Paris

During the winter, Paris experiences something special. The boulevards appear wider and the formal gardens seem even more austere without the lush trees. The rooftops of Paris resemble the steel-gray skies. The city has a nostalgic feel when it snows, which happens very rarely. Paris in the winter is an entirely different experience than it is in the summer high season. The best season to visit Paris, in the opinion of many tourists, is winter.

The Louvre's expansive hallways are free of other tourists, so you can roam around and spend some time viewing the Mona Lisa without anyone in your way. The best season to explore Paris' top-notch museums is winter. Additionally, it's a great opportunity to see the city's historic churches. During the holiday season, many churches perform religious music or Christmas carol concerts. The Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés, located in the 6th arrondissement, the Eglise de la Madeleine, located in the 8th arrondissement, and the Eglise Saint-Ephrem, located in the 5th arrondissement, among other churches, all host Christmas concerts. On Christmas Eve, a Midnight Mass is held at the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre. Paris comes alive with holiday celebrations in December. Yuletide logs, or bûches de Nol, are seasonal desserts sold at the upscale bakery and chocolate shops, and Parisian boutiques and department stores dress up their windows with festive displays.