Paris Buzzes with Basketball, Light Displays, and Winter Cheer this Holiday Season

Paris is absolutely buzzing this week, with the city leaning fully into that magical, in‑between time between Christmas and New Year, so let’s dive into some standout things listeners can actually do over the next few days.

If you love big, live spectacles, the Accor Arena is hosting the 2025 All Star Game today, a huge basketball showdown between the French League’s All Stars France and All Stars World. According to the Accor Arena’s own program, it is much more than a game: expect a packed arena, a three‑point contest, a skills competition, a full dunk contest, plus show-style entertainment, lights, and music turning Bercy into a giant party.

For something more reflective, the Taizé Community is bringing tens of thousands of young people to Paris from December 28 to January 1 for its annual European Meeting. The Vatican’s event calendar notes that this gathering fills churches and public spaces across the city with evening prayers, music, and shared moments of quiet, so listeners can slip into one of these services for a contemplative, very local experience of Paris at year’s end.

Holiday magic is still in full force. Sortir à Paris reports that the Grand Palais Ice Rink is back under its legendary glass roof from mid‑December to January 7, transforming the nave into the world’s largest indoor rink with an illuminated Eiffel Tower in the middle and food stalls serving hot chocolate and winter snacks. Over at the Tuileries Garden, the big Christmas Market and funfair continue through early January, with rides, a small ice rink, mulled wine, and plenty of street food – ideal for an evening wander from the Louvre toward Place de la Concorde.

If you prefer lights and art, Sortir à Paris highlights the Luminous Odyssey at Parc Floral in the 12th arrondissement, running through January 11. This is an illuminated nighttime trail with around a thousand lanterns, a drone show, and even artificial Northern Lights, turning the botanical gardens into an immersive light story that’s perfect after dark.

According to the Louvre and Eiffel Tower holiday programs relayed by local guides, the Louvre is offering extended evening openings during the Christmas holidays, and the Eiffel Tower is staying open later than usual, up to around 12:45 in the morning on most nights, so listeners can plan a late visit and then stroll through Paris’s still‑sparkling Christmas windows on the Grands Boulevards.

And if you just want cozy chalet vibes without leaving town, local outlets spotlight winter terraces like Polpo Nord on the Seine, dressed up like a mini ski resort from Thursday to Sunday with cable-car style cabins, melted cheese dishes, and even a small curling rink – a playful way to warm up after a walk along the river.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI