December in Paris is first and foremost a month for museums. The days are short, the season's major exhibitions are all open, and the festivities only really begin from mid-December. Here is what we recommend to those staying with us, on avenue Duquesne, in the 7th. The dates below were checked in early November 2026; opening hours sometimes change during the holidays, so check the museum's website before heading out.
Exhibitions to see in December 2026
If you only have time for one, choose the Orangerie. The others depend on your tastes, and we list them in the order we recommend them at reception.
Musée de l'Orangerie: "Monet, peindre le temps"
For the centenary of Monet's death, the Orangerie is devoting an exhibition to the painter's relationship with time: the Impressionist moment, the return of the seasons, duration. It takes place in the very museum that houses the Water Lilies, which gives the visit its full meaning. This is the winter exhibition we recommend most readily. It remains open until January 25, 2027: in December, come on a weekday rather than the weekend.
Musée d'Orsay: Jenny Holzer and Richard Peduzzi
Orsay is our neighborhood museum, on the quays of the 7th, and this winter it presents two contemporary programs. "J'ai vu", dedicated to American artist Jenny Holzer, known for her projected and engraved texts, is open from October 20, 2026 to February 21, 2027. "Vertige", centered on set designer and decorator Richard Peduzzi, ends earlier, on January 17, 2027. If you are hesitating between the two, Peduzzi comes first as it closes sooner. Our article on visiting Orsay gives the best time slot to avoid waiting.
Petit Palais: "Bruxelles 1900"
On the other side of the Seine, at the end of the Pont Alexandre III, the Petit Palais presents "Bruxelles 1900" from November 10, 2026 to April 25, 2027. For those who love Art Nouveau, it is the logical follow-up to a stroll past the Lavirotte building on avenue Rapp, in our arrondissement. As the exhibition runs until spring, it can wait for a future stay if your schedule is full.
Palais Galliera: "Un vestiaire à soi"
The City of Paris Fashion Museum shows how 19th-century women borrowed from the male wardrobe, between sports practice, social struggles and self-affirmation. A precise exhibition, of reasonable size, ideal for a late afternoon. Until February 14, 2027.
Musée du Louvre: "L'Eau primordiale"
In the Department of Near Eastern Antiquities, the Louvre is devoting an exhibition to the role of water in ancient Mesopotamia, until March 15, 2027. We recommend it to those who are going to the Louvre anyway: it is visited in the department's rooms, without a detour. To choose between the Louvre and Orsay on a short stay, we have written a comparison.
Christmas on the Left Bank and beyond
The festivities mainly get underway from late November. We have dedicated a page to each subject so the dates remain accurate:
- Christmas markets: our Left Bank recommendations and the 2026 calendar, plus what sets up near us in the 7th.
- Illuminations: the Champs-Élysées and the other illuminated districts, with the route from the 7th.
- Christmas window displays: the Left Bank one, and what we know about the dates.
- Grand Palais ice rink: dates, prices and sessions for the 2026 season.
Our advice for organizing all this: keep one evening for the illuminations and window displays, another for a market. Weekday afternoons are better suited to museums.
The Eiffel Tower, in the evening
In December, night falls early and the tower sparkles from the beginning of the evening. There is no need to go up to enjoy it: the Champ de Mars and the quays are enough. Our article on the sparkling lights indicates the times and the places from which we watch it in the 7th.
New Year's Eve, December 31
For the last night of the year, we have gathered in an article what we recommend from the 7th, including how to get back after midnight. If you are arriving between Christmas and New Year's Day, book your museum visits in advance: it is the busiest week of the month.
With us, in December
We are at 5 avenue Duquesne. Rooms are available from 3:00 PM and must be vacated by 11:00 AM on the day of departure. Breakfast is served in our breakfast room, and our bar awaits you upon returning from a day of exhibitions. For bar hours or to organize an evening, ask us at reception.