After checking in near your Paris accommodation, keep the first stop deliberately flexible: drop your bags, warm up, and take a rest before heading out. If you arrive with daylight to spare, walk through the Jardin des Tuileries for about 45 minutes. In December, sunset comes early—roughly around 5 p.m.—so aim to arrive before late afternoon for the garden paths and fountains; check seasonal access on the day, as hours can change.
Continue west to Place de la Concorde, about a 10-minute walk from the garden’s western end. Give yourself around 30 minutes to take in the vast square and its views toward the Champs-Élysées and the Tuileries. It’s especially atmospheric as the city lights come on, though the open square can feel chilly and windy.
For dinner, take Métro line 12 from Concorde to Pigalle—a direct ride of about 10 minutes—or walk roughly 35 minutes if you feel like stretching your legs. Bouillon Pigalle serves classic French comfort food in a lively, grand dining room, with a typical meal around €15–30 per person. It’s popular and generally doesn’t take reservations, so expect a possible queue at peak dinner time; check its current hours before setting out.
Book a timed entry for the Musée du Louvre and aim for opening at 9am; it’s open until 6pm on Saturdays, with last entry typically an hour before closing. Give yourself about three hours and pick a few priorities—such as the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory and the Galerie d’Apollon—rather than trying to cover the whole museum. Tickets are usually around €22, and booking ahead is strongly recommended. The galleries are enormous, so check the map before you start and leave a little time for security and getting between wings.
Walk a few minutes to Palais-Royal for its arcades and Daniel Buren’s striped columns in the courtyard. Allow about 45 minutes to stroll through; it’s a welcome breather after the museum, and the covered galleries are handy if the December weather turns wet. From there, walk roughly 20 minutes to Sainte-Chapelle on Île de la Cité, or take the Métro from Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre to Cité. Reserve a timed ticket in advance—entry is generally around €13, with security checks at the entrance—and allow about an hour to take in the vivid stained glass. Winter hours are usually shorter than in summer, so check the official schedule when booking.
Finish at Bistrot Victoires, a short walk back toward Palais-Royal, for classic bistro fare; budget about €20–35 per person. It’s a good place to sit down properly after a full day on your feet. Check its Saturday service hours and reserve if you can, especially around the holiday season.
Start at Trocadéro Gardens for the classic view across the Seine to the Eiffel Tower; allow about 45 minutes for photos and a stroll. The gardens are open-air, so you can visit whenever suits you, though an early start usually means fewer crowds. From there, walk roughly 20 minutes across the Pont d’Iéna to the Eiffel Tower. Book a timed ticket in advance—especially for the summit—and leave 2–3 hours for security, lifts and the views. For planning, budget around €25–€40 per adult depending on how high you go; check the official site for the December schedule and current prices.
Walk about 15 minutes to Rue Cler, a lively market street in the 7th arrondissement. Browse the bakeries, cheese shops and produce stalls, then pause at a café; Sunday opening can vary, so don’t count on every food shop being open. Allow about an hour to explore at an easy pace. For a sit-down meal, continue to Les Cocottes, nearby, for contemporary French comfort food—expect roughly €30–€50 per person and reserve ahead if possible. Check its current opening hours and booking availability before setting out, as restaurant schedules can change.
Start at Place des Vosges, where the arcaded façades and leafy square make for a lovely, unhurried 45-minute wander. Then head to Musée Picasso-Paris, a short walk away in the Hôtel Salé, a grand 17th-century mansion. Allow 1½–2 hours; check the museum’s current opening days and ticket prices before you go, as it is generally closed on Mondays.
Walk north through the Haut Marais to Marché des Enfants Rouges for a casual lunch from its stalls—budget around €12–25 per person. It’s a small, atmospheric covered market, so it can get busy around midday; check its holiday-period opening days and hours, and have a nearby café in mind as a backup.
Finish at Musée Carnavalet, back in the Marais, about a 10-minute walk away. Its rooms and collections tell the story of Paris, and entry to the permanent collections is free; allow around 1½ hours, and check the museum’s schedule before setting out. Leave a little time afterward to wander the neighborhood’s narrow streets at your own pace.
Take the Métro to Anvers and walk uphill through Montmartre, or use the funicular beside the steps if you’d rather save your legs (a regular Métro ticket works). Start at Sacré-Cœur Basilica; entry to the basilica is free, and it’s generally open daily from early morning until late evening. Allow about an hour to admire the mosaics and the broad view over Paris from the terrace. The climb and terrace can be chilly and breezy in December, so bring a warm layer.
Wander down to Place du Tertre, about a 10-minute walk away, for a look around the artists’ square and its little lanes. It can feel touristy, but the street life is part of the Montmartre scene; pause for photos and browse rather than feeling you need to sit down for a portrait. Continue a few minutes to Musée de Montmartre, a quieter change of pace in a former artists’ residence. Give it around 1½ hours; it is usually open Tuesday to Sunday, roughly 10am–6pm, but confirm December hours and ticket prices before you go.
Finish with a relaxed café meal at Le Consulat, a familiar Montmartre landmark a short walk from the museum. Budget around €20–35 per person, and check its opening and kitchen hours for the holiday week before setting out. Afterward, leave time to meander back through the neighborhood at your own pace; the steep cobbled lanes are atmospheric, but can be slippery in wet winter weather.
After your morning TGV, check in near Strasbourg station or on the Grande Île, leave your luggage and take a little time to warm up. The station is about a 10–15-minute walk from the historic center; a tram is handy if you’re carrying bags. Head to Place Kléber for a relaxed half-hour to get your bearings. In the run-up to Christmas, the square is often part of the seasonal festivities, but check the 2026 market dates and details before setting out.
From the square, stroll through the Grande Île to Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg—about 10 minutes on foot. Give yourself an hour or so for the sculpted Gothic façade and the richly detailed interior. Cathedral access can be affected by services, and visiting hours may change around the holidays, so check the official schedule that day; entry to the main church is generally free.
Stay nearby for dinner at Le Tire-Bouchon, a traditional winstub close to the cathedral. It’s a good first taste of Alsace: look for regional dishes such as choucroute or tarte flambée, and budget roughly €25–€40 per person. Reserve ahead, especially in the busy Christmas season, and keep the evening unhurried after your travel day.
Start with an unhurried La Petite France stroll (about 1½ hours), when the canals and timber-framed houses are especially lovely in the winter light. Give yourself time to wander the lanes rather than follow a strict route; the cobbles can be slick, so wear shoes with good grip. From there, walk to Barrage Vauban for a 45-minute visit. The covered terrace is free to enter and gives you a fine view over the canals and rooftops; check the on-site opening notice in case access hours change.
Continue to the Musée Alsacien and allow around 1½ hours for its rooms of traditional interiors, crafts and everyday objects. It’s usually open during the day, but Christmas Eve can mean changed hours or a closure, so check the museum’s official notice before setting out. If it is open, arrive well before closing; otherwise, keep the afternoon flexible for a warm drink nearby and another gentle wander.
For dinner, reserve a table at Maison Kammerzell, beside the cathedral, and allow about 1½ hours for Alsatian classics in its richly decorated historic rooms. Expect roughly €30–€50 per person before drinks, and confirm both the reservation and Christmas Eve service hours directly—many restaurants run a special menu or close earlier on December 24. Dress warmly for the walk between stops, and book dinner as soon as your plans are firm.
Take the tram or a taxi to Parc de l’Orangerie for a relaxed 1–1½-hour walk. Strasbourg’s oldest park is free and open-air, so it’s a good Christmas Day stop even when many attractions are closed; enjoy the broad paths and winter quiet, and dress for the cold. From the park, continue toward the European Quarter on foot (about 15–20 minutes) or check holiday tram services before setting out.
At the European Parliament, plan on seeing the striking exterior rather than counting on visitor access: tours and exhibitions may be unavailable on December 25. Allow around 45 minutes, then walk or take a taxi toward Église Saint-Paul (roughly 20–25 minutes on foot). Give the riverside landmark 30–45 minutes, but check in advance whether the church is open; if it is, entry is generally free, with donations welcome.
Book a Christmas Day lunch or dinner near Grande Île well ahead—many Strasbourg restaurants close on December 25, and those that open may offer a fixed menu. A hotel restaurant is often the safest bet; budget about €30–60 per person, and confirm the serving time and menu directly with the venue. Allow extra time to get there, as holiday transit may run a reduced schedule.
Take a morning TER from Strasbourg and, after the roughly 35–40-minute ride, walk about 15 minutes from Colmar station into the old town. Start at La Petite Venise for an hour among the canals and colorful houses; the prettiest light is usually earlier in the day, and the cobbled lanes can be slippery in December.
Continue to Marché Couvert de Colmar, a short walk away, for a casual lunch—allow around €10–20 per person. It’s a good place to sample local cheeses, baked goods or something warm, but check its Saturday holiday-season hours before setting out. Then spend about two hours at Musée Unterlinden, near the old town, especially for the Isenheim Altarpiece. Check the museum’s holiday opening hours and reserve or confirm entry in advance.
Finish with Alsatian cooking at Wistub Brenner in the old town: expect about €25–40 per person and allow 1½ hours. Reserve ahead, particularly on a December Saturday; after dinner, the station is roughly a 15-minute walk away if you’re returning to Strasbourg tonight.
Set out early from your base in Colmar: Eguisheim is easiest to reach by car or a pre-booked driver, around 15 minutes away. Sunday buses can be limited, especially in the holiday period, so check the day’s timetable before relying on public transport; a small-group wine-route tour is another low-hassle option. Allow about 1½ hours to follow Eguisheim’s circular lanes around the old center, pausing for the half-timbered houses and quiet courtyards. Then drive roughly 25 minutes north to Kaysersberg. Give yourself 1½–2 hours for the riverside center and the uphill path to the castle ruins; the climb can be slippery in winter, and daylight is short, so wear shoes with grip.
Continue about 15 minutes north to Riquewihr for a 1½-hour wander along its walled village streets. On a December Sunday, seasonal decorations make the lanes especially atmospheric, but don’t count on every shop or attraction being open—check ahead if there’s something specific you want to see. Have your village winstub or bakery lunch here afterward: try tarte flambée or another Alsatian special, and budget about €15–30 per person. Restaurants may close between lunch and dinner or require reservations, so book ahead and confirm the serving hours. If you plan to taste wine, arrange a driver rather than driving yourself.
Head back to your accommodation before it gets fully dark; sunset is around 4:40pm in late December, and the villages are much quieter once day-trippers leave. If you’re driving, check where you can park before entering each historic center, as access is often restricted and signed car parks sit outside the old lanes. For a guided outing, confirm the pickup point and return time in advance.
Since your flight leaves Charles de Gaulle Airport at 14:15, choose an early train from Colmar—ideally one that gets you into Paris by around 10:00. The rail journey is roughly 2½–3 hours, depending on the service and connection; check the Monday timetable and buy tickets ahead. Leave generous time for the transfer across Paris to the airport, especially with luggage. A taxi is simplest; public transport can be cheaper, but allow at least an hour and check for service changes.
Aim to reach the Charles de Gaulle Airport check-in area around 11:15, about three hours before departure. Follow the signs for your airline and terminal, then clear security and head to your gate. If you want food, use a café or takeaway in your terminal; allow roughly €10–25 per person, as prices and opening times vary. Keep your passport and boarding pass handy, and check the airport screens for gate updates.
No packing list attached yet.