New Year's Eve in Paris

Imagine the site of lights for New Year’s Eve. Doesn’t it make you happy and full of holiday joy? Than think what they say about Paris – it is the city of lights. Join those two together and you’ll get experience of a lifetime. Paris on New Year’s Eve is something very special and one of a kind.

Visit Champs Elysées on New Years Eve

If you want to be outdoor Champs Elysées is top stop for New Year’s Eve in Paris. People start gathering from around 9 PM, finding their spot for big event. Everybody brings their own drink, preferably Champagne – after all it is France! It get’s crowded as the night goes on, but everyone is cheerful and happy. You will probably enter New Year with some new friends you’ve just met. On special years Eifel Tower hosts great and magnificent firework, like the one at the start of new millennium, when New Year’s Eve in Paris and its firework outshined Sidney, champion of fireworks.

Other great place to be in Paris on New Year’s Eve is Esplanade du Trocadéro, just across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. From there you have splendid view of the Tower and its surrounding gardens and that is great spot to view the traditional fireworks.

Like to watch event from above? Climb the steps to the The Sacre Coeur plaza, in Montmartre. When you raise your glass in midnight whole Paris will shine in front of you. There is definitely less crowd here than on Champs Elysées, so if you want some space, but to be in the center of event, this is the place for you.

Believe it or not Paris Disneyland works on New Year’s Eve, until 1 AM and there are several packages for the event in the park, with beautiful firework. It is great deal for families with kids.

New Year in Disneyland

For those who prefer to be inside club or pub, or you want to continue party from the street, there are many places in Paris on New Year’s Eve. Cocktail fan? Visit very popular bar called Flûte l’Étoile. It is not a typical bar, but more a lounge, with red sofas, a fireplace and smooth music.

Flûte l’Étoile

But if you want to see where Parisians like to go in New Year’s Eve, make your way to Pigalle or Beleville. In Pigalle, visit bar Le Mansart for cheap beer and than move across the street to Le Carmen for cocktails and dance in very unusual ambient. If you end up in Beleville, go to La Cantine de Belleville, bar with great music and interesting crypt-like look.

Le Carmen

La Cantine de Belleville Concert

Feel more like you want to dance till the dawn? There is cool club called Jane Club, from the owners of the similar club in London. Music is funky pop disco and crowd love it.

Another great choice is Point Ephémère, which is huge music venue, with dance floors, chill out areas and different bars. In most of the clubs you can enter without reservation for New Year’s Eve, but if you want to be sure that you will get in the one you want, make the call earlier.

New Year at Point Ephémère

One of traditions in France for New Year’s Eve is to have dinner before you head out to some other place to wait for midnight. Parisians prefer to do it at home, with family and friends, but many people, especially tourists choose go to restaurants.

If you decide to come to Paris for New Year’s Eve be sure to make your reservation earlier.

Check out Rue de Montparnasse. It is the street with lots of restaurants.

Tipycal French restaurant is Brasserie Julien. It is not just about French cuisine, but also about décor that looks like inside of royal palace. Wouldn’t be great to have your New Year’s Eve dinner in this glamorous athmosphere? Since oysters are traditional meal for New Year’s Eve in Paris, best place for that is Le Vaudeville. It’s a historical restaurant, with great food, excellent service and ambience, so if you want a table, book now!

Most prestigious place to have dinner and wait for night is probably Eifel Tower. Eifel Tower has a restaurant on 58 floor, with stunning view on the Paris and all its lights in New Year’s Eve. Dinner will cost you from 300€ to 400€ and you’ll have to book it in early autumn.

If that is not enough “Paris” for you, than New Year’s Eve in Moulin Rouge will be. For “small” price of around 700€ per person, you will have lobster, caviar and champagne, while listening Moulin Rouge Orchestra. And to make sure that you leave home happy and satisfied, each guest will get a present.

There is option to have a cruise on the Seine, with dinner and music, but that enjoyment can be a bit expensive. Be prepare to pay from 300€ to 600€ and of course to book few weeks earlier.

There are several ways to come to Paris for New Year’s Eve – train, airplane, bus or car. The cheapest option is to find and book flight few months earlier, but if you decide to go to Paris “minutes before midnight” there are always option of pricy flight or cheaper train or bus.

• Metro is free at New Year’s Eve and work all night. Can be crowded, because most tourists book their accommodation outside the city center, and come in the center for that magical evening.
• Book you’re meal for early evening hours, because French like to eat their meals slowly, so expect the same service in restaurant. Don’t rush your dinner to get to the midnight spot.
• Paris is big city and full of tourists every day, and especially on New Year’s Eve. So expect crowd and noise. That’s way it is recommended to avoid accommodation in the center. Metro lines connect outer parts of Paris with its center, and you’ll have more commodities there.
• For French New Year celebration continues until 6th of January, so expect from people of Paris to great you with “Happy New Year” next few days after the event.

Paris for New Year

So wherever in Paris you decide to wait for New Year to come, enjoy yourself, raise glass, kiss someone next to you and say: “Bonne Année!”