Being back overseas means getting to spend a Christmas abroad. This year my parents and I had decided on going to Paris for Christmas and London for New Years. To be honest, Paris is one of those places that I know I needed to go to but didn’t really have much desire to visit. The main reason I wanted to go to Paris was to go to Normandy and see the D-Day Beaches. We booked a tour, but unfortunately our tour was cancelled ten days out.
Once we decided on our destinations, we had to decide our order. Should we do London first or Paris first? Unlike London, things are actually open on Christmas. If you’re looking for a European destination at Christmastime, Paris is a great place to go for this reason. The trains and metro are open, which is fantastic! We used them both several times on Christmas day.
First of all, if you’re in Paris, be prepared to shell out some major cash for basic things. I was floored when they were charging €5 for a caffe crême, or a basic coffee with milk. I can get one of those here in Madrid for less than €1,5! But alas, my dad needs at least three coffees in the morning so we stopped at a café to fuel up.
One of the best things to do on Christmas Day is a must-see in Paris: the Notre Dame. I was surprised that it was open as I thought they would be doing lots of church services for the holiday. Well, they do do a lot of church services on Christmas, but they still let people come in and look around. They just don’t allow audio guides during the service.
We got there probably around 11 or 12. Security was pretty tight, but it turns out it’s only tight for Christmas. There were barricades blocking off the plaza in front of the cathedral and a line so that police could check our bags. They worked with such efficiency that we were hardly waiting. We then had to wait in another short line to gain entry.
When we entered the cathedral (which is free!), they had just started a church service. It was pretty cool to be in the Notre Dame on Christmas Day while they were doing mass. I’m a bad Roman Catholic who has never had a first Communion, but I still do admire a good cathedral. People were gathered around the edges, trying to get a glimpse of the priests.
If you go inside and there is not mass or vespers or other church service, feel free to get an audio guide. They are only €2,5, which is less than that cappuccino you’re going to buy later. Feel free to take pictures as well. I for one, love stained glass. The stained glass in there dates back to 1230. Yes, I wrote that correctly: TWELVE THIRTY. It still looks pristine.
I had no idea that church was so old. It was founded in the year 1163. It’s been in continual use since that year. There was a pretty cool display showing the progress the church has gone through over 854 years. Wow, that’s just incredible.
Not only was is super cool being in the Notre Dame (no Quasimodos or Esmeraldas), but it was cute. There were wreaths and garlands hanging from the ceilings. There was also a star of Bethlehem hanging near the place where the priests speak. Plus, we had the added benefit of being in there while the service was happening. There were a lot of people and they all had their Communion! I had no idea what was happening, but it was an incredible experience.
Something I didn’t get to do but I’ve been recommended to by more than one person is climbing the towers at the Notre Dame. It costs €10, but people say it’s worth it. You get an excellent view over the city of Paris and you can see the famous gargoyles. If I get another chance to go to Paris some day, I will definitely have to check this out.
The other item on our agenda was quite a bit more expensive than the Notre Dame. Stop number 2: Disneyland! People thought I was crazy for going to Disneyland. I’ve been to Disneyland in Anaheim and I’ve been to Disney World in Orlando multiple times. I just think it’s cool to check out the different Disney properties around the world and, plus, it’s open on Christmas!
Some people told me that it’s exactly the same as the Disneys back in the States. But those people are wrong! The first major glaring difference is the castle. That isn’t Cinderella’s castle! No! It’s Sleeping Beauty’s! This pink castle stands at the end of Main Street U.S.A. (Yes, that is still the same, American flags included.) The castle was decorated with lights that turned on as the sky grew darker. We even saw a water and light show that happened in front of the castle.
Unfortunately for us, it was F R E E Z I N G. It was so cold. We were trying to do as many things inside as possible. First, went to Space Mountain. They did some rebranding, so it isn’t Space Mountain, but Hyperspace Mountain. It has a Star Wars theme, which was perfect timing with the release of the new movie. To be honest, it was still pretty cold even waiting on the inside. The ride was super cool though, lots of lasers and stars. My dad and I even got to ride in the front seat.
We then were going to go on Star Tours, but the wait was longish and we decided to get some food first. After that ordeal, we decided not to waste our time probably hearing Star Tours in French and check something else out. After a parade passed, we went over to It’s A Small World. I feel like that ride gets a bad rep. I mean, yes, the song does get stuck in your head, but it’s so cute! This It’s A Small World was different than the ones back home. It just looked different, plus they made it Christmas themed. It was super cool … and kind of warm!
Since the sun had set and there was no chance for warmth outside, we went to Pirates of the Caribbean. This was also a little different than the Stateside ones, but Jack Sparrow was still there. It was funny hearing some pirates talk in French and others in English. It did provide some respite from the cold, though.
If you are afraid it will be too much like the Disneys of the US, it’s not. My dad grew up going to Disneyland every year basically and he saw the differences. There are still many of the favorites, such as Big Thunder Mountain and It’s a Small World. There are also some different things. They had Aladdin’s castle, for one! I was overjoyed.
I also found the best ears … light up Star Wars ears!
Christmas in Paris is definitely doable. There are lots of things open and there are some great lights to see, mostly around the Champs-Elysses. I’ll have more to come later on my other days in Paris, but for now, I’m just reflecting on the magic of Christmas. Ho ho ho!
