Christmas and New Year's in Paris are truly magical. The top hotels are preparing some fantastic events, activities, and dining possibilities. Here’s a list of our hand picked favorites.
Hotel Pont Royal, on the left bank Saint Germain quarter, is installing a specially built French chalet retreat inside the lobby level. Students studying set design at the Hourdé-ESAT School were invited to create a tranquil and cozy environment inside the busy hotel. A 12-seat community table serves a dual purpose as a co-working space and dining table.
Pop-up stores are all the rage in Paris, and the Hotel Pont Royal has also launched a boutique featuring high-end, French made only products. George & Georges bootmakers, Eric Bompard cashmere sweaters and accessories, and perfumer Molinard have set up shop.They will also offer workshops in shoe polishing, perfume making, and embroidery twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Foodies will be treated to Maison Chapon’s chocolate delicacies, pastries from La Maison Karamel, along with platters of mountain cheeses and cured meats and sausages. Tea time brings a decadent feast of pancakes, hot chocolate, and waffles.
November 26 to January 12
Hotel Pont Royal
5-7 Rue Montalembert, 75007
https://www.hotel-pont-royal.com/en/
If you miss spending Christmas at home, The Shangri-La Hotel, located in the former palace of Prince Roland Bonaparte, will give you the royal treatment.
First off, a Christmas tree decorated in dazzling lights and ornaments will tower the historic dome of the lobby.
Pastry chef Michael Bartocetti has fond childhood memories of the holidays when he was given a wooden toy train as a gift. Inspired by this special gift, Bartocetti has designed a pastry train filled with chocolate mousse infused with lemongrass and candied banana and the outside is garnished with chocolate and lime truffles, peanut praline and white chocolate.
Chef Christophe Moret has collected two Michelin stars for L’Abeille restaurant at the Shangri-La, and he is presenting an astonishing feast especially to ring in the New Year. A seven-course menu extravaganza includes Langoustine with gold caviar, pan seared venison chops, and local lobster served with Belle de Fontenay potatoes.
Shangri La Hotel Paris
10 Avenue d'Iéna, 75116
http://www.shangri-la.com/paris/shangrila/
Kids take front and center for the holidays at The Peninsula Paris. The theme of the Christmas trees adorning the lobby this year is Stories from the Tree, which will have six emblematic characters hanging off the branches, including The Nutcracker, The Gingerbread Man, and the Red Robin. The figures from the tree are available for purchase and five Euros of the sale price will be donated to the Make-a-Wish Fund. Pastry chef Dominique Costa invites children to join him in the kitchen to make and bake his holiday specialties.
Kleber Terrace, the hotel restaurant, will be decorated to the max with gargantuan Christmas balls and two wooden nutcrackers standing six feet tall, overseeing the children indulge in the Advent Calendar and view the daily surprises in the window.
Adults can sip Champagne in an igloo along with hot chocolate and mulled wine, plus Chef Christophe Raoux has prepared a menu of foie gras, salmon, caviar, oysters, and sea urchins. Sommelier Nicolas Charrière accompanies the above foods with his personal selection of wines, spirits and vodkas.
Classic French holiday cakes are given an Asian twist by pastry chef Dominique Costa. He starts off by preparing his Buche de Noel by using smoked sandalwood chocolate mousse as the filling contrasted with a passion fruit and mandarin fondant. The Galette du Roi/ Kings Cake for The Epiphany has pastry leaves resembling the tree leaves outside the hotel and is flavored with almond praline, ginger and candied lemon rind.
Peninsula Paris
19 Avenue Kléber, 75116
https://www.peninsula.com/en/paris/5-star-luxury-hotel-16th-arrondissement
Just a stone's throw from the festive holiday light displays on the Champs Elysees, the Hotel Lancaster is bumping up their own festivities.
Santa may well be tempted after his evening run to have a special Christmas day brunch by chef Sebastien Giroud with Champagne accompanied by live jazz music. A seven-course dinner New Year's dinner will feature seasonal specialties such as venison with truffles, pan fried foie gras, smoked gravlax trout and, for dessert, lemon sorbet spiked with vodka.
Other holiday activities include a Christmas cocktail making workshop with the hotel’s mixologist, a mulled wine tasting, and a Champagne and pastry tasting.
Hotel Lancaster
7 rue de Berri, 75008
https://www.hotel-lancaster.com/en/
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