Top Paris events in November 2024 include Touissant (All Saints Day), Armistice Day ceremonies, lots of wonderful concerts and museum shows, and the chance to immerse yourself in all things chocolate at the popular Salon du Chocolate show packed with demos, tastings, and even a fashion show.
Visiting Paris in November?
If you're planning a visit to Paris this month, consider booking your "bucket list" tours and activities now to get your top choices.
Top Paris attractions & experiences:
- Paris & Seine River Tour on an Amphibious Bus - Fun tour of Paris by land & water!
- Eiffel Tower Entry Ticket with Optional Summit Access - An iconic experience
- Louvre Masterpieces Tour with Reserved Tickets - Most popular choice
Most popular Paris destinations this month:
- Disneyland Paris 1-Day Ticket - Favorite family-friendly day trip
- From Paris: Versailles Skip the Line Tour & Garden Access - Includes transportation
- Moulin Rouge Cabaret Show with Champagne - Top-selling cabaret experience
- La Nouvelle Eve Cabaret Dinner Show - Cabaret and cancan plus dinner with wine and champagne
By the second week in November, the big Paris department stores unveil their spectacular Christmas window displays and dazzling lights and decorations begin to sparkle across the city and the city's biggest Christmas Markets welcome their first visitors of the holiday season.
You may notice the days getting shorter and the air crisper, but November weather in Paris usually offers mellow sunny days for enjoying the changing leaf hues.
Stroll through any of the city's many parks such as Tuileries Garden and Luxembourg Garden to soak up the fall foliage colors and enjoy the last late-blooming flowers. Versailles also offers lovely colors in the gardens, plus smaller crowds touring the palace.
Want to get a taste of the holiday season? Toward the middle of the month, you can start visiting festive Paris Christmas markets and enjoying the hot mulled wine, regional food specialties, and gift shopping. Or head to Disneyland Paris where Christmas celebrations begin during the second week of November.
Save on your Paris travel with Black Friday sales on tours, flights, hotels, & more
French holidays in November: All Saints Day (La Toussaint, November 1) and Armistice Day (November 11) are public holidays, so all banks and post offices plus some stores, businesses, and restaurants (especially outside of central Paris) will be closed but most museums, restaurants in central Paris, and other attractions remain open. All Souls Day (November 2) is a Catholic religious holiday but not a public holiday.
Please note: The Toussaint school holiday vacation takes place across France between October 20 and November 3 in 2024 (and Oct 19-Nov 2 next year, in case you're planning ahead), so some attractions - especially those appealing to kids - may be more crowded than usual during this 2-week period.
Top photo: Bouquiniste on the Left Bank of the Seine River, (c) Paris Discovery Guide®
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Concerts in Paris - November, 2024
From rock to indie to jazz, from opera to ballet, you'll find every type of music you can imagine at top concerts in Paris during November 2024:
Short days and chilly nights make November an especially good month for classical concerts held in centuries-old churches. Look for candlelight concerts for a special experience!
Check the lineup to find top concerts, opera, ballet, and other music shows happening throughout November, and get your tickets now:
Paris concerts during November include an exciting mix of opera and ballet, top contemporary artists, and classical concerts in historical churches, where you can hear favorites such as Mozart, Bach, Chopin, Vivaldi, and more:
2025 Concerts
- Bach at Saint-Germain - Saint-Germain-des-Pres Church, Symphorien Chapel - Nov 4, 6, 12, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27, 29
- Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Ave Maria, & Famous Concertos - Saint-Germain-des-Pres Church - Nov 7
- Vivaldi's Four Seasons & Famous Adagios - Saint-Germain-des-Pres Church - Nov 15
- Mozart's Requiem & Ravel's Bolero - La Madeleine Church - Nov 21, 29
- Vivaldi's Four Seasons & Mozart's A Little Night Music - Saint Germain des Pres Church - Nov 28
More Paris classical concerts, opera, & dance performances during November
More Paris rock, electronic, pop, jazz, & other performances during November
Find Paris concerts for other months
All Saints Day - Best Things to Do
Celebrate the last glorious autumn days and nights with these fun outdoor exhibitions and strolls through lesser-known but fascinating parts of Paris:
Les Vitrines de Noël - Christmas Window Displays in Paris - Schedule
Five famous big Paris department stores (grands magasins)- Galeries Lafayette, Printemps Haussmann, Bon Marché, BHV Marais, and La Samaritaine - unveil their spectacular Christmas window decorations in early November, giving you the perfect excuse for a festive holiday stroll.
Again this year, BHV Marais on Rue Rivoli will be the first to reveal their holiday windows accompanied by a sound and light show starting at 5pm on Wednesday, November 6.
A canopy of sparkling Christmas lights along the front of the store plus festive decorated trees thoughout the store have already dazzled shoppers since late October.
Galeries Lafayette usually boasts the most elaborate holiday windows featuring with animated shows on repeat throughout most of the day and evening. This year should be extra-special, since the store is celebrating its 130th Christmas in the heart of Paris.
Want to join the crowds of fans that gather for each Parisian department store's annual holiday windows "reveal" ceremony?
Here's the complete store window unveiling schedule:
- BHV Marais (52 Rue de Rivoli, Paris 4) -Starts November 6, 5pm - Experience a fantasy immersion, complete with music and animations, in an enchanting mansion inhabited by mischevious elves and watch while they transform their home with colorful Christmas decorations.
- Printemps Haussmann (64 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9) - Get ready for a magical journey aboard the Printemps Express, complete with passengers wearing ecologically-aware clothing made from recycled fabrics in the dazzling Christmas windows: starts November 7, 5pm to December 31.
- Le Bon Marché Rive Gauche (24 Rue de Sèvres, Paris 7) - Colorful creatures and magical Parisian scenes will entertain you in this year's four special Christmas windows on Rue de Sèvres; also look for them inside the festively decorated Rive Gauche store - Starts November 8, 5pm
- La Samaritaine (19 Rue de la Monnaie, Paris 1) - The store transforms into an enchanted winter garden where you can stroll among luminous creatures and gigantic plants - November 8, 6pm - January 5
- Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (40 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9) - In addition to the fabulous Christmas windows, don't miss the store's signature decoration suspended from its dome: a gigantic and gorgeous Christmas tree sparkling with 20,000 sparkling, with a glass walkway for closeup views and selfies, a sound and light show, and a dazzling fireworks display at the top - November 14 - December 31
Mark these dates on your calendar - but please keep in mind that occasionally, installation glitches do happen and cause small delays - but hopefully not this year!
Christmas Lights & Holiday Decorations
Christmas lights ("Illuminations") and decorations start to appear in Paris starting in early November and continue through early January (until just before the January sales begin).
By mid-to-late November (the timeline creeps forward a bit every year), you can see festive lights, decorations, and Christmas trees in all the city's key shopping districts. Some are quite elaborate, especially on the Right Bank in Place Vendome and surrounding streets.
One of the best ways to see the Christmas lights in Paris (and as a bonus, get a tour of top attractions and neighborhoods) is by taking one of the popular open-top bus holiday lights tours.
More about holiday window displays and Christmas decorations in Paris department stores
Armistice Day Ceremony in Paris - November 11, 2024
Pay your respects to those who died or were injured during war - almost 1.6 million French soldiers died during World War I and II combined - on Armistice Day, November 11. Armistice Day was established on November 11, 1918 as combat ended during World War I - the "war to end all wars."
In a somber ceremony at the base of the Arc de Triomphe,the French president inspects the troops and lays a red, white, and blue wreath near the eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which honors all French troops who died in the war. A solemn vigil takes place at the Tomb in the evening. Both remembrances always occur on November 11.
When: Wreath-laying 11am, vigil at 9pm (to be confirmed)
Want to know more? Visit the Georges Clemenceau Museum (8 rue Benjamin Franklin, 16e); Clemenceau became France's prime minister in 1917 and orchestrated both France's final assaults on the Axis powers as well as the armistice agreement after the Allied victory. Usually open only in the afternoon; check hours
Visit World War I battlefields - These special small-group and private tours take you to visit the most famous World War I French battle sites, museums, and memorials:
- World War I Battlefields - Explore sites of important battles involving American troops at Aisne, Marne, Belleau Wood, Cote 204, the Museum of the Great War in Meaux, and cemeteries. Private tour for a group of up to 7 - More
- Verdun and Meuse-Argonne - Tour these famous battlefields as well as the Fort of Douaumont, Château-Thierry, the Romagne War Museum, the Trench of Bayonets, and cemeteries - More
- Somme - Visit the famous battleground, Deville Wood cemetery, war memorials, and the Great War Museum in Peronne - More
Find out more about visiting the Arc de Triomphe
Paris Christmas Markets Opening in November 2024
Filled with sparkling lights and decorations, the smell of roasting chestnuts, cups of hot mulled wine, and Swiss-style chalets overflowing with special holiday foods, hand-crafted gifts, and decorations, Christmas Markets start popping up all over Paris in mid-to-late November.
These festive holiday markets originated in Germany, but have been a popular tradition in Paris and other French cities since Medieval times. Today, you'll find them all over the city, with the largest ones attracting large crowds.
The Paris Christmas Markets opening during November typically include three of the biggest and best: Tuileries Garden Christmas Market (opening this year on November 16, through January 1, La Defense Christmas Market (November 14 - December 29), and Saint Germain Christmas Market (November 26 - January 1).
The biggest news about the La Defense Christmas Market for this year is that its large ice skating rink returns at the foot of the Grande Arche from November 21 through January 5, 2025 - reason enough to hop on the Metro's Line 1 and make the quick ride (usually less than 10 minutes from the Etoile/Charles de Gaulle station at Arc de Triomph) out to La Defense, Paris's glitzy business district.
Check the complete Paris Christmas Market Schedule
Find out more about Paris's Christmas Markets
Things to Do in Paris in November 2024
Visiting Paris in November? Enjoy these fun activities, including a few indoor choices in case the weather turns chilly:
- Paris Christmas Lights Bus Tour - See all the fantastic holiday lights around the city! Starts on November 25. Book now
- Paris Wine & Cheese Lunch - Love wine and cheese? In this small group experience in a beautiful tasting wine bar in a 17th century "hotel particulier" (private mansion) near the Louvre, you'll try 5 wines from different French regions and savor them with perfectly paired French cheese and charcuterie as you learn about their unique flavors and origins. Book now
- Paris Catacombs Skip-The-Line Ticket & Audio Guide - This best-selling experience takes you far below the streets of Paris into an immense maze of tunnels and rooms containing the skulls and bones of about 6 million Parisians. By the time you leave, you'll know all about where the dead go when Paris cemeteries fill up. Perfect adventure for a rainy day! Book now
- Moulin Rouge Show with Champagne - Enjoy Champagne and fantastic performance of the Féerie show at the legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret for a quintessential Paris night on the town! Book now
- And finally, if you love fashion, don't miss the stunning show, Lightness in Creation, at the Azzedine Alaïa Gallery (18 Rue de la Verrerie, 4th arr) in the Marais, where you'll see 20 of the fashion designer's luxurious gowns juxtaposed with 20 pieces of Japanese designer Shiro Kuramata's modern furniture through February 16, 2025. Get your tickets (10€) at the door - there's seldom much of a line as this gallery is a true hidden gem in Paris.
Christmas at Disneyland Paris Begins in November 2024
Enchanted Christmas celebrations start at Disneyland Paris in early November and continue into January with plenty of entertainment and holiday spirit for everyone.
You'll find a spectacular giant tree, entertaining shows, festive Christmas parades, and sparkling holiday decorations everywhere. Each year brings new holiday features, lights, and shows at both Disney Parks, an immersive nighttime extravaganza, and singing carols with Santa, Mickey, and Minnie for a magical experience you won't forget. You can even expect snowflakes to fall a few times each day!
When: November 9 - January 6
Disneyland Paris and Transportation
Take RER A to the Marne-la-Valée station across a small plaza from Disneyland Paris, and buy your tickets at the gate - or check out these options to make your trip faster and easier:
Paris Exhibits - Must-See Shows for November
November weather in Paris can be tricky, and you should always have a few bad-weather day activities in mind. Visit these museum shows when you want to stay warm indoors and immerse yourself in Paris's top cultural treasures:Here are just a few of the top exhibitions you can see in Paris this month:
- Atelier des Lumieres: Egyptian Pharaohs - Discover ancient Egypt at the time of the Pharaohs in this virtual journey along the Nile River in Upper and Lower Egypt as you see legendary rulers, great battles, famous temples and tombs, and majestic landscapes; purchase online; you can also purchase at the door for 2€ more per ticket but there's no guarantee you'll get in as timeslots are often fully booked
Dates: Through January 5, 2025 - Orsay Museum - Caillebotte: Painting People - If you love Impressionist art, don't miss this wonderful show featuring the work of one of the early masters!
Dates: Through January 19, 2025
Tickets: Book a reserved-access ticket for skip-the-line access, or use your Paris Museum Pass for free entry - Fondation Louis Vuitton: Pop Forever, Tom Wesselmann & ... - An exhibition on Pop Art, with a major focus on 150 works by Tom Wesselmann, plus 70 works by 35 other Pop artists spanning Dadaism to the present day - Dates: Through Feb 24, 2025
Tickets: Book in advance
Location: 8 Avenue du Mahatma Gandhi, Bois de Boulogne, Paris 16; Metro: Les Sablons, plus a 10-minute walk (or take the shuttle bus included with the ticket)
More about what to see at the Orsay Museum
More about what to see at Fondation Louis Vuitton
Find many more Paris museum exhibitions for November & future months
Paris Museum and Attractions Passes
Get free admission and skip-the-line access to 60+ museums in and near Paris when you have a Paris Museum Pass for 2, 4, or 6 days. (Access to special shows may require an additional ticket.) More info
Handel's Messiah Sing-Along 2024
Have you ever wanted to celebrate the holiday season by singing Handel's Messiah as part of a large group of enthusiastic singers?
You can do this on November 21 and 23 as the Paris Choral Society leads their annual Messiah Sing-Along, including the famous Hallelujah Chorus at the American Cathedral (23 Avenue George V, 8th arr). Don't know the words? No worries. You can rent or buy a copy of the score at the door. Or, if you prefer, just listen. Get your tickets
Christmas Lights Turn On in Paris
Christmas lights ("Illuminations") and decorations start to appear in Paris starting in mid-November and continue through early January (usually until right before the January sales begin).
Where can you see the city's most gorgeous lights? Head to Champs-Elysees, where thousands of strands of energy-efficient lights covering 400 trees light up the famous avenue.
A lighting ceremony starts at 4pm on November 24, when the usually heavy traffic halts as the avenue becomes pedestrian-only for the occasion and a brass band plays. A DJ set turns the avenue into a party from 5pm until 7pm when a French celebrity turns on the lights. Once all the trees are sparkling, a singing Santa will give a concert, followed by another DJ set.
Finally, don't miss this year's gigantic 40-foot high Christmas tree, which you'll spot near the Arc de Triomphe!
On all following nights, the lights will turn on from 5pm until midnight through January 2, 2024, except for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve when they glow all night until 6am.
Find the best places to see Christmas lights in Paris
Go on a Paris Christmas Lights Tour
Find out more about Christmas in Paris
Day Trip to Mont Saint Michel in November
November is the perfect month to visit Mont Saint Michel, the magnificent medieval abbey rising from a tiny island just off the Atlantic Coast between Normandy and Brittany.
Comfortable private coach transportation from Paris makes it possible to visit Mont Saint Michel in just one day, while seeing the picturesque French countryside along the way.
Here are two of the most popular day trip choices:
- Full-Day Mont Saint Michel Tour - Small group tour. Explore on your own, after a quick orientation about the most important sights from your guide
- Full-Day Mont Saint-Michel Guided Tour - Choose this tour if you prefer a fully-guided experience, including lunch
Paris Hotel Map
Planning to visit Paris in November? Use this Paris hotel map to find accommodations and make your reservation:
Booking.comCheck out the newest Paris hotels
Candlelight Procession to Notre Dame Cathedral
While reconstruction work at Notre Dame continues as artisans and builders race to meet the reopening date of December 8, an important moment will take place this month when a statue of the Madonna and Baby Jesus will return to the Cathedral to mark the re-dedication of the building to the Virgin Mary.
This event takes place on Friday, November 15, with a candlelight procession from the front of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois Church (2 Place du Louvre, across from the east side of Musée du Louvre) to Notre Dame Cathedral on Ile de la Cité, about three-quarters of a mile away.
If you want to join the procession, arrive at Eglise Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois shortly before 6pm when the procession begins.
Due to the number of expected participants, the process will most likely move slowly and is expected to reach Notre Dame by 7pm, where Archibishop of Paris will bless the statue before returning it to its place inside the cathedral. A prayer vigil begins at 7:30.
Spoiler alert: the public will remain outside the cathedral - so joining the procession does not give you a way see the restored interior before the official reopening date.
Festival of Lights at Paris's Jardin des Plantes - 2024-2025
The annual winter Festival of Lights returns to the Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Garden) in Paris's 5th arrondissement, with giant illuminated statues of animals creating a magical experience during the evening.
The topic this year is the Jurrasic Age. You'll encounter monumental brilliantly lighted prehistoric creatures from land and sea as you stroll through the immersive exhibits while holiday lights sparkle around you.
Although the exhibition attracts almost 400,000 visitors each year, the garden never feels crowded.
Although you can see the creatures unilluminated during daytime hours without a ticket (in other words, for free), the ticketed event which begins after dark is more spectacular, more magical - well worth the price of a ticket.
Dates: November 20, 2024 - January 19, 2025, except for Dec. 24 & 31, 6pm - 9:30pm, with last entry at 8:30pm, and until 11pm (last entry at 10) on Friday, Saturday, & school holidays (times to be confirmed)
Location: Jardin des Plantes, 57 Rue Cuvier, 5th arr
Tickets for evening strolls: 16€-18€, with reduced prices for children and families; tickets must be bought online (and get yours early, as they will sell out on many nights, especially during the holidays)
Salon du Chocolat 2024
Part trade show, part entertainment, the Salon du Chocolat lets you immerse yourself in all things chocolate as over 500 chocolate producers, pastry chefs, candy makers, and artisans from around the world present five days packed with activities and events.
You can attend cooking demos by top chefs at the Pastry Show, discover the wonders of chocolate at the Cacao Show, indulge in tastings at the Chocosphere, and enjoy a fashion show with models dressed in chocolate.
Kids at this family-friendly event love the fun workshops set up just for them - and of course, the chocolate.
When: Oct 30 - November 3, open 10am-7pm each day
Location: Porte de Versailles, Pavilion 5
Getting there: Metro station and Tramway: Porte des Versailles, 15th arrondissement
Tickets: 16€ adults, 8€ children from 3-12, free for children under 3 - available at the door
More information: Salon du Chocolat website
PhotoSaintGermain 2024
Almost three dozen Saint Germain galleries, specialty museums, bookstores, cultural venues, and even Hotel La Louisiane (storied haunt of jazz age and later musicians, including Jim Morrison) stage PhotoSaintGermain during late October and November to celebrate contemporary photography and emerging photographers with exhibitions, presentations, studio visits, and meet-ups.
If you love to see what's new and trending in the art of photography, don't miss this wonderful opportunity to visit the participating galleries and other venues. Check the event's website for addresses, event dates, and an interactive map of locations. As you'll see, many of the galleries are clustered in Saint-Germain's "Design District," so you can easily do your own self-directed art stroll.
Dates: October 30 - November 23; hours and open/closed days vary based on venue and activity
Admission: Free (although most of the art is available for purchase)
Festival d'Automne (Autumn Festival) Paris - 2024
The Paris Autumn Festival (which extends until the end of January) showcases the latest creations and artists (international as well as French) in contemporary dance, theater, music, cinema, and visual arts at a variety of venues around Paris, including Galeries Lafayette in the 9th, the Grand Hall at Parc de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement, the Pinault Collection at Bourse de Commerce and the Louvre in the 1st, and Pompidou Center in the 4th, just to name a few.
This is a hugely popular festival, with over 50 events (many of which extend over several or more days) at over 70 venues in and near Paris.
Most events are ticketed, and many sell out quickly, so don't wait to book, which you can do through the event's website. (Tip: To see both the venues and the schedule, click the "Venues" tab on the nav bar.)
Dates: Through January 26, 2025
More Outdoor Exhibitions & Strolls during November 2024
Celebrate the last glorious autumn days and nights with these fun outdoor exhibitions and strolls through lesser-known but fascinating parts of Paris:
- Street Art - On this 90-minute street art walking tour of the 19th and 20th arrondissements, you'll explore two vibrant neighborhoods as you view the some of Paris's best graffiti art and learn about the artists who created it. Get your tickets
- Montmartre Cheese, Wine, and Pastry Guided Walking Tour - Although you may already be familiar with Sacre Coeur Basilica perched on top of Montmartre's highest hill, other parts of the neighborhood are less familiar to many Paris visitors. This popular food tour lets you experience lesser-known areas along with some of Montmartre's best food treats. Get your tickets
- Jardin d'Acclimatation -
Stroll along the trails in this popular children's amusement park on the edge of Bois de Boulogne in Paris's 16 arrondissement, and explore the exquisite Korean Garden, Norman "hamlet" complete with farm animals, aviary, and wooded slopes. The garden/amusement park is 5-minute walk from Les Sablons Metro station; check out ticket options here.
Bonus: Entrance to the park is free when you have a ticket to Fondation Louis Vuitton, which allows you to access the park for free through the doors near FLV's restaurant.
Special Evening Experience: During January and through most of February, an Illuminations Festival lights up the garden for a fabulous family-friendly from 6pm-10pm from Wednesdays through Sundays, excluding holidays. Find more information and tickets here. (Not included with regular entrance tickets.)
More about Paris in November
More Top Paris Things to Do & See in November
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- Where to find the best Black Friday deals on Paris travel
- Paris Christmas Lights - Best places to see the famous Paris holiday decorations and lights
- Holiday Markets in Paris - Mulled wine, shopping, food specialties - Find out where to go
- Paris Sales - How to score the best bargains at the famous twice-each-year Paris sales
Coming Soon: Christmas in Paris
How to celebrate Christmas in the City of Light:
