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The 12 Days of Noël

Tourists ice skate on the Eiffel Tower's skating rink in Paris December 9, 2014. The skating rink, located on the first level of the Eiffel Tower, opens to the public as part of the Christmas holiday season.   REUTERS/Charles Platiau (FRANCE - Tags: SOCIETY) - RTR4H9V3

We share the 12 best reasons to be in Paris this holiday season.Paris is magical all year round, but the City of Lights becomes truly enchanting during the holidays. If you have the good fortune to visit Paris this December, be sure to:

1. Browse the festive Christmas Markets and take in sparkling holiday lights on the stylish Champs-Elysées.

Marche de Noel Champs Elysees

2. Take a spin on the seasonal 230-foot Ferris Wheel at Place de la Concorde for unbeatable city views.

La Roue Place de la Concorde

3. Sip some bubbly on an O Chateau Champagne sipping river cruise on the Seine.

Seine River Cruise

4. Don a pair of ice skates at one of the many ice skating rinks around the city, including in front of the Hôtel de Ville (city hall) and — for the really adventurous — on the first deck of the Eiffel Tower.

Patin Hotel de Ville

5. Warm up with incredibly thick hot chocolate at Angelina’s near the Tuileries garden, a sweet treat for the whole family.

Angelina Hot Chocolate

6. Indulge with oysters, a seasonal treat, at l’Écume Saint-Honoré, a centrally located seafood bar between the Tuileries garden and Place Vendôme.

Ecume Saint-Honore

7. Conquer your shopping list at the Galeries Lafayette department store, famous for their out-of-this-world Christmas tree and decorations.

Galeries Lafayette

8. Pick out or pre-order your bûche de Noël (yule log) cake at a local bakery, the sweetest of French holiday traditions.

Buche de Noel

9. Imbibe art and culture at the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and the Pompidou Center, open Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Louvre Night 4_rhg

10. Warm up with vin chaud (mulled wine), an ubiquitous Christmas Market treat.

vin chaud Paris

11. Attend a Christmas-themed classical concert at the most unique of venues — Sainte-Chapelle — an outstanding 13th-Century Gothic church famous for its kaleidoscope interior of stained glass windows.

Concert de Noel

12. Snap a photo of this year’s colorful nativity scene inside Notre Dame Cathedral before midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

Notre Dame Christmas 2015

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