Paris Restaurants: Christmas Meals
Mon 23 Dec 2013
Christmas in Paris is a spectacular time to truly see the City of Light shine. While beautiful white lights line the streets and frame the store windows, many Paris restaurants close on and around the major holidays. Fear not: we’ve compiled a list of spots ranging from simple to indulgent to keep you well fed and festive, but make sure to call ahead and reserve a table in advance, as they tend to book up quickly.
Dessert du jour at Ciel de Paris.
Christmas Markets
If you don’t feel like making a reservation and spending a lot of money on your Christmas meal, then make it a casual but still fun holiday by visiting one of the many Christmas markets in Paris. Well-decorated wooden chalets dot streets like the Champs-Elysées and fill squares in Saint-Germain and Montmartre. You can sample and then buy a range of cheeses, meats and sweets to make your own picnic with some warm mulled wine, or sit down at one of the enclosed restaurants along the Champs-Elysées and eat everything from sausages to roast chicken to sweet or savory crêpes.
L’Ecailler du Bistrot
If you’re looking to upgrade your picnic or dinner party, order a seafood platter from L’Ecailler du Bistrot, where you can pick up your meal until 1 p.m. on Christmas Day. Fresh oysters and crustaceans are an elegant addition to any event. Pair that with a crisp white wine, or go directly to the champagne, and your party is already an instant success.
Chamarré Montmartre
Filet of duckling at Chamarré Montmartre.
For a full sit-down holiday meal on Christmas Eve or Day, Chamarré Montmartre offers a six-course tasting menu for 85 euros. You’ll be treated to oysters, a mushroom velouté soup spiked with truffle juice and a ravioli of foie gras. From there, you’ll move on to a wild duck pie, followed by sea bass and caviar and then succulent Bresse chicken. The menu ends with a traditional bûche de Noël.
Ciel de Paris
If you’d like a view with your meal, then head to the 56th floor of the Trip Montparnasse to Ciel de Paris for a special dinner served on Christmas Eve that you’ll appreciate while enjoying panoramic views of Paris. Champagne will flow throughout the meal, which will include everything you’d like to see in a holiday feast—caviar, foie gras, scallops, prawns, filet of beef and some sweet chocolate to end the meal. Price: 165 euros for food and champagne.
Le Cinq at Four Seasons George V
For the ultimate holiday experience, go to the Four Seasons George V and get ready to be transported. As soon as you step foot in the hotel, you’ll see, smell and feel Christmas all around you. The decor is elegant, extravagant and breathtaking. The meal is beyond decadent, with prices to match. The Christmas Day meal will set you back 410 euros, while the tasting menu on Christmas Eve is 640 euros. If this is all out of your price range, step into Le Bar for un coup de champagne to soak in the scenery while saving a few bucks.
Info/Related Links
Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau Christmas Market Information
L’Ecailler du Bistrot
22, rue Paul Bert , in the 11th Arrondissement. 01 43 72 76 77.
Chamarré Montmartre
Le Cinq at Four Seasons George V
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