Grand Palais des Glaces: The World’s Largest Indoor Ice Rink

After undergoing extensive renovations, part of the Grand Palais, called the “Nef” or “Nave” in English, has now reopened to the public. The Grand Palais and the Nef have been classified as historical monuments, and the Nef is renowned for its size as well as its glass vaulted ceiling that gives the impression of being close to the sky. On December 14, the Grand Palais inaugurated its Grand Palais des Glaces under the Nef for the first time in five years.

The 3,000-square-meter ice rink — the largest temporary indoor rink in the world —welcomes beginners and experts alike until January 8, 2025. With morning, afternoon, and nightly opportunities to skate, there’s time for everyone to enjoy the rink. Spots fill up quickly, so it’s best to make reservations in advance using the online ticket portal.

With your ticket, you enter into a disco-ball-filled winter wonderland under the impressive glass ceiling of the restored Nef. Skate and dance to the remixes of the live DJ while showing off your best moves. For a chance to appear on the big screens, keep an eye out for the cameras while on the rink.

Be sure to bring gloves, as they are required while skating. Lockers are available for keeping your personal items safe, and rental skates are provided. For the kids, there’s a dedicated section of the ice rink where they can try out skating for the first time and use a cart to help them, if needed. Be aware that the strobe lights and loud music may negatively affect younger children, sensitive skaters, or people with certain medical conditions.

When taking a break from skating, enjoy the other experiences the Grand Palais des Glaces has to offer. For people 16 years and older, the Sephora makeup bar offers makeovers. The café has a wide selection of hot drinks, snacks, and sandwiches, as well as seating areas scattered around the Nef.

Although the ice rink is the biggest event currently happening at the Grand Palais, there’s more to explore beyond the Nef. Several exhibitions are slated for 2025, and from now until March 19, 2025, visitors can experience “Chiharu Shiota – The Soul Trembles”. Other programs will follow in the New Year, though space will be limited until the rest of the Grand Palais renovations finish in June 2025.

Since 1900 when it was opened to host the World’s Fair, the Grand Palais has undergone restorations, survived a fire, and experienced important historical moments. It has hosted historical and artistic exhibitions, the international photography fair Paris Photo, dance shows, concerts, and even Olympics and Paralympics events. In addition, it was transformed into a hospital for soldiers during World War I.

As the Grand Palais is an essential piece of Paris’s history, Parisians and visitors alike have met its reopening with enthusiasm. Furthermore, visitors can once again admire the Grand Palais’s unique architecture that stands between baroque and classicism. The glass, steel, and stone architecture, along with different artistic displays such as statues and mosaic and ceramic friezes, are sure to delight newcomers and returning visitors alike.

The Grand Palais has been a witness to the industrial, technological, and artistic progress of the 20th and 21st centuries. Once restorations are complete and the Grand Palais reopens in its entirety, it will return to its former glory with over 2 million visitors annually and 40 events and exhibitions per year.

DETAILS 

Grand Palais des Glaces
Daily Hours: 10 am – 1 pm, 2 pm- 7 pm, 8 pm – 2am 
Early closure at 7 pm on December 24 and 31
7 avenue Winston Churchill, 8th