Weather in December
December averages 4 to 8°C, with evenings dropping to 1 to 4°C. A serious coat is essential — not a fashion layer but a genuine winter garment. Rain is frequent. Christmas markets operate outdoors from late November and the evening cold is a real feature of the experience. Your indoor wardrobe — the dress beneath the coat — should be genuinely beautiful.
Style Rules for December
Do
- Visit the Galeries Lafayette Christmas window displays — an annual spectacle worth building a morning around
- Book New Year's Eve dinner well in advance — December fills Paris's best restaurants completely
- Pack a coat that matches the occasion — December Paris judges the coat first
- Attend the Palais Garnier if tickets allow — December programming is the finest of the year
Avoid
- Dress casually for December's occasions — the Palais Garnier and fine dining restaurants expect your best
- Underestimate the cold on the Champs-Élysées on New Year's Eve — 3°C at midnight is genuinely cold
- Forget an umbrella — December rain is frequent and cold
- Pack a blazer alone as outerwear — December evenings require a proper winter coat
December Dresses: The Evening Occasion
December in Paris is the month of occasions: Christmas dinners, New Year's Eve at fine restaurants, gallery openings, and nights at the opera. Choose dresses that match the occasion: sequined, velvet, satin-embellished, or draped silk that reads formal without being costume. The December dress is the most beautiful thing in your suitcase. Pack accordingly.
The December Coat: The Most Visible Statement
December's coat is the statement piece. The Christmas market crowd, the Champs-Élysées crowd, the queue outside the Palais Garnier — in all of these, your coat is everything people see. A cashmere wrap, a faux fur in cream or camel, or a structured double-breasted wool in a colour that the December lights make extraordinary. December Paris demands that your coat is the best coat you own.
Winter Boots: For the Christmas Streets
December's often-damp Paris streets and Christmas market cobblestones require quality leather boots with proper grip. An ankle boot with a heel, a Chelsea in fine suede, or a knee-high boot that makes a statement below your coat hemline. December boots must be beautiful and must be practical — the conditions do not allow choosing one without the other.
Evening Shoes: For Palais Garnier and Fine Dining
December's Christmas and New Year's calendar of opera, ballet, and fine dining calls for indoor shoes that match the occasion. A pointed satin pump, a heeled sandal with embellishment, or a classic Jimmy Choo that you keep in a soft pouch in your bag. Paris in December does not accept an apology for under-dressing at the table.
The December Bag: The Evening Clutch
December's formal occasions call for a bag that matches them. A jewelled clutch for New Year's Eve, a structured top-handle for Christmas dinner, or a classic black shoulder bag that works from the Louvre to the brasserie. December is the month for the bag that has been waiting for an occasion worthy of it.
December Accessories: The Complete Edit
A silk or cashmere scarf in December does triple work: neck warmth against 3°C evenings, shoulder coverage for church visits, and the finishing note of a considered winter outfit. Simple, high-quality jewellery for evenings. Sunglasses on the rare bright December days. An umbrella — not compact, but serious — for December rain.
Cultural Dress Codes
The Paris Christmas markets (marchés de Noël) run from late November through December 24th on the Champs-Élysées, at La Défense, and at various arrondissement locations. The windows of Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché are elaborately decorated and worth a specific visit. The Palais Garnier hosts its most prestigious performances of the year in December — Nutcracker and Christmas programmes. New Year's Eve on the Champs-Élysées is free and spectacular, but dress in warm layers: 4°C at midnight requires the full winter wardrobe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Paris like at Christmas?
Paris at Christmas is genuinely beautiful. The Champs-Élysées Christmas market, the decorated department store windows of Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché, the lights over the boulevards, and the particular warmth of a Paris brasserie in mid-December — it is the city performing at its most theatrical. December is also when Paris's restaurants produce their finest seasonal menus.
What should I pack for Paris in December?
Pack around a serious coat — not a fashion layer but a genuine winter garment. Beneath it: a dress in a fabric that matches December's occasions (velvet, sequined, satin). Quality leather ankle boots for daytime. One pair of evening shoes for formal occasions. A silk scarf for warmth and church visits. An umbrella. A clutch or small structured bag for evenings.
How cold is Paris in December?
December averages 4 to 8°C during the day, with evenings dropping to 1 to 4°C. It does not often snow in central Paris, but frost is possible. The cold is damp rather than dry — layering is important. A serious wool or cashmere coat, with a fine-knit or silk layer beneath, handles most December days correctly.
What to wear for New Year's Eve in Paris?
New Year's Eve in Paris is an occasion — at a restaurant, it demands impeccable dress. For outdoor celebrations on the Champs-Élysées, dress beautifully but practically: the crowd is large and the temperature at midnight is 3 to 4°C. A sequined dress under a good coat, quality boots, and a scarf is the formula that works both outdoors and when you move inside to celebrate.
Are the Paris Christmas markets worth visiting?
Yes — particularly the Champs-Élysées market, which runs the length of the avenue and includes craft stalls, food vendors, and a large ice rink at the Place de la Concorde end. The vin chaud is genuinely warming. Dress for the cold: the market is outdoors and the December wind on the Champs-Élysées is significant. Leather boots, a serious coat, and a scarf.
Is the Palais Garnier opera worth visiting in December?
December at the Palais Garnier is one of Paris's finest experiences — the building is extraordinary, the December programme includes prestigious performances, and dressing for the opera in Paris in December is one of those genuinely memorable occasions. Tickets sell out months in advance. Book as early as possible, choose good seats, and dress impeccably: the Palais Garnier in December is not a casual evening.