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The La Défense Christmas market returns from Thursday 12 November to Thursday 31 December 2026, according to the event’s official website. Its festive area, Le Sommet, stays open until 3 January 2027. The organiser promises more than 300 wooden chalets in Paris’s main business district, just west of the city. The 2025 edition drew over 2.2 million visitors, a record. Here are the dates, opening hours, how to get there and what the event brings to the area.
La Défense Christmas market 2026: when is it open?
The traditional market opens on Thursday 12 November 2026 and closes on Thursday 31 December 2026. However, Le Sommet runs on until Sunday 3 January 2027. According to the organiser, it hosts an ice rink, DJ sets and daily activities.
Entry is free. The official website mentions « more than 350 chalets » in its main text and « more than 300 » in its summary, so we use the more cautious figure.
La Défense is not a town in its own right. In fact, the district straddles two communes (French municipalities), Puteaux and Courbevoie, in the Hauts-de-Seine département. For our full French coverage, read the original article in French.
What are the opening hours?
Opening hours change with the day of the week. These are the hours of the traditional market, according to the official website:
- Monday to Thursday: 11am to 9pm;
- Friday: 11am to 11pm;
- Saturday: 10am to 11pm;
- Sunday: 11am to 9.30pm;
- 24 and 31 December: 11am to 6pm;
- 25 December: 3pm to 11pm.
Le Sommet also closes at 10pm on Thursdays and reopens on 1 January 2027, from 3pm to 11pm. Since hours can change, it is best to check before you travel.
How do you get to the market?
The market sits on the esplanade of La Défense. Public transport is the easiest option. La Défense Grande Arche station is served by metro line 1, the RER A and E suburban trains and tram T2.
Large underground car parks serve the district. Even so, December Saturdays are very busy. In 2025, the two busiest days were Saturday 13 and Saturday 20 December, with 85,000 people each. A weekday visit in late morning is therefore calmer.
La Défense Christmas market: what did the 2025 record show?
The 30th edition ran from 13 November to 28 December 2025, a total of 45 days. According to local news site Defense-92, it drew more than 2.2 million visitors, up from 1.5 million in 2024.
Since 2022, the market has been run by 2A Organisation, a small firm from Nantes. It says it has invested nearly €4 million in the event since then. In return, the public body Paris La Défense received a fee of around €600,000, again according to Defense-92.
Not everything paid off, though. The organiser’s own shop and the ice rink did not turn a profit in 2025, the same source reports. A call for tenders for future editions was also due to be launched.
Why local councils are watching
For a local authority, a Christmas market is more than a festive event. It also brings in fees for the use of public space and sends shoppers to nearby businesses. La Défense shows that a market can gain almost 50% more visitors in a single year. Yet it also shows that costly attractions, such as an ice rink, remain fragile.
What is on in 2026?
The opening concert is scheduled for Friday 13 November 2026, according to Sortiraparis. The Gospel’n’Soul Voices choir is due on stage at 8.45pm, followed by the French singer Chimène Badi. The official site also lists visits from Father and Mother Christmas and an elves’ workshop for children.
Finally, a light installation will stay in place until 13 January 2027, according to the same source. If you are planning a family trip, see also our French guide to the 2026 Christmas school holidays.
La Défense Christmas market: key takeaways
- The traditional market runs from 12 November to 31 December 2026.
- Le Sommet stays open until 3 January 2027.
- Entry is free, with more than 300 chalets announced.
- Take metro line 1, the RER A or E, or tram T2.
- The 2025 edition drew more than 2.2 million visitors.
- December Saturdays are the busiest days.
Sources: official market website (xmasparisladefense.com), checked on 28 October 2026; Defense-92, review of the 30th edition; Sortiraparis, article updated on 14 October 2026. Featured photo: Niklas Ohlrogge / Unsplash.
