Christmas breaks in London and Paris
by Rhonda Carrier
8 November 2007
Christmas is a magical time wherever you choose to spend it, but there’s
no place like a big city when you want lights, dazzle and the cream of festive
shopping and entertainment. Since moving away from London, we feel homesick
for it most often at Christmas-time and always make time for a short break
there. But Paris, too, knows how to celebrate in family-friendly style, making
December a great time to visit the French capital.
We never miss a visit to Santa’s
grotto at Harrods - unlike Hamleys, the world-famous department store really knows how to show
its younger visitors a good time, with elves, sing-along carols and free sweet
treats and drinks to keep them entertained while waiting. Queuing (2 hours
or more) has always been an issue, but this year has seen the welcome introduction
of pre-booking for timed half-hour slots, which means you shouldn’t have
to wait more than 30 minutes. But hurry – all weekend tickets are already
sold out. Harrods’ vast Toy Kingdom is not a bad bet for pressie shopping,
either, although don’t expect to find any bargains.
Another must-do is a spin on an outdoor ice rink, of which
the number seems to increase each year. Our favourite is the unbelievably atmospheric
courtyard of Somerset House,
but, again, this does get busy and require advance booking. New this year are
children’s
hours on Saturday 15th and Saturday 22nd December, when up to two kids under
12 can skate free with every adult. See the museum’s website for details
of the program of free family workshops on wintry themes, including an ice
puppet show and ‘Sparkling Snow Mobiles’.
Second-best in terms of festive atmosphere comes the rink (and junior rink)
at the Natural History Museum, right next
to its Christmas fair selling traditional toys and more, and its kids’ carousel.
You only need to pop next door, to the Science
Museum,
for a screening of the 3D Yuletide favourite Santa vs. the Snowman in
its IMAX cinema.
More icy 3D movie fun is on offer at London’s other IMAX cinema on the
the South Bank: the BFI South Bank is showing Polar Express 3D, the tale of a boy who boards a magical
train bound for Santa’s home. Combine this with a visit to the Bankside Frost
Fair (14th–16th Dec), outside the Tate Modern, a reincarnation
of the fairs held on the frozen Thames in the 17th and 18th centuries. This
modern version features an opening lantern parade, a display of clipper boats
sailing down the river, huskies to stroke, sing-along carols, ice-carving displays,
a winter market, and food and wine stalls.
For perhaps the most beautifully traditional treat of all, we head for Trafalgar
Square, where, after the lighting of the giant Christmas tree donated
each year by the people of Norwegian (in gratitude for British help in World
War II) on 6th December, there’s carol-singing every night from the
12th to the 23rd, from 5 to 9pm. Mince pies and other warming seasonal goodies
are on offer at the Café on the Square.
Christmas is always a great time to catch a West End show – this is
your last chance to see Mary
Poppins before it leaves London for a UK tour, while festive
specials include the family panto Cinderella starring Stephen Fry,
at the Old
Vic,
and a puppet version of the same classic for ages 5 and over at Islington’s Little
Angel theatre, plus a special show, Little
Cinders, for 2–5-year-olds.
The French capital positively glitters at Christmas, and one of the pleasures
of Paris – as always – is just strolling around taking in the sights.
Good posts for illuminations (and gift shopping) are the Champs-Elysées,
Opéra, the Grands Boulevards, St Germain and the Marais. Make sure to
pick up some roasted chestnuts from a street vendor to warm your bellies as
you window-shop – many of the big department stories, including Galeries
Lafayette on boulevard Haussmann, lay on special window displays for kids. Don’t
miss the gigantic Christmas dream inside the Galeries, either, or the great
toy department.
Another Paris speciality is the display of Christmas trees throughout the
city – up to 1,000 of them alongside streets, in parks and around official
buildings, strewn with fake snow, baubles and lights. The best places to see
them en masse are the Champs-Elysées roundabout and the Place de la
Bastille, which, between 22nd December and 6 January, becomes ‘Le
Monde des Enfants’ – a kids’ park with inflatables,
rides and fairground stalls every day until 8pm. If you can’t make it
to Bastille, don’t worry – there are Christmas merry-go-rounds
(manèges de Noël) all over the centre of the city, including
at place Saint-Sulpice, square du Temple and place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
For more tripping of the light fantastic, don’t miss the ‘Opéra
de Noël’ sound-and-light display about the ‘mystery of Christmas’ projected
onto a giant screen inside the glorious cathedral of Notre Dame– not
only beautiful to behold, but free to boot. Times vary, and it’s not
on every day, so check the website. Also popular after its debut last year
is Les Fééries d'Auteuil, all through December – an
amazing nativity display with traditional santons (Provençal
figurines) at the Fondation
d'Auteuil
in the 16th arrondissement, an association that supports French children
in need. You’ll also find a festive market, children’s activities
and a carousel there.
Then, of course, there’s Disneyland
Paris,
celebrating its 15th anniversary this year (during which time under-7s stay
get free Eurostar travel, entry and accommodation). The theme-park’s
Christmas offerings are… yes, you’ve guessed it, more lights (more
than a million, in fact), an ice spectacular, a musical, a sunset ballet and
light show at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, Belle’s Village with taverns
and stalls, and – naturellement – appearances by Santa
and his reindeers.
Lastly, for those prepared to venture out to the suburb of St-Denis, the Stade
de France national stadium
is the venue for the Milka Rêve de Neige (22nd Dec–6
Jan), a winter resort with ski slopes and luges, two ice rinks (including a
small one for kids), a roller-ski rink, a ‘trappers’ trail’ for
tots, and a massive Christmas tree.
Other feature articles by Rhonda
