Paris in December

Extreme Empty Nesting is back to traveling again! This time? We are experiencing Paris in December, before heading to Germany for another Christmas markets cruise. This time, we’ll explore the Rhine River, from Cologne, Germany to Basel, Switzerland.

No matter how many times you cross the Atlantic, a sleepless overnight flight has a special way of blurring the line between morning and midnight. We landed in Paris early Wednesday, bleary-eyed but excited, and made a beeline to our hotel, Hotel Edouard 7, for a three-hour power nap. We know experts say to force yourself and stay awake that first day to help overcome jet lag. But when you land early in the morning and aren’t functioning clearly, a nap is in order.

Once we resurfaced, we headed out to explore the neighborhood around the Opéra and our hotel, an area that feels quintessentially Parisian with its grand boulevards and Haussmann-era façades. Paris owes much of its aesthetic charm to Baron Haussmann, who in the mid-1800s redesigned large parts of this medieval city into the elegant, modern metropolitan city it is today. Even on a rainy, windy, and biting-cold December afternoon, walking the streets of beautiful Paris didn’t disappoint.

We walked toward the Christmas markets in the Tuileries Gardens, just beside the Louvre. If German and Swiss holiday markets are known for their authentic charm, the Paris version is, well, not! Let’s just say you don’t come to Paris for the Christmas markets. Between the stalls of mass-produced trinkets, amusement-park rides, and games of chance, it felt more carnival than Kris Kringle. We stopped to warm up with some hot cider, then kept walking.

That evening, we enjoyed a private Paris by Night illuminations tour with Christophe, who whisked us through the heart of the city. Paris has been known as La Ville Lumière or “the City of Light,” since the 17th century. The nickname originally came from its early adoption of street lanterns and later for its role in driving the age of enlightenment thinking.

The Eiffel Tower sparkled in the rain as we were fortunate to time it just right and see the beautiful five-minute light show that occurs at the top of the hour from dark until closing. The Arc de Triomphe stood proudly at the center of its chaotic web of traffic surrounding it, and the majestic Sacré-Cœur glowed over Montmartre. From the hilltop, we had an unforgettable panoramic view of Paris, with rooftops stretching endlessly, the city twinkling beneath us.

After a night of much-needed sleep, we returned Thursday to Montmartre to see Sacré-Cœur in the daylight and walk its lovely interior. Completed in 1914, the basilica was built of travertine stone that continuously secretes calcite, which means it literally cleans itself and stays bright white despite the elements. From its steps, Paris unfolds below it; it’s easy to see why artists once flocked to this hilltop village.

Montmartre has long been a haven for creativity. Picasso, Renoir, and Van Gogh all lived and worked here, and Hemingway often wrote here among its cafes and bistros. Exploring it through a food tour felt like the perfect way to experience its charm.

We began at Boulangerie Alexine, where we sampled a large, perfectly flaky croissant. An interesting fact about boulangeries – or bakeries – only bakeries that knead and bake their dough on-site can call themselves boulangeries in France. So when seeking out a classically authentic French pastry, only visit one with Boulangerie as part of its name.

From there, we stepped into the oyster bar at La Mascotte, sampling five different oysters from regions across France. The French classify oysters much like wine – “terroir (the land/environment) matters” – so each had its own subtle flavor of sea, salt, and in some cases brininess.

At La Chocolat Alain Ducasse (Ducasse is considered one of France’s greatest chefs), we tasted a rich praline and decadent chocolate spread, both small reminders of why the French take chocolate so seriously. Afterward, La Butte Fromagère introduced us to jellied quince, goat’s cheese, and gruyere. Simple, rustic, and delicious.

Lunch brought us to La Saint Jean, where we tried Aveyron sausage with reduced gravy and the star of the plate: aligot potatoes. This regional specialty blends potatoes, melted cheese, and garlic into a stretchy, velvety swirl that defies description. It’s the kind of dish that makes you forget the concept of portion control.

We finished with a bright burst of citrus at The Lemon Tree with limoncello, kuzu marmalade, and a lime amaretti cookie, before ending at Pierre Hermé for a signature macaron. Hermé once worked at Ladurée, where he perfected the art of the often-challenging macaron. Thanks to a well-timed push from his wife (then head of marketing at L’Oréal), he eventually opened his own patisserie. Today, he’s often referred to as the “Picasso of Pastry,” a title well earned.

Between all the stops and the various samplings of tasty morsels, along with a continuous misty rain throughout the day and pulling my gloves on and off, I failed to capture many photographs of today’s events. Unlike me for sure, but it did afford me the chance to be fully present and not preoccupied with the shutter.

By the end of the tour, we were so full we couldn’t imagine eating another bite. We slowly made our way back to the hotel for an early evening and the promise of more Paris adventures tomorrow!