There’s no doubt Paris can be enjoyed all year long, but I have to admit I love strolling this city in the winter. After the Christmas season has come and gone, the city becomes authentic and it feels like we have it to ourselves. Walk into virtually any restaurant and get a table, skip the crowds and say au revoir to waiting in long lines. Soldes, the French sales are happening and make Parisian shopping even more exciting. The opera season is in full swing and there’s a good chance you’ll be able to catch a show at the dazzling Palais Garnier. When you need a break from your exploring, snuggle up next to your loved one in a cozy bistro over a glass of a good French red. Yes, winter is my favorite season to be in Paris.
David proposed to me one January day in Paris a few years ago so we love to go back and celebrate each year if we can. At the time we had a full week (seven days!) in Paris and had the absolute best time exploring the city at our own leisure. Now when we go back it’s usually for a quick weekend, but you won’t find me complaining! This time we hopped on the TGV Friday morning for a fun packed weekend!
We left on the 06:55 train from Stuttgart and arrived to Paris Gare de l’Est by 10:05, leaving us a full day ahead of us! After we checked into our hotel we headed towards the Ile de la Cite area to grab a Madeleine pick me up and made our way to the Centre Pompidou, Paris’ museum of modern art.
After the Pompidou, we spent the good part of our time Friday and Saturday eating at our favorite restaurants (see more about them here), eating some more (this time delicious oysters), and shopping the sales at Le Bon Marché, the world’s first ever department store. Soldes run every winter for six weeks January to February in almost every store. The soldes only occur twice a year and items are discounted only during these times. It’s the perfect opportunity to come to Paris! I picked up a beautiful long pleated skirt and jacket from Maje as well as some French lingerie (and I can only afford them when they’re on sale!).
The highlight of our weekend was a night at the Opera. If you make it to Paris in the winter the opera season will be well under way and it’s usually not too hard to get tickets if you search in advance. Saturday night we were able to catch one playing at the Palais Garnier. This was our second time seeing an opera here and it was just as magical as I remembered it being.
The opera house has a grand marbled entryway surrounded by balconies. Make sure to get there plenty early so you can grab a glass of champagne before it begins and explore, which you can also do during the intermission. Make sure to check out the stunning hall of mirrors pictured below, and inside the opera don’t forget to look up at Chagall’s beautiful painted masterpiece. An evening at the Garnier makes for the most romantic date night!
The next day we meandered our way to Rue Mouffetard, a bustling market street that you can’t help but fall in love with. Every Sunday the market vendors open their shops until about 14:00, and in the courtyard there’s accordion players and musicians that play songs and the neighbors dance the afternoon away. We have a routine where we head to the boulangerie, pick up a crumble mrytille, and sit out on the benches and listen to the music and watch the neighbors dance.
We rounded out our weekend by climbing to the top of the Arc de Triumph to look out over the city. The Arc and the top of the Notre Dame are my two favorite spots for city views, where you can see the Eiffel perfectly!
Whats your favorite season to visit Paris? Despite what you might think, there’s tons to do in the winter!
xo