Are the Christmas Markets in Paris Really Artisanal?

As the holiday season kicks into full swing, marchés de Noël are popping up all over Paris. This year, the city advertised each Christmas market as featuring various artisanal, sustainable, and “Made in France” products. I’m always on the hunt for sustainable gifts and opportunities to support local businesses, so I visited four Christmas markets in Paris to see if they’re truly as artisanal as the advertisements say.

Village de Noël: Saint-Germain-des-Près

As one of the smaller Christmas markets, the Village de Noël surrounding the iconic Saint-Germain-des-Près church provides a cheery and intimate environment to enjoy classic French treats like crêpes, gaufres, hot chocolate, mulled wine, and roasted chestnuts. Some stands feature artisanal items like handmade jewelry and candles, organic essential oils, and honey from Île-de-France.

La Magie de Noël: Tuileries

Explore the Christmas market, amusement park, and children’s ice rink in the Tuileries Garden. Extending from the Louvre to Place de la Concorde, La Magie de Noël offers fun for the whole family, with thrill rides, children’s rides and shows, and plenty of places to eat and shop. Out of the four markets I visited, Tuileries was the least artisanal, as there were many game stands with classic carnival prizes like giant stuffed animals and electronic gadgets.

In addition to the traditional French foods like those offered at the Saint-Germain-des-Près market, the Tuileries market offers raclette, tartiflette, and soups, as well as traditional carnival fare like pizza, hot dogs, and cotton candy. They’ve also set up temporary restaurants so people can enjoy full-service meals in the midst of the park.

On the artisanal side, a section of the park is dedicated to Les Créateurs Chambre de Métiers et de l’Artisanat (CMA). The CMA is an organization which supports and trains artisans in France and helps them develop their businesses. These artisan châlets sell sweets and one-of-a-kind gifts like wooden jewelry, pottery, honey, and art.

Village de Noël: La Défense

The Village de Noël at La Défense, just a stone’s throw from Paris and easily reached by Métro or RER, is the largest Christmas market in Île-de-France. It extends from beneath the arch of La Défense along the Esplanade, offering hundreds of different gift and food options. For the kids, there are plenty of photo ops, meet and greets with Santa, an ice rink, and arts and crafts workshops. Like in the Tuileries, there are indoor restaurants where people can enjoy a warm meal before exploring more of the market.

The Village de Noël is split into several parts, with a large part dedicated to artisans from around the world. Explore trinkets from Canada, Brazil, Haiti, and more, as well as “Made in France” products and foods. Aside from artisanal products, La Défense has a huge Christmas store selling holiday decorations, clothes, accessories, artwork, games, and home décor.

Marché de Noël: Notre-Dame

The Notre-Dame Cathedral reopened on December 7, and what better way to celebrate than by visiting the neighboring Christmas market? Located in the Square René Viviani just steps away from the cathedral, the Marché de Noël Notre-Dame doesn’t disappoint with its fully artisanal selection of accessories, clothes, soap, and art. Organized by the artisan association L’Art et La Seine, the Notre-Dame Christmas market features dozens of displays run by the crafters themselves. Explore unique creations such as jewelry made out of plants and flowers, soap made with organic and essential oils, and blown glass art. Of course, there’s plenty of food and warm drinks to go around, too. Enjoy regional gastronomy including cheeses, meats, chocolates, and desserts, as well as vin chaud and chocolat chaud. The spectacular view of the restored cathedral and the wide variety of artisanal products is sure to impress and delight!

Opening soon: Christmas Market at Concorde

In addition to the four markets I visited, Place de la Concorde will host a market that, for this year, will replace the traditional Village de Noël that’s usually at Hôtel de Ville. Dedicated to “Made in Paris” products, the Concorde market opens on December 14.

What’s the most artisanal Christmas market in Paris?

Based on my experiences, the most artisanal market is the Marché de Noël Notre-Dame. It’s the only market fully dedicated to artisans and regional products, while other Paris Christmas markets offer a balance of local and industrial products. The city is clearly conscious of including more artisans and supporting French businesses, as well as making their markets more sustainable by using a cup recycling system similar to the one used during the Olympics (reusable cups can be returned to the vendor or to a special recycling bin, where they will be washed and reused). To join in the holiday spirit in Paris and enjoy French artisanal crafts and gastronomy, be sure to check out a Paris Christmas market near you!