The 2024 Holiday season: The best things to do and see in France

Written by: Marina Marcout
Translator: S. Castlemilk
Date : 04.12.2024

Our little elves have gone on an exploratory mission through France to discover new ideas which will enlighten your December celebrations! Whether you are dreaming of an indulging tasty trip at the heart of traditional Christmas markets, sparkling festivities in a big city or a quiet but magical New Year’s in a snowy village, our selection of activities will light up your plans.

Check out our ideas of what to do and see to make your 2024 holidays in France unforgettable!

• Provins: A medieval Christmas in Seine-et-Marne
• Luberon: Celebrate the Holidays in a perched village
• Alsace: A tour of the traditional Christmas markets
• Normandy: A little History and sea bathing to celebrate the New Year
• Pays Basque: Meet the other Santa
• Haute Savoie: Chic and cosy atmosphere in the mountain
• Paris and its surroundings: 4 enchanting ideas for the Holidays

A magical Christmas in the medieval town of Provins

Behold ye Christmas troubadours! If you want to celebrate the end of the year in an extra-ordinary fashion and turn back the wheels of time, this jewel of the Seine-et-Marne is the perfect place for you. Listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, the medieval town of Provins has been adorned with its most beautiful garments, especially for the occasion. To honour its rich historical heritage, the city has concocted a multitude of activities for the whole family. Prepare to be charmed by its traditional markets, dazzled by its fire shows and mesmerized by its living Nativity scene with over 50 actors and animals and set in a church dating back to the XII^th century.

You can also follow a guided visit to discover the town from a different perspective: in the undergrounds, meet legendary creatures of the Middle-Ages, in the cobbled streets take in the atmosphere of the religious and pagan celebrations which used to enliven the locals’ daily life.

To end your visit on an even higher note, go skating on the outdoor ice rink, installed at the foot of the ramparts.

For more information, visit the tourist information office of Provins

Luberon: Celebrate the Holidays in a perched village

Do you know the 13 Christmas desserts, a sweet tradition from Provence? Head to Bonnieux, in the Vaucluse department, to (re)discover them! Perched on the heights of the Petit Luberon, this village is a concentrated delight of all you can expect from the region: panoramic views on magnificent natural sites, steep alleys with lavoirs and fountains and a market selling local products. Enjoy the winter season which attracts fewer tourists than summer and discover the Provençal Christmas traditions.

At nightfall, by lantern light, you will explore this charming town and applaud the talented street artists after having treated yourself to the tasty delights traditionally served for the Holiday celebrations.

For an extra dose of Holiday awe, Apt, the capital city of the Luberon, of candied fruit and of Christmas ornaments will offer you an unforgettable experience! Blachère Illumination, famous for enlightening the biggest cities in the World, welcomes you in its showroom until December 24^th, 2024. A trip to Wonderland awaits! Millions of lights, shining and dancing to create breath taking settings, traditional or futuristic, will amaze visitors of all ages!

Information: https://en.luberon-apt.fr/

Alsace: A tour of the Christmas markets in Colmar

If Strasbourg is called the Christmas capital of France, Colmar, its little sister of the Haut-Rhin is not less deserving when it comes to celebrating the Holidays. This winter, in this town located at the heart of the Alsatian vineyards, you will spend tasty and cosy moments all the while discovering its cobbled streets lined with colourful houses with apparent beams. You’ll feel transported in a Christmas special in this Little Venice dressed up like Santa’s workshop! Wrapped up in your warm coat, lulled by the smells of cinnamon, you will begin your tour of the 6 traditional markets. Each has its own speciality: local craftsmanship, culinary products, tree ornaments, toys and merry-go-rounds. On the place de la Cathédrale, in one of the market cabins, you will savour the regional dishes prepared by a chef or restaurateur. As soon as you’ve tasted the choucroute and Kougelhof, you’ll start planning next year’s return visit!

Information: https://tourisme-colmar.com/en/

Normandy: festivities, History, Culture and sea bathing!

Destination: the Calvados department for cultural, historic, culinary, unfamiliar and iodised celebrations! Start your Norman adventure by visiting Bayeux, a 2h20min train ride from Paris. The mediaeval city has put on its best attire: decorated half-timbered houses and Christmas music aired in the charming shopping streets. Don’t miss its famous and eponymous tapestry, listed by UNESCO. Children will enjoy this giant comic book about William the Conqueror.

At dusk, the cathedral magically lights up while inside, you will be able to watch an immersive sound and light show (free and without prior booking from December 18 to January 4, 2025). On New Year’s Eve, treat yourself to a seafood platter, straight from the sea to your plate in the blink of an eye! Enjoy a long and contemplative walk on Omaha beach, one the biggest and most important beaches of the 1944 Landing. On June 6^th, 2024, spectators worldwide watched the ceremonies honouring the 80^th anniversary of what is commonly called, D-Day. And if you are up for it, on January 1^st at 1.00 pm, head to Hermanville –sur-Mer. The bravest and boldest Frigodèmes will take their traditional first swim of the year in the Channel! Don’t forget your padded swimming cap as sea temperatures rarely exceed 10 degrees at this time of year!

More information: https://www.calvados-tourisme.co.uk/

Pays Basque: meet the other Santa

Type “Cité des corsaires” (city of privateers) in your GPS and you will end up in St Jean de Luz, located in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.

This picturesque fishermen’s harbour is a well-kept secret and the perfect place to spend the Holiday season. Spared from the summer crowd, the seaside resort can also be relished in December. After a few vivifying walks along the Atlantic, a spiritual halt in the church Saint- Jean-Baptiste where Louis XIV’s wedding was celebrated in 1660, overindulge on Adam macaroons created especially for the royal wedding and take a break on the place Louis XIV. The square is the city’s epicentre where most end-of--year events take place: story telling in French and Euskara, a firework and musical show, the feu des sorcières (the witches’fire), traditional song choirs, a parade of giants, dancers and jugglers… Around its 12 metre high Christmas tree you will meet Olentzero, called the Basque Santa. According to regional mythology, the collier comes down from the neighbouring mountains during the winter solstice to announce the return of the sun. A luminous and joyful message that, we hope, you will carry with you during the entire year to come.

Discover the full program of the festivities: https://www.saint-jean-de-luz.com/en/

Haute-Savoie: Chic and cosy festivities in the mountains

On your wish list feature: snow, evenings by the fireplace, comfort food, wooden cabins, ski slopes and a good dose of winter magic. If there is no guarantee of a white Christmas, all your other wishes can come true!

Head off to Megève, the first ski station in the history of winter sports in the French Alps. This mountain village of Savoy is about to celebrate its 111^th anniversary and has lost nothing of its authenticity all the while developing elegant and dynamic art de vivre.

During the Holiday season, the town, protected by the Mont Blanc, puts on its Holiday outfit and lights up its gigantic Christmas tree. This year, Megève has scheduled a festival of events and activities: a white parade, Santa’s village with creative workshops, dinners under a yurt, cocktails in an igloo after an afternoon of snowshoeing, a gourmet supper in the middle of nature or a Gospel concert. And to bid 2024 farewell, a free New Year’s party is organised on the village square with a live DJ. The end of the year promises to be unforgettable and festive!

Information: https://www.megeve-tourisme.fr/en/

December celebrations in Paris and its surroundings: 4 enchanting ideas

1. THE musical you should see at least once in your life: don’t miss the new production of Les Misérables at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris, from November 20^th to January 2^nd, 2025. What better place than Victor Hugo’s home country to (re)-discover this internationally renowned masterpiece, its gripping story, innovating staging and unforgettable score.
2. Jurassic Park at the heart of Paris! Embark for a 200-million-year-old adventure at the Jardin des Plantes. At nightfall, discover dinosaurs and other long-gone creatures thanks to luminous and monumental sculptures. Jurassic Illuminated (from November 20^th to January 19^th, 2025) was imagined by the scientists of the Museum to awaken your inner palaeontologist.
3. Royal festivities: The King’s Tour is a magical tour and show of the Château de Versailles (Yvelines). At nightfall, after the last visitors have left, immerse yourself in the baroque atmosphere of this illustrious monument and meet historical characters, musicians, dancers and an unexpected Santa! A unique experience to enjoy in a sumptuous setting from December 14^th to January 4^th, 2025.
4. An amazing view of the Eiffel Tower! Wander in awe in an enchanting setting thanks to Lumières en Seine at the Domaine national de Saint-Cloud (Hauts-de-Seine), from November 17^th to January 7^th, 2025. Myriads of illuminations, twinkling statues and interactive surprises to enjoy a magical and nocturnal stroll through this magnificent park along the Parisian river. An ideal outing to end the year on a dazzling note.

Don’t leave without us!

Don’t board your sleigh without proper travel insurance to protect you and your loved ones during your stay in France, particularly if you need a Schengen visa to enter the country.

You might find these articles useful:

• Places to visit close to Paris
• Paris Safety tips to travel to France
• Dos and Don’ts for a perfect trip to Paris