8 Cool Things to Do in Paris on New Year’s Eve

If you’re spending New Year’s Eve in Paris, prepare for an evening with extra sparkle. The City of Light positively glows during the festive season, and everything builds toward one magical moment on December 31st. In French, we call it le Réveillon du Nouvel An or le Réveillon de la Saint-Sylvestre, and Parisians definitely know how to celebrate NYE in style. From indulgent dinners to champagne river cruises, here are my favorite ways to ring in the new year in Paris.

*Some of the links in this article will earn a small commission if you click them and then purchase something. Thank you for your support

(WA = Wheelchair Accessible)

This is an image of fireworks going off in different locations in Paris. The one to the left is a busy Champs Elysees and the one to the right is a broader birds-eye view of the city with the Sacre Coeur in the distance.

See the fireworks on the Champs-Elysées

If you’re looking for Paris’s grandest celebration, this is the crown jewel. On December 31st, the entire Champs-Élysées becomes pedestrian-only and turns into one enormous open-air fête. This year, the city’s big fireworks display will be lighting up the Arc de Triomphe rather than the Eiffel Tower, making the view even more dramatic. There’s a big countdown, a dazzling sound-and-light show, and plenty of buzzing energy. Arrive early, dress warmly, and don’t forget to bring a little something sparkling to toast with.

This is an image of a nice restaurant with comfortable seating and tiled flooring. To the right is a steak with frites.

Image Courtesy of Bouillon Petit Paramond

Treat yourself to a gourmet festive meal in Paris

This is actually how many Parisians spend the evening, unless they’re tucked into a friend’s apartment for a cozy house party. Tons of restaurants close for Christmas, but many swing their doors back open for NYE with extra-fancy menus. These usually include oysters, foie gras, champagne, decadent desserts… the works. Prices vary quite a lot, but here are some great picks:

Bouillon Petit Paramond (€€) – I love this gorgeous “bouillon”, which is a large restaurant serving classic French cuisine at super affordable prices. This one has a spectacular Art Nouveau decor, and the food quality is also better than most of the other bouillons. They’ve got a special NYE menu at only 59€, or you can order à la carte if you prefer to mix and match.
Perruche (€€€€, WA) – Perched atop the Printemps Homme department store, Perruche offers sweeping views of Paris along with a fabulously festive vibe. As you enjoy the chef’s Mediterranean-inspired NYE menu, you’ll be treated to live music, capped off with a sparkling countdown to midnight.
Le Train Bleu (€€€€, WA) – For a NYE that feels straight out of a movie, book a table at an insanely beautiful restaurant. With a Latino Jazz quartet playing in the background, you can feast on black truffle amuses-bouche, foie gras, Rossini-style beef fillet, and other goodies.
Royal Monceau Raffles Paris (€€€€€, WA) – For a true splurge, spend your NYE at this swanky hotel near the Parc Monceau. Your night will start with live music and drinks at its stylish bar, followed by dinner at its 1-Michelin-starred restaurant, and then dancing back at the bar.

This is an image of a boat churning through the Seine at dusk with an arched bridge coming up in the distance.

Ring in the New Year on a champagne cruise in Paris

Gliding along the Seine with champagne in hand as Paris sparkles around you? It’s hard to imagine a more enchanting start to the year. If I were in Paris for New Year’s Eve, this is exactly what I’d want to be doing, so please enjoy it on my behalf.

Two of my favorite companies are offering elegant NYE cruises. Vedettes de Paris (WA), which is the only Paris boat company with a fully electric fleet of boats, has several options for NYE. Alternatively, Vedettes de Pont Neuf, a great company with smaller boats and a central departure point at Pont Neuf, has both dinner and champagne cruises.

This is an image of cabaret dancers on stage in iconic sparkling outfits and fans.

Image Courtesy of La Nouvelle Eve via Get Your Guide

Enjoy a sparkling evening at a Parisian cabaret show

The Moulin Rouge does host a NYE performance, but it’s wildly pricey. A fabulous, slightly more authentic alternative is right down the street. Originally a theater, La Nouvelle Eve has been doing a cabaret show since the 1940s. Their NYE show comes with a special meal and, of course, plenty of champagne.

Or, for something totally different, trek up to Montmartre’s Lapin Agile. It’s inside an adorable little house and claims to be Paris’s oldest cabaret. It was a popular hangout of the artists who lived in Montmartre, especially Picasso and his pals. I’ve been to the cabaret before and was surprised by how fun it is. No cancan here, just passionate singers belting out beloved French classics. They’re holding a special NYE show, so get ready to sip some bubbles and hum along to tunes by Edith Piaf or Yves Montand.

This is an image of lots of people in a nightclub dancing with big lights shining on them.

Dance the night away with Parisians

If you prefer your celebration with a bit of rhythm, Paris has no shortage of dance-filled soirées on NYE. These are all great options that suit all styles and musical tastes:

Coeur Sacré – Located just beneath Sacré-Coeur, this bar has STUNNING views of Paris and is doing a fun dance party for NYE.
Solum (WA) – Only in Paris can you party beneath an absolutely gorgeous bridge. This huge club is beneath the gilded Pont Alexandre III, is a fantastic place to ring in the new year, plus you’ll be able to capture sensational photos of the Eiffel Tower before you go inside.
Club Haussmann – Found near the Opera Garnier, this nightclub is hosting a NYE party with a DJ spinning crowd-pleasing tunes ranging from disco to R’n’B and from 80s hits to house music.
Dream Boat (WA) – Spend your NYE dancing and taking amazing photos at this boat moored across from the Eiffel Tower.
Caveau de la Huchette – This historic Jazz club in the Latin Quarter is holding a New Year’s Eve concert perfect for swing-lovers.

This is an image of the Eiffel Tower in the evening with fireworks all around it.

Make a New Year’s wish on the Eiffel Tower

Paris’s most sparkling site is actually open on December 31st, and as of now, tickets are still available (some even include champagne). If it’s sold out, check resellers that might fold the Eiffel Tower tickets into combo boat-cruise packages.

This is an image of an empty theatre with lots of red seats in rows.

Take in a show in a beautiful theater

If you love theater but worry about the French language bit, don’t stress. Theatre in Paris can hook you up with English comedy performances or French shows with English subtitles. Several run on December 31st, many of which take place in historic, drop-dead-gorgeous venues that would add a little special magic to your night.

This is an image of a Disneyland Paris march with plenty of Christmas lights and Mickey Mouse characters on floats walking down the main street.

Image Courtesy of Disneyland Paris

Step into a New Year’s fairy tale at Disneyland Paris

If you’ve got kids (or if you’re a Disney fan of any age), Disneyland Paris goes all-out for the holidays. In addition to AMAZING holiday decorations and lights, the “Magic Kingdom” puts on a fantastic fireworks display with the fairy tale backdrop of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. The park stays open until 1am on December 31st, giving you plenty of time to welcome the new year in true storybook style.

After checking out my suggestions on what to do on New Year’s Eve in Paris, read these next: