Best Things to Do in December in Paris

Nestled on one of the most spectacular squares on the Paris Left Bank, this venerable old church is now taking on many of the duties long held by the nearby Notre Dame whilst she is being restored. The fountain that graces the square just in front of the church is a marvel to behold both in winter and summer. During the very cold winters, it sometimes even freezes over. On most Sundays at 3 P.M. you can join in on a guided visit of the crypt below the church. The ancient walls of the original church, over which this cathedral has been built, can still be discerned. It lasts about 2 hours and you cover a lot of subterranean ground. Kids will love it. It also really makes you able to picture why this church was chosen as the film location for the Da Vinci Code.

The hottest ticket in town - perhaps in the whole art world this year - is the Da Vinci exhibit at the Louvre. The world's largest, richest collection of art and antiques occupies the Louvre, the world's largest museum and the one-time royal palace to French Kings and Queens. NOTE: Reservations are now required to visit the Louvre. Even if you hold a Museum Pass, you still must have advance reservations, which you can make online, in order to enter. Originally built in 1190 as a fortress, part of which can be viewed in the basement, the Louvre began taking its present form under 16thc. Renaissance monarch Francois 1er, whose successors began filling it with artworks. It didn't officially open as a museum until 1793 after the French Revolution. In 1981, then-President Mitterrand spearheaded a stunning renovation of the facility, notably the glass pyramid that now provides the main entrance.

The views are stunning and the pastries are good. Even better than good, a few of them, like the 'Notre Dame' pastry, are even great. Here, at this tea salon and pastry shop, you sit in front of the celing-high picture window and gaze straight out onto the Notre Dame cathedral. Now that it is being restored, you even have cranes and construction to entertain you, giving you a bit of a 'Builder Bob' experience while you sip your fair trade teas or locally roasted coffee beans. Even if the window seats are taken, you can still make yourselves comfortable at the side tables or in the sky blue painted anterior room. They also serve light lunches, such as quiche and salads, in case you drop by for lunch. This is a family-run business husband and wife team. So though the address is ultra-chic, the atmosphere is 'homey.'

First they teach you the ABC's of French wine and how to do a proper wine tasting. They focus on 3 of the major French wine regions at a time. The wines selected come from any of these famous French wine regions: Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Loire, Provence, Languedoc or Champagne. Next, they teach you how to read a French wine label - how to sound like a pro when ordering French wine at a restaurant here in Paris, France or anywhere in the world. Then, they take you out to a favorite wine and small plates bar. Here you get to try out your new wine pairing skills straight away. Order a small plate of something delicious and then choose the wine you'd like to pair with it. Groups up to 10 people are welcome!

Dreamt up as an oasis in the city, this little desert den is actually hidden inside a chic boutique hotel, up on their 'suspended' terrace. Bookings accommodate a maximum of 8 people for lunch or dinner. Tea time is a bit easier to get in on, as you can book for two and perhaps share the designer decorated desert cabin with others who have had the same notion to share a moment of tea and tranquility together during the holidays. The food served here is a Moroccan theme with its touch of the exotic and perfumed. For example, the orange salad is flavored with light touches of fleur d'oranger water and cinnamon. This is one of those addresses that the French call 'confidential.'

The important thing to know is that Librarie Ulysse is the first, and still only, book shop that is wholly dedicated to travel literature and guide books. The second most important thing to know is that the word 'librairie' in French actually means bookshop. (The word for library is 'bibliotheque' in French). This historical shop on the Ile St.-Louis makes for a great excuse to sightsee on this charming little island in the center of Paris. Plan for some time among the books, as the shop is chock full. Then, once you've made your selection of travel literature and guidebooks, find yourself a seat in one of the cozy cafes the little island neighborhood is famous for, and spend the afternoon reading and sipping hot chocolate or mulled wine. And, if so inclined, have a peek into the Eglise Saint-Louis, the historic church just across from the book shop.

Today this city library specializes in collections of art books and books having to do with art. But back in its day (16th & 17th c.) it housed Queen Marguerite of Valois, once married to King Henri IV but whose marriage was anulled, and Nostradamus (1503 - 1566), respectively. According to historical records, Nostradamus issued forth his prescient predictions from his bedroom upstairs. This monument was first built under the orders of Tristan de Salazar between 1475 and 1519. The building itself is known as the Hotel de Sens, but the library now housed inside it, is called Bibliotheque Forney. Be sure to appreciate the stairwell that leads up to the library entranceway. It dates to the middle ages and has been perfectly restored and preserved. There are continuous art shows held here, in the gallery on the inside of the courtyard. They are free and open to all ages.

On the occasion of Christmas celebrations this year, the iconic department store, Galeries Lafayette, has installed an ice skating rink on its rooftop. What's more, it is free and open to all. Now you have extra incentive to head down to the Parisian shopping district where many of the biggest and fanciest department stores are located. A Parisian tradition is to gaze at the window decorations which are festively themed for the season. And this year, you have an added adventure to enjoy whilst you do your holiday shopping - the rooftop ice skating rink. It is open to all ages and from 10 in the morning to 8 at night. Imagine gliding around on the ice while overlooking the Paris Opera house and the majestic boulevards that intersect around this department store. You can even see as far as the Sacre Coeur and the Eiffel Tower.

Paris has always been rich with cinema. There is no lack of venues and movie theatres in this City of Light. But going to the movies in a foreign land is not always the most sociable of experienes. After all, you sit in a darkened theatre and peer up at a screen for two hours, listening and watching in silence. So that's where Lost In Frenchlation founders had the clever idea to make an evening of it. And to focus on the expat experience, or, rather, expats and local French who are interested in intermiingling. These weekly movie nights are all about being sociable, and, yes, movies are involved. Screenings are in English so they appeal to French and other nationalities living here in the Capital who want to improve their language skills, and expats who want a dose of their native tongue.

This museum is the former house where the great French writer, Honoré de Balzac once lived. During his day, this area of Paris, called Passy, was very much outside the city. In fact, this hillside was once covered in vineyards. The author of La Comédie Humaine was quite an entrepreneurial author, even self-publishing at first before his writing became acclaimed and he achieved notoriety. His printing house was located in the 6th arrondissment, the façade of which can still be seen on rue Visconti. Legend has it that this house out here in Passy, very close these days to Radio France, used to have an underground tunnel by which he could escape when creditors came calling. Today the house has been fully restored into a museum dedicated to Balzac. In one of the rooms, you can even see his desk a which he used to write. Another one of the rooms features all the characters of La Comedie Humaine, reconstructed in caricature form.