to gather and reunite, so the atmosphere everywhere is very solemn and cozy.
In the days leading up to Christmas, you will understand why Paris is called the "city of light". Christmas in Paris is a magical time, with the brilliant winter sunshine shining on the cold blue sky. Not only that, coming here during the festive season, visitors can also immerse themselves in the bustling atmosphere on the streets or Christmas markets.
Photographer Dang Duc Vinh has lived and worked in Paris for many years. According to him, Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year, so from mid-November the atmosphere is already bustling, just like Tet in Vietnam.
Christmas atmosphere has returned to all markets in Paris
“The first few years were a bit boring, because Christmas was a holiday for family reunions. But later, when I had more friends and family, my feelings about Christmas changed completely. This is an occasion to relax, gather with friends, reunite with family and enjoy the fun with children. In December, when the streets start selling Christmas trees and decorated with lights, just looking at them makes me excited,” Dang Duc Vinh shared.
At the markets in Paris, many stalls set up in wooden houses from local businesses sell typical Christmas products.
To have sparkling Christmas pictures in Paris, he also gives some main places that tourists can visit such as: Champ Elysee street, Christmas market in Tulleries garden, Christmas decoration with pine tree in Vendomes square or windows with pine tree typical of La Fayette...
Christmas market is one of the indispensable activities in France.
Experience Christmas activities and food in Paris
In addition, the photographer also suggests that when coming to Paris this time, you should go to the Christmas markets to enjoy the atmosphere and typical food and drinks of the Christmas season. Participate in winter sports activities for all ages such as outdoor ice skating. Immerse yourself in the bustling crowd to watch, choose and buy gifts for relatives. Or simply take a walk, take pictures of shops, street corners, roads decorated with Christmas themes... is enough to make the atmosphere rush.
The most typical is Vin chaud - a hot wine cooked with cinnamon, star anise, orange and sometimes apple. Just smelling this scent, people know Christmas is coming.
For food and drinks at the shops, you should eat raw oysters, foie gras... those are typical Christmas foods. And wandering the streets, Christmas fairs, you can enjoy cakes with melted cheese of all flavors, sweets like churros... and the most typical is vin chaud - a hot wine cooked with cinnamon, star anise, orange and sometimes apples. So much so that when you smell this scent, you know Christmas is coming.
Some typical dishes at Christmas markets in France
The photographer also said: “Walking in the snow, right at the moment when your nose starts to sniffle because you accidentally inhaled a snowflake, your fingers are a little numb because you just threw snow at a friend. At that moment, enjoy a hot glass of vin chaud, hold it with both hands, bring it to your nose and take a long breath, letting the hot smoke smell of wine, cinnamon, anise, and orange, and you might get drunk before you even have time to drink it. Take a hot sip, the wine flows to where it warms, just 17 seconds from the time you drink it, all the coldness of the snowy winter seems to disappear... There are both hot red and white wines, but to feel the 'strength' and 'heat' of vin chaud, give priority to trying red wine. Although wine is light, because it is cooked for a long time and drunk hot, it will make you drunk more easily than usual. It is a very 'chill' and extremely addictive feeling that if you have the opportunity to visit any Christmas market in Europe, you must definitely try it.”
In addition, traveling in Paris is mainly by public transport such as metro and bus. In the summer, there are other means of transport such as bicycles, scooters, trotinettes, etc., but in the winter, you should not use these means of transport because they are both dangerous and cold. All tourist destinations in Paris are served by the metro and bus system.
There are countless activities that visitors to Paris during Christmas can experience.
Photographer Dang Duc Vinh added: “Paris is a great place to visit at any time of the year, except in January and February. Paris is known as the 'city of light' of the world, and during Christmas, the magical sparkle of Paris is doubled. Coming to Paris during Christmas, you can also enjoy the rich French cuisine, especially the typical food and drinks of this holiday. Shopping enthusiasts also consider Christmas an ideal occasion to hunt for sales because this is also the time when there are many promotions. Finally, it is to immerse yourself in the joyful and bustling atmosphere of the biggest holidays of the year. Then, right after that, enjoy the morning of the 25th like the morning of the first day of Tet at home, deserted, quiet, and strangely peaceful.”
Shopping enthusiasts also consider Christmas an ideal occasion to hunt for sales because this is also the time when there are many promotions.
This year, due to rising energy prices, many European cities have decided to reduce the use of decorative lights during the upcoming Christmas season to save costs. On the Champs-Elysees in Paris, the lights will only be on until 11:45 p.m., instead of 2 a.m. like previous Christmas seasons. And this opinion has also received the approval of many Europeans. They hope that this year's Christmas season will be an opportunity to enjoy the festive atmosphere after two consecutive Christmas seasons restricted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Christmas in Paris is also a place for locals and tourists to interact, thereby enjoying the atmosphere before the New Year.
