© 2017 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
It’s Christmastime in the city!
Many European cities know how to do it up in grand style…in general and especially when it is Christmastime!
I have been to many Christmas markets in many different cities over the years (Frankfurt, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Paris, London) and there is nothing like it to get you in the holiday spirit.
During the last couple of years, having been in Paris during the holidays, I have visited the market on the Champs Elysees. Last year, I have to admit, however, I was not very impressed with the types of merchandise offered and felt a little exposed being on either side of a major roadway. When I heard that the Champs Elysees market was not opening this year, it honestly did not surprise or disappoint me.
I knew that there were other markets in different parts of the city and a little research informed me that indeed the largest market was not the now defunct Champs Elysees but always had been the market at La Defense, operating since the early 1990s. Well, this was absolutely where I was headed.
Taking the metro was a relatively easy (although a bit lengthy) affair with only one switch. Arriving in the La Défense station, however, was quite confusing as we dodged the massive work crowd trying to get home for their dinner and weekend. Correctly assuming that the market would be near the Grande Arche, we followed the signs and found one of the entrances to the market.
For about six weeks, before, during and after Christmas, La Défense hosts the 12,000 sq. meter Christmas village. Laid out in a grid-like pattern with red carpeted walkways, 250 wooden chalets present a wide range of goods to entice eager holiday shoppers to part with their hard earned euros. Clothing items, ornaments, wooden games, jewelry, candy…you name it…it’s all there ready to be wrapped up and placed under your tree!
In addition to the shopping, there are countless choices of food items to be washed down with mulled wine, beer or hot chocolate. And don’t forget about dessert…waffles and crepes galore! If you can not find anything to tickle your fancy, however, remember that the Quatre-Temps mall and the CNIT are on either side of the market and offer a wide array of dishes.
The La Défense Christmas market also offers some other fun things…a virtual reality area, mascots who roam the market, a moving miniature Christmas village and Santa’s phone booth. Today’s youth! Why write Santa, or rather, Papa Noël (we are in France), a letter when you can use the direct line to give him a call at La Défense?
The whole area was lit beautifully and although it was a bit cold, we enjoyed walking around and admiring the beautifully crafted items. Our only complaint was that we didn’t feel like there were enough Christmas-y items. Although I found a regionally made nativity set for my collection, my friend was disappointed when she couldn’t find a Christmas ornament representative of Paris or even France for that matter. What we found was mass produced and evidently made in other countries.
At the end of our sojourn, before we headed back to the metro, we decided to climb the steps at the Grande Arche to look out over the area. I must say, with the skyscrapers on every side of the brightly lit market, it did make for a grand sight! Papa Noël would be proud!
Check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe for more pictures.
La Défense Christmas Market
- From 23 November 2017 to 28 December 2017
- Hours: Zone 1, food service, open 7 days a week, from 1100 to 2300 (0300 on December 31). Zones 2 and 3 open from Monday to Thursday, from 1100 to 2000, Friday until 2200, Saturday from 1000 to 2200.
- Admission: free
- Getting There: Metro Line 1, RER A, T2, Transilien train lines L and U