Paris Diaries Christmas Day 4

Sundays in Paris

Thank you so much for your enthusiasm for the book news! I am so excited to share more details with you soon. Plus, first things first, we need a cover ASAP! 2025 will be a wild ride learning the ins and outs of publishing my first book. Luckily, I have a fantastic team behind me for support. I am so grateful for this opportunity.

Sundays in Paris are my favorite. It is why links I love come out on Sundays—a great way to enjoy coffee and croissants and transport yourself to Paris.

Today, I had planned to visit the Grand Palais for ice skating—something on my Christmas Paris bucket list. I purchased tickets in advance, and my Paris family joined me. The sun was shining as I walked through The Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, on the way to the Grand Palais. Paris was quiet, and I soaked up every minute as I walked and took photos.

It seems all of Paris was in line for ice skating. As I approached, the line continued around the building and almost to the next street. We waited patiently for nearly an hour to get through the line and to our skates. It went as smoothly as possible, and we were on the ice quickly after getting inside the building.

The building lived up to the hype in terms of architecture. I skated briefly as my camera was on one shoulder and felt imbalanced. Some skaters were great as they breezed through the ice, while others took risks, and slips were happening regularly. I got my laps in and made it safely to the side to enjoy the music and watch my Paris family wave from the ice.

Inside, the sun was strong through the glass dome, illuminating the ice rink. Once outside, the grey skies of Paris returned for the rest of the day. Just as the day before, the sun is rare in winter. At least it was much warmer than the previous day, and I made sure to layer well with a thicker sweater and scarf.

I wandered through Paris, working my way through a few places I wanted to capture during the holidays.

A friend recently told me how quiet Paris was last week, and I was surprised. That was not the case for today, as the city was buzzing. Walking through the Louvre area to the Left Bank, it was packed with tourists and locals out and about.

Once on the Left Bank, it returned to calm, and I felt so much better. My lunch was booked for La Petite Chaise. I don’t know how I read about it, but I am glad I booked it. Dinner yesterday was not the best, and I was looking forward to a good meal.

The menu for Sunday was a classic French roast chicken with fries and a salad with a starter and dessert. Inside the small room was another family from the US with a son who had recently studied abroad in Paris. They were lovely to chat with, and I almost missed the last light of the day sharing our favorite restaurants.

Lunch was late, and there was so much food the restaurant sent me home with a bag for later. One of my favorite Paris meals is enjoying a baguette and cheese. It has been a while since I had an easy night, and I needed to catch up.

It is easy to put a lot of pressure on myself. I needed to slow down and remind myself that this book is not about Christmas but Paris. Christmas is just a small chapter.

Tomorrow is my last day in Paris, and I know I have said it before, but it is going way too fast! I have a slower morning to start, and I look forward to soaking up Paris and grabbing a flat white at one of my favorite coffee shops.

In the late morning, I am meeting up with a videographer to shoot some video of Paris at Christmas. There are a few items I want to pick up, including chocolate and tea, before heading home on Tuesday.

Is there anything you want to see in Paris at Christmas before I head home?