10 Foods you need to try on the Paris Christmas Markets (and where to try them).
When you’re visiting the Christmas markets in Paris, you will notice that there’s a lot of food around, and you might not recognize all the foods on offer.
Trust me, the first time I went to a Christmas market in Paris, I had no idea that the love of my life, Tartiflette, was waiting for me just around the corner.
There is so much to see, so much to try, so much to drink, that it might get a little bit overwhelming.
To help you find french food at the Christmas markets in Paris that you will absolutely love and adore, I have put together a list of the best foods to look out for when you are visiting.
Here are my top picks for food and drink to try atthe Paris Christmas markets.
1. Mulled Wine (Vin Chaud)
First of all, we have mulled wine, or Vin Chaud as we call it in France. This is a warm, spiced red wine, often flavored with cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and orange zest.
Hot mulled wine is available at most, if not every, alsatian Christmas market, and it is especially popular at the Champs-Élysées and at the Magie de Noël at the Tuileries Gardens.
You will smell the Vin Chaud from quite far away because it has this incredibly beautiful aroma, and for me, it is the absolute smell of Christmas. It’s super festive!
If you can, I would really recommend asking the seller to add some Amaretto to the Vin Chaud because that is the best way to have it (trust me!).
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2. Raclette
Then we obviously have raclette. Raclette is melted cheese that gets served over boiled potatoes, pickles, and cured meat.
No, it is not melted cheese served on a sandwich like I see so many times on TikTok. It’s always served over boiled potatoes and cured meat.
Raclette is the perfect comforting dish for a cold winter night, and you can find it at many great Christmas markets in Paris and all over France.
The place to try it is La Magie de Noël at the Tuileries Garden because it is renowned for its gourmet food stalls.
You can also try it at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas Market if you are looking for a more upscale take on this classic alsatian dish.
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3. Crêpes and Galettes
Another thing I love eating at the Christmas markets are the crêpes et galettes.
Crêpes are very thin pancakes that are often served with something sweet like sugar or Nutella, and galettes are crispy, thin pancakes filled with savory stuff like bacon, potatoes, and cheese.
I think I prefer the galettes over the crêpes, especially when I’m walking around a Christmas market, but obviously, the kids will prefer the crêpes.
You might want to try these at the largest christmas market in Paris by La Défense and Abesses Christmas markets because they’re especially great for their variety and quality when it comes to crêpes and galettes.
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4. Roasted Chestnuts (Marrons Grillés)
Another thing you should definitely try when you’re going to the Christmas market in Paris are the roasted chestnuts, or marrons grillés.
These warm roasted chestnuts are an amazing winter snack because they are quite smoky but still sweet.
They’re perfect for snacking on while you’re walking around the Christmas market. You can find them at all major Christmas markets in Paris, but I would definitely recommend trying them at the Notre-Dame Christmas market because it’s a really charming environment—eating a little chestnut by the cathedral.
If you are looking for roasted chestnuts outside of the Christmas season or outside of the Christmas markets, you can always head to Pigalle or Montmartre, especially in the lower part of Montmartre, because I have seen chestnut sellers around there.
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5. Foie Gras
Not everyone likes foie gras, but it is definitely something you can try at a French Christmas market. Foie gras is the liver of a fattened goose or duck.
It’s typically served with some bread and sometimes with steak or onion jam. It’s quite hard to find, so you’ll probably have to go to the one in Saint-Germain-des-Prés because this market offers a lot of gourmet food.
Obviously, foie gras is not made in an ethical way, so if that is very important to you, I would refrain from having it at the Christmas markets in Paris. You might also find them at the Christmas market near Place de la Concorde and the tuileries christmas markets.
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6. Oysters (Huîtres)
Next up we have oysters, or huîtres as they call them in French. France is known for its amazing oysters, especially in the region of Normandy—they are super delicious.
Normandy is not that far from Paris, so you have a great stream of fresh oysters arriving in the French capital. When you’re eating them at a Christmas market, they will be served with a squeeze of lemon and sometimes with a mignonette sauce.
I love oysters myself, and whenever I’m visiting a Christmas market or Christmas village in Paris, I try to have them.
Again, because they’re a bit more upscale, your best bet to try them is at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Christmas market. I would really recommend having them with a glass of champagne!
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7. Bûche de Noël
You can also try a bouchée de Noël, although you will probably have to buy it and eat it at home, your Airbnb, or your hotel room.
A buche de Noël is something that you have in other countries as well, but it’s especially very good in France, as you might imagine.
In other countries, they call it a yule log, or a chog as my husband’s family calls it—a chocolate log.
It’s often made of sponge cake, rolled with cream, and decorated to resemble a log. There are lots of stalls that sell them, but you might have the best chance of finding one at the montmartre christmas market or the Christmas market at the Jardin des Tuileries, La Magie de Noël one of the best christmas markets in Paris.
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8. Tartiflette
We also have tartiflette. Tartiflette is the love of my life. Honestly, I love it so much. It is a dish made with cheese, baked with bacon and potatoes, and it comes from the Alsace region.
It’s just such a great thing to eat in winter. There are lots and lots of stalls selling this traditional french cheesy goodnes, but the best place to find it is either in Montmartre or Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
I especially enjoyed the tartiflette I had at the market in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It was so cheesy, and the potatoes had taken on the taste of the bacon, which was absolutely delicious.
The Saint-Germain-des-Prés christmas market is very well known for its artisan food and I love coming to this marché de noël to find stuff to put under the christmas tree!
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9. Beignets
When you’re walking around the Christmas markets in Paris, you can also find a lot of beignets.
Beignets are dough pastries that are deep-fried and often dusted with sugar and cinnamon. They’re very fluffy, and some people might even fill them with various creams or jams.
You can find them at almost every single Christmas market, but I would recommend checking out the Champs-Élysées Christmas market and La Magie de Noël. Especially try the ones with cinnamon because they are delicious.
I have also seen them at the Abesses Christmas market which is a popular christmas market with wooden chalets in Montmartre (one of the smaller markets to be fair) and at the la défense marché de noël.
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10. Hot Chocolate (Chocolat Chaud)
And last but not least, if you’re traveling with kids, you might want to try a chocolat chaud.
A chocolat chaud is hot chocolate made from real chocolate and it is a popular christmas drink. In the United States, hot chocolate is often made from cocoa powder, which is okay, but it’s not great.
You haven’t had hot chocolate until you’ve had it made from real melted chocolate and milk.
It’s worth trying at any Christmas market because Chocolat Chaud really carries the magoc of Christmas!
Maybe have it at the Champs de Mars market on your trip to Paris, just because it’s super cozy. Having a drink with the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and the many christmas lights might be a really nice memory.
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