A new year comes with new events to look forward to. Even as early as now January 2024 is already looking as busy as ever for
Paris. Starting January 10th, there are the Paris winter sales, a month-long event that lets you shop for the finest designer goodies are discounted prices. You can't miss Galette des Rois on January 6th either! It's one of France's most beloved holidays. And near the end of the month, around January 22nd to the 25th, the city will hold its bi-annual haute couture fashion week. You won't want to miss what the biggest French fashion houses have in store for spring.
New Year's Day (January 1)
If you thought
New Year's Eve in Paris would be a bang, wait until New Year's Day. The French capital gets just as festive on January 1st as it does every December 31st. For one thing, it's still a holiday, which means people are free to go out, play, and have a good time. They fill up the fancy restaurants and enjoy feast after feast on the first day of the year. Families are going to parks for some much-needed bonding time. People are having friends over for a soiree. Even the Eiffel Tower sets up an annual New Year's Day concert for the entire city.
Epiphany Day (January 6)
Although the whole world celebrates Epiphany Day, it's a slightly different
holiday in France. The French still mark January 6th as the day the Three Wise Men (or Kings) met the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem, but they've come up with a different tradition that's become a holiday in its own right:
Galette des Rois. Translated as the “King's Cake” in English, this refers to a special cake that's also a game. On January 6th, Galette des Rois is prepared and sliced into different pieces for the whole family. Inside one of the slices is the “King,” a little trinket. If you got that special slice, you get to be the king for the day!
Paris Winter Sales (Begins on January 10)
After the holidays, you can always expect the stores and boutiques to have an abundance of goodies that Christmas shoppers overlooked. So what are they to do with this oversupply of items? Get them on sale, of course! Hence, the winter sales are what many shopaholics look forward to in Paris. This 2024, the Paris winter sales begin on January 10th and will go on until the early days of February. During this time, you can go shop for the most luxurious pieces at lower prices. You'll find them in the flagship stores, boutiques, and
department stores in Paris.
District 13 International Art Fair (January 12 to 14)
A new year, a new art scene! Paris never stops becoming the art capital of the world even after the holidays. This January 2024, the city will host another art festival featuring the biggest names in the industry today. The District 13 International Art Fair will take place on the weekend of January 12 to 14, 2024, at Hotel Drouot on Rue Drouot. Located in the
9th arrondissement, around 30 international galleries will exhibit some of their latest works, done by the world's best contemporary artists, in the hotel's auction house. It's a definite must-see!
Coquille Saint-Jacques Festival (January 20 to 21)
Over at
Montmartre, there's another festival Paris can look forward to this January 2024: the Coquille Saint-Jacques Festival. Also called the 'Saint-Jacques Scallop Festival,' it will take place on Place des Abbesses and will become the ultimate paradise for seafood lovers in Paris. As its name says, the event is a free-for-all of scallops, oysters, and other seafood staples that are coming in from Brittany. Most are free tastings, but some still require a small fee, particularly those offering premium delicacies. At the same time, the festival will also feature culinary demonstrations, a concert, and even a fish pavilion!
Paris Haute Couture Week (January 22 to 25)
The end of January 2024 will be a fashionable affair in Paris. This is when the fashion capital will hold its bi-annual
Haute Couture Fashion Week. Staying true to its fashion capital reputation, the week will feature shows from the city's biggest fashion houses. They'll be presenting their upcoming spring/summer 2024 haute couture collections, all hand-made and crafted in their Paris ateliers. These clothes will be the most expensive in the world, reserved only for an exclusive clientele who can afford custom-made pieces from Paris. You'll likely see A-list celebrities wear what would come down the runway, especially in the upcoming awards season in the US.
2024 is off to a good start for Paris. January 2024 already has a lot in store for those in the French capital. There are winter sales, fashion week, a scallop festival, and fun holidays Parisians can look forward to.
