Ladurée, Rue Royale
In Paris right now, there is a buzz in the air as the holiday season picks up speed. The temperatures have dropped and the twinkling lights and rich greenery on the store fronts are firmly putting us into the right mood for popping champagne and giving gifts.
This week I’ve been in and out of Paris regularly for meetings and a lunch, and here are a few pictures of my favourite spots for the Christmas decor along the way.
Place Vendome
When given the choice of where to meet for a coffee or a rendez vous , I often pick according to a good photo opportunity. This week was no exception. I fixed my first appointment of the day near la Place Vendôme, home to the finest jewellers of the world, and unfailingly elegant.
From there I just had a few minutes on foot along the rue St Honoré and into the Rue Royale where Ladurée was looking so pretty.
I love the way that most of the decorations stick to greenery and white lights. The overall effect is festive but still elegant.
Dior, Avenue Montaigne
And finally as I drove back down towards the river and along the avenue Montaigne, how could I resist pausing to take in the Christmas tree at Dior. All in white, and the full height of the building. They change the decor on this store so often, its always worthwhile taking the detour to see what’s new.
How about you? Do you have a favourite city or neighbourhood for Holiday decor? And if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, what is your favourite way to decorate?
Place Vendome
39 comments
I’m on my way to Paris for the third year in a row at Christmas to spend a few days in my favorite city. Paris is lovely during the holidays. I will walk, eat, drink and do a little shopping. Can’t wait!!
Thank you for sharing Paris at Christmas!! So beautiful! Wishing you a joyful holiday! Would love to share Kansas City at Christmas with you!!
Thank you for sharing one of the most beautiful cities of all. Happy Holidays to you and yours.
There was so much damage to that part of Paris last weekend I’m surprised that it didn’t impact your visit there. Some of the luxury stores on Avenue Montaigne were badly hit, but I guess not Dior. I’m very afraid for the city this coming weekend and am glad that I’m not there. I have spent Christmas in Paris and it was so beautiful, I always enjoy the display at Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. Stay safe.
bonnie in provence
HI Bonnie, It’s true that there have been some sad scenes over the past couple of weekends, we hope it is soon finished. Dior actually protected their windows last weekend as a precaution, and I understand that Louis Vuitton did the same on the Champs Elysees.
I’ve been in Paris all through the week and it was business as usual, and everything felt calm and safe.
It’s still better to focus on the good stuff, right?!
best
Sharon
While a positive attitude is a good thing, this response really is at the heart of the matter. When we laud the protection of elite couture brands over the interests of working class people represented by the gilets jaunes protests we side with capitalists over working class people and that is not focusing on the good stuff. It seems this is not a good time to be focusing on commercialism and high priced consumer goods (even if cloaked in cheery holiday decor) at the expense of basic needs among not just Parisians but across France.
Yes I too am very concerned about the coming weekend as Macron has said he is expecting violent demonstrations. You cannot keep ignoring the people forever. This has been brewing for a VERY long time….. All of us who know and love Paris are hoping it will all end soon with no more injuries or deaths.
Beautiful and stunning! Thank you for sharing!! Merry Christmas to you!
Oh, Sharon…..I’m so glad you asked that second question, since I was wondering if it would be stupid of me to ask you (and you, of all folks, would be in a position to know) which city do you think more thoroughly outdoes itself at Christmas decorating…….London or Paris? And to what degree have those cities dispensed with any sort of decoration depicting (or being) specific religious traditions?
I know…..I just asked two entirely different questions. You’re a busy lady, so you don’t have to answer both.
Sincerely,
David Terry
Quail Roost Farm
Rougemont, NC
USA
Paris is very difficult this year………
As a retired visual display person in one of Torontos’ main department stores I always take a delight is seeing displays from other places. I have often been to New York at Christmas and they also do the city up in all its’ glittering best. Have a lovely Christmas and thank-you for making the November box a wonderful part of mine.
I took my daughter to Paris for Christmas a few years ago. We stayed near Place Vendôme so these photos brought back lovely memories. I adore Paris especially at Christmas. Praying for all during the difficulties.
I loved this! Thank you for sharing. I got to spend a little time in Paris and Bourgogne this past September. How beautiful, all dressed up for Christmas.
Joyuex Noel!
Any suggestions for Christmas Markets, Christmas Lightings, or Christmas Concerts?
In the past two weeks I have been in NYC, Miami, Ft. Worth, TX, Asheville, NC, Charlotte, NC and Pensacola, FL – plus Atlanta (home) – too much travel but it is always fun to see different places dressed for the holidays. Thank you for sharing Paris – another favorite city.
Hi Steven! It’s great to see my hometown, Fort Worth, TX, mentioned in your post. I hope you enjoyed your travels.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!!
you should also visit our mother city – Cape Town in South Africa. We are experiencing beautiful warm days and the city and surrounding winelands are full of joy as our rainbow nation head towards the festive season. kind regards
Debbra-Lyn
Paris never disappoints and neither does your lovely blog!! Merry Christmas
Sharon, these are such fabulous places to take a photo op. Certainly would put anyone in a festive celebratory mood. My festive way to decorate has always been with green & white lights.
love this
Paris: as beautiful as ever!
I am from Virginia and my husband and I try to spend one week in December in Colonial Williamsburg. It is so beautiful decorated with all live greenery and fruits. All the doors, windows etc. are different. At night on the first weekend they have fireworks at various locations and other nights cressets are lit along the street. The fife and drum corp marches and hot cider stands are set up. There are no electric lights as this is a 1700’s restoration city. No cars either! It is a magical place atChristmas time!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos . We always stay at a hotel close to these places whenever we visit Paris. I always stop in Laduree on Rue Royale for macarons. I just love Paris!!! Can’t get enough of this beautiful city!
Thank you for this beautiful photos. I am following the news from France in Texas. I am so happy to see the beautiful festive views from Paris. The demonstrations are a sign of how difficult life can be for some people but destruction cannot be a way to solve the problems.
Paris looks so lovely all dressed up for the CHRISTmas season, thank you for bringing me along & sharing such wonderful pictures …Paris is always a good idea they say ! Have a lovely and Merry CHRISTmas … and good healthy and happiness to you and yours in the New Year ! Jayne
I was in Paris two days ago, fantastic Christmas scene – that is once the rioters went away.
Well, it’s bizarre here in Australia. It seems our English heritage is on full display at Xmas, masses of holly wreaths sprayed in fake white snow, Santa and elves wrapped up in woolly outfits and constant ads for piping hot turkey and the works for for Xmas dinner. And it will be 30 plus degrees ! Our house has a wreath made of native bush leaves that smell heavenly and the main day will be spent at the beach eating very cold seafood. I recently purchased a sweet little house in France and so I am looking forward to one day experiencing a winter Xmas.
Like Shane I am in Australia too. My house is a total “War Zone” at the moment as we are undertaking a renovation and an extension.
There are trenches through the front and back gardens, a “portable dunny”, rocks and mud everywhere and I have no idea where my Christmas decorations are in the garage as everything is packed in tight in the garage and the house. It looks like a fallen branch from one of our trees with some newly purchased decorations will have to suffice. Christmas 2019 will be brilliant, I am planning it already.
A very safe and Happy Christmas to everyone on this most wonderful blog and to you Sharon and your family.
Sooo beautiful Thanks Sharon for the beautiful photos. Paris, elegant as always ,the French certainly know how to decorate in Style. Christmas in Australia is usually Hot but my tree is Green and white as I fantsize about a White Christmas…….Merry Christmas to you All
“Christmas in Austrlias’ hot ..Cold and frosty is what its not” (That’s part of a song)
As always, thank you for the beautiful photos!! Paris is magic at Christmas, Epiphany, and New Years…..as always!!!
London is wonderful at Yuletide but just lacks the romanticism of Paris!! For me, even the little hamlets of France
are charming and magic with lights,fresh cut trees, and Christmas markets. if you come to France for Christmas,
You are making a grave error not to visit at least one village!
Living in the Southern Hemisphere is very different than the Northern .
I live in South Australia and we have just had 2 days of 40 decrees and the gardens are looking a bit sorry even though we water well.
Making Christmas baking especially mince pies need to be baked on a cooler day as the pastry for the pies can be tricky if it’s too hot, having said that next Friday looks like the day according to the forecast.
I am following the white and green colour scheme that you said looked so elegant in Paris Sharron , maybe with a touch of red. One day I will have a white Christmas, but for us Australians Christmas is sun, surf and sand!
To be honest as much as I prefer the winter, would a white Christmas be the same?, I’m not sure…
Hi Debbie, If you want your “summer” garden to look green and healthy, watering is not enough when using irrigation. Plants need nitrogen, too. Usually they get it from rain water which soaks up nitrogen as the rain falls through our nitrogen-rich atmosphere. You will be surprised how quickly things will “green up” when you fertilize with nitrogen. I use high-nitrogen lawn fertilizer even on my flowering plants when we do not have enought rain. It takes about 2 weeks to see the effect. So, if you do it in the next few days, your garden will look healthy by Christmas.
Best wishes, Carol
So beautiful! Like a fairy winter wonderland.
Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures.
Be sure and send more when it snows!
The wild green forest of the west coast, some frost on the trees, maybe some rare blue sky and sunshine with some frisky birds in the branches. That’s all the decoration I need.
Hi Sharon,
Another Australian here, you seem to have a few, from Castlemaine in Victoria! Heat is always something for Christmas, it was 37 here yesterday and seafood and a more relaxed day have become the norm, particularly since my parents are no longer with us.
I lived in the UK and the Netherlands for 7 years and one of the big differences I noticed is because of the differences in the seasons in which it occurs; Christmas in Europe is a light spot in the middle of a long winter with not so much else around it. Here in Australia Christmas comes at the end of the year and the start of summer so we have school break up, summer holidays and Christmas all coming together. It can be a bit frantic in the crescendo up until Christmas but part of that is the knowledge that we have time to slow down and recover in the holidays that follow, often at the beach. I love both versions of Christmas!!
Hi Sharaon, I live in sunny, warm, inland southern California. We usually have very warm, pleasant Decembers. (Think LA in “The Holiday” movie. ) Sometimes we get a surprise. The year I was born, we got 2″ of snow on Christmas! This year, who knows? It has been warmer in most of France than it has been here in southern California.
I think one can make a beautiful Christmas wherever you live because the beauty of Christmas is in your heart!
Smiles from Carol
Lovely pictures of Christmas in Paris! Thank you
Paris Ç’est Magnifique!
I have yet to discover a city that is as beautifully decorated as Paris at Christmas in the United States. My favorite place stateside to visit at Christmastime is for The Candlight Tour at The Biltmore Estates in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. https://www.biltmore.com/candlelight-christmas evenings/gclid=EAIaIQobChMIk5SZ1ab25QIVCZezCh2hzwjxEAAYASAAEgJJc_D_BwE USA.
Sharon. Thank you so very much for sharing these beautiful photos. I miss Paris so very much.