A Photo Journey as Paris Sparkles for the Holidays

“Paris is always a good idea,” so the Audrey Hepburn quote goes. And if you experience the sparkling streets and festive store windows of the holiday season (as an on-the-street flâneur or as a virtual traveler), you will agree that Paris is especially magical at this time of year. 

A little bit of cold and rain did not dampen the 2023 spirit of Noël. From dancing baguettes and exuberant vegetables at Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche to cuddly forest creatures celebrating with their ceramic pots and elegant purses in the windows of the Bazar de Hôtel de Ville to the calming pastels of intricate paper art at Printemps Haussmann to the wild feast of color in a highly designed dream world at Galeries Lafayette—the department stores and quartiers have once again outdone themselves. 

The pop-up Christmas markets, the carnival in the Jardin des Tuileries, and the enchanted woods on the parvis of the Hôtel de Ville add to the festivities. Joyeux Noêl! 

Imaginative Store Windows 

The store windows of the largest Paris department stores have been providing holiday entertainment since Le Bon Marché started the tradition in 1909. Teams of designers, artists, and engineers build the elaborate installations, often with animation and sound. Kids and eternal kids remain entranced. 

Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche 

The story at Le Bon Marché unfolds, with red Adada teddy bears wandering through a gourmet world, their cute X eyes open to all possibilities (although it’s hard not to think of Elon’s empire when you see an X). 

They discover “Le Cabaret des Baquettes,” where crêpes fly, baguettes dance like well-trained Moulin Rouge stars, and bread slices fall like a cascade of dominos. 

Then, off to “La Danse du Potager,” where each fruit and vegetable proudly presents its own unique choreography. The bear guides end with “La Chorale des Casseroles,” featuring high-spirited wine openers and jazz-inspired graters, as well as a ballet of socks.

Galeries Lafayette 

Galeries Lafayette decided to “go bold” this year. Designer Charles de Vilmorin and Atelier Bournillat present a little girl with a magic paintbrush in search of dreams. 

The colors are explosive. The faces are an amalgam of burlesque cabaret, circus clown, Venice carnival mask, and psychedelia. 

The story revealed is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland after eating a bite or two of mushroom. Let the bizarre adventures begin. 

Note to Galeries Lafayette … and visitors: The designs are spectacular, but there is a reason why the usual clusters of children are not crowding around these windows. The “dreams” could easily turn into a Christmas nightmare. 

Printemps Haussmann 

The light and airy holiday story at Printemps Haussmann is a refreshing balance to the nearby Galeries Lafayette windows. 

Wishes DO come true, the story confirms. A cluster of our feathered friends works hard to review messages received from around the world. They then prepare gifts for all. 

The intricate scenes designed by Mathilde Nivet include 170,000 paper constructions and 95 puppets—an amazing exploration of paper artistry in a soothing array of pastel colors and clouds. 

Bazar de Hôtel de Ville ((BHV/Marais) 

BHV was first with their decorations this year, ushering in the holiday spirit weeks before Thanksgiving. 

The calming greenery surrounds benevolent forest creatures, who use fashion accessories and kitchenwares from the store to celebrate life in the beauty of nature. 

Hôtel de Ville 

Just across from BHV, you’ll find the enchanted forest on the parvis of the Paris City Hall. The maze of trees and twinkles offers shopping huts, food stands, carousel rides, exhibits of art by employees of the city of Paris, special Paris items for sale in the daytime Paris shop (including Olympics 2024 merchandise), rock climbing, and a luge run (which takes on new meaning under an Olympic banner). 

The theme is “green,” as the trees are grown on French farms and are potted or are mulched afterwards for use in the city green spaces. The lights are LED and are turned off at 11:45 pm. 

The reindeer are all made from wood and resemble artistic TinkerToy assemblages. 

Other Crowd Favorites 

Certain streets are always a must-see on the holiday lights tour. The Champs Elyseés trees line the grand avenue and sparkle gold and blue. The Place Vendôme offers elegant simplicity in its sea of trees, surrounded by its neighbors of jewels, fashion, and upscale hotels. 

The opulent Avenue Montaigne has thousands of twinkling lights that arch over the street creating a tunnel of stars. 

And it’s fun to just wander because every neighborhood offers something special for the holidays. 

Bonjour Paris wishes you a joyous holiday, filled with sparkles of all kinds.