The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world and is visited by over 9 million people annually. But it can be yours exclusively if you visit Paris in the winter, which is one of the city's highlights.

It's a wonderful feeling to stroll around the magnificent galleries that are filled with artwork and which were formerly the residences and reception areas of French kings. You can take your time admiring the magnificent paintings without having to dodge other tourists. The empty galleries can be explored at your own pace. It's more fun and less tiring to see the Louvre thoroughly when there are fewer people around. You may take your time and see every Louvre highlight, including a close-up look at the Mona Lisa. The Louvre museum is open from 9 AM to 6 PM throughout the week, except on Tuesdays.

It's a great time to attend a top-notch cultural show in Paris, and indulge in the dazzling experience. Wintertime is the time for opera, ballet, and symphony performances, and December, January, and February at the Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille are when some of the best concerts and plays are held.

The Palais Garnier holds an Opening Gala at the end of January, a special occasion that showcases the upcoming ballet season. The interior of The Palais Garnier, an opulent 19th-century Baroque building with a grand entrance staircase, beautiful reception halls, and a gilded auditorium, is worth a visit all by itself. The elegant CoCo restaurant in the Palais Garnier (enter at the Place Jacques-Rouché) offers sophisticated dishes made with quality seasonal ingredients.

You will be treated to magnificent displays of festive Christmas lights if you visit in December. The majestic monuments and grand boulevards of Paris are decorated with Christmas illuminations, which give the city a magical atmosphere. Many of the city's smaller boutiques and the majority of large stores also have holiday decor too.

The Champs-Élysées (in the 8th arrondissement) features particularly spectacular Christmas decorations, so be sure to take a trip down it. The trees that line this magnificent boulevard are lit by thousands of lightbulbs. Additionally well-known for their spectacular Christmas illuminations are the nearby Avenue Montaigne, the beautiful Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré (in the 8th arrondissement), and the Place Vendôme (in the 1st arrondissement).

When you're looking for a warm dining room and hearty cuisine in the winter, Paris's charming cafés and vintage bistros are even more alluring. Even though the renowned bistro L'Ami Louis is frequently booked, your chances of getting a table will be greater in the winter. It is well worth the detour for the delicious traditional French food and welcoming dining area. The roast chicken is highly praised by many. Or try Joséphine Chez Dumonet (open Monday through Friday) on the Rue du Cherche-Midi in the 6th arrondissement for a truly traditional French bistro experience.

Another great destination to explore in the winter is the well-known Shakespeare and Company English-language bookshop in the Latin Quarter (37 Rue de la Bûcherie). Make sure to visit the bookstore's café, which features a small but charming indoor dining area. You may also have a chance to attend a book reading or other event at the bookshop's upstairs salon.

Visit Marchés de Nol, traditional Christmas markets in the Alsatian style, to take in the joyful holiday atmosphere. Old-fashioned Christmas decorations and refreshments are available at these welcoming outdoor markets.

Small wooden chalets have vendors who offer artisanal goods including gingerbread, handcrafted Christmas tree decorations, and holiday gifts. Some of the Marchés de Nol start as early as the end of November, and they take place in December. Small wooden chalets have vendors who offer artisanal goods including gingerbread, handcrafted Christmas tree decorations, and holiday gifts. At the Square René Viviani near to Notre-Dame Cathedral in the middle of December, the Marché de Nol Notre-Dame de Paris is held. The market offers both locals and visitors the chance to browse the stalls selling artisanal crafts including jewelry, purses, tableware, and local gastronomic products.

Angelina's creamy hot chocolate (226 Rue de Rivoli) is best enjoyed during the winter. The decadent "L'Africain" chocolat chaud made in Angelina is well-known and is made using cocoa from the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria. Served with whipped cream, this thick hot chocolate is distinctive. Angelina gives the elegance of dining in a Belle Epoque tea salon, which elevates the experience.

Other places that serve hot chocolate the old-fashioned way in Paris include Ladurée on the Champs-Élysées or on Rue Bonaparte, Jean-Paul Hévin Chocolatier on Rue Saint-Honoré, Café Pavane on Rue de Vaugirard, and bread&roses close to the Jardin du Luxembourg on Rue Madame.

There is nothing more exciting than outdoor ice skating in a beautiful area of Paris on a winter day. There are numerous outdoor ice rinks from which tourists can select.

The Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), a grand Neo-Renaissance-style building in the picturesque Le Marais neighborhood, has an outdoor ice rink next to it from mid-December to mid-February (4th arrondissement). With its beautiful setting and breathtaking city views, the outdoor ice skating rink on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower will enchant you. During the holiday season until mid-February, the Eiffel Tower ice rink is open. The Grande Arche de la Défense in the La Défense quarter of Paris is another exhilarating location for ice skating. On the rooftop of this modern triumphal arch, at a dizzying height of 110 meters, there is an ice rink that is open from mid-December to early January.

It might be said that pastry is a part of daily life in Paris. You can find a wide variety of intricately designed and decorated pastries all over the city, including simple laminated viennoiseries like croissants and pain au chocolat, airy choux-dough eclairs, buttery sablés, and an ever-expanding selection of cakes, cookies, and brioches with French and international influences.

In winter, Parisian bakeries and pâtisserie shops create elaborate holiday-themed window displays, while the pastry cases are filled with special seasonal desserts. Among the best pastry and chocolate shops to check out are Ladurée (75 Avenue des Champs-Élysées; 21 Rue Bonaparte), Pierre Hermé (72 Rue Bonaparte; 18 Rue Sainte-Croix de la Bretonnerie), Christian Constant (40 Rue des Écoles), La Maison du Chocolate (8 Boulevard de la Madeleine; 19 Rue de Sèvres; 225 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré),..

Holiday celebrations in Paris are wonderful! Visitors will surely enjoy the city's schedule of holiday music and cultural events. The historic Paris churches hold concerts and carol singings during the month of December. The 6th arrondissement's Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which hosts a concert on Christmas Day, and the 6th arrondissement's Eglise Saint-Sulpice, which is famed for its Cavaillé-Coll organ, a classified Historic Monument are just a few places to check out.

The 8th arrondissement's Eglise de la Madeleine hosts special Christmas concerts in December that include a variety of classic pieces like Schubert's Ave Maria, Minuit Chrétiens (Oh Holy Night), and Douce Nuit (Silent Night). Or the Eglise Saint-Ephrem, in the 5th arrondissement close to the Pantheon, is renowned for its excellent acoustics and delights audiences with its "Concerts aux Chandelles" ("Concerts by Candlight"), which include a performance of Handel's Messiah.

If you enjoy shopping, January is a great month to travel to Paris for "Les Soldes" (The Sales). Shops and department stores start to discount their products during the second week of the new year. With discounts of up to 70% off the original prices, shoppers can find amazing deals even on luxury goods.

From stylish shoes to fine jewelry to lovely kid's toys, Paris' charming boutiques have something for everyone. Start your Les Soldes shopping adventure at one of the large department shops, such as Printemps or Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann in the 9th arrondissement. Another upscale department store is Le Bon Marché, a gourmet grocery shop and high-end clothes store located on the Rue de Sèvres in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.