We went to three Christmas markets on three consecutive days in three different cities in France,…read moreand the one at the Tuileries Garden was my children's favorite. It was less quaint and packed with tiny vendors than the markets in Colmar and Strasbourg, but it was basically an amusement park set up in the middle of Paris, a slam dunk for my boys, aged five and three. For my part, I enjoyed that it was in the Tuileries Garden, and that it was dramatically less crowded than the markets we'd visited over the weekend, as we went to this one on a Monday. My mother and sons and I were also joined by my dear friend Ava B., who lives in Paris and suggested this excursion for our one full day in Paris, when we requested to see Christmasy Parisy things. She'd already been once this season and knew her way around. We arrived hungry and started with lunch, hitting one of the many food stalls set up for the market. We picked a place that did cheesy sandwiches so we could get a grilled cheese for the kids, and I got a pretty decent ham and cheese. I also enjoyed some of Ava's sausage roll and a couple glasses of hot red wine. There was a tight seating area packed with picnic tables, where we were able to sit and eat. Unfortunately, we had a bad experience with the guy making the sandwiches, who seemed annoyed by our existence, sullenly taking our order, which was not in the least bit complicated. Our interactions were brief and uneventful, so I was surprised when he spoke loudly to the French people he helped after us about the "Chinos." I don't speak French, but I do understand racist asshole. Honestly, that guy kind of tainted the afternoon, and was, not for nothing, a terrible, embarrassing representative of Paris and France. My kids were none the wiser, though, and the rest of our afternoon was easy and fun. The highlight was definitely the ferris wheel, with its beautiful views of the city. My five-year-old was thrilled to see the Eiffel Tower and the Notre-Dame, which he recognized from the Lego set "we" built. The boys went on a carousel and a kiddie train ride, and I accompanied the older one on a cool vertical obstacle course, which was great except for the part where he ran face-first into a glass wall (the confusion was part of the design). We also had a blast going down a giant slide, where we picked up speed on these fabric sleds and flew with every bump. My three-year-old was disappointed to learn he was too small for the bumper cars, but assuaged by the miniature "roller coaster," a slow, roller coaster-shaped ride for small children. His brother was too scared to go on it at first, but ended up riding it three times and getting sad when we had to leave. We paid for everything a la carte, including bathroom access, but admission to the market was free. It was a nice way to spend three-and-a-half hours with kids, a festive Parisian carnival afternoon.

Stopped by before our evening reservation at the Louvre, and boy was this market crowded! This is…read moreby far the largest market we went to in Paris, and the most kid-friendly, with plenty of rides and activities. We arrived at around 6pm, and it was so crowded that it was difficult to walk in some areas. Prepare to wait in line if you're ordering food. Similar to most of the other Parisian Christmas markets, there seems to be 5-10 unique food options, and plenty of vendors selling the same food items around the market. We ordered the raclette sandwich, which is delicious as always. Love that they scrape off the melted cheese in front of you, always a fun thing to watch. One stand that we saw here that I hadn't seen in the other markets is the ribs stand - the scent was wafting throughout the air around the stand! The meat was super tender, and the bbq sauce was honestly really good. Beware that your hair and clothes may smell like smoke afterward though, but well worth it! Would definitely visit again, maybe just during the daytime when there's more space to move around :)

Crazy, crazy. I was…read moreexpecting more of a Christmas market- craft vendors and seasonal food. It was more like an American carnival midway. Lots of rides and tons of people. Salmon don't work that hard to move. This was really crowded. But I was there on a Friday evening, and I believe the trees were being lit on The Champs d'Elyse. The carnival rides were funny. All the ones we have seen in the states, but dressed up with Santa's, tinsel, and red fabric. There were several large and small food and drink booths. You could get hot wine, hot chocolate, raclette, sausages and even funnel cakes. The other venders has Christmas cheese, scarves, wooden toys, jewelry and candies. The jardin grounds were covered with large plastic tiles so you weren't walking in mud or uneven ground. I wished it had been spread out a little better.

I'm sorry, how does this Christmas market not get every star in the universe? It's honestly the…read moretackiest thing I've seen in a long while and I loved it with all my heart. They have EVERYTHING. Crappy, made in China gifts? Check. Delicious candy everywhere? Definitely. Vin chaud every 5 feet, served in delightful collector cups? Oh yeah, they have it. I have a full set of those cups too, BTW. Very, very, very odd animatronic animal tableaux for some reason? Yep. A plastic dinosaur in the middle of it all? What the hell, why not! Tons of tempting food stalls too - selling everything from racelette to choucroute garni to saucisson. They even have Fried Christmas (IDK). You won't go hungry or thirsty. I especially enjoyed the sketchy carnival rides clearly repurposed in a "Christmas" theme. If you don't dig a Thriller zombie roller coaster with all the zombies (on all levels, the sign gleefully promises!) dressed in Santa suits, there's just no help for you And can we talk about the very interesting Santa decorations? For 2018, the Marche is in the Tuleries gardens. It's everything I wanted it to be, and that's not just a gallon of vin chaud talking.w

Hum..Paris the city, the idea, the romanticism of it all okay I get it but I'm not impressed. The…read morepageantry of the various people parading around is delightful but very subdued as far as decoration and fashion. The improvisation of the event that is conducted without a permit puts a damper on the possibility of an more enjoyable experience. I don't mind the walking and I don't mind the inconvenience of people knocking into me but traipsing through dirt and a irrigation system is another. Although Atlanta may not be for everyone it has the entertainment in great opulence that is outstandingly over the top, and I'm not from there. Philadelphia is classy and highly organized in beautiful spaces with beautiful faces. More like Le. Diner en Blah! But what the heck you're in Paris what's not to like?!