Best Time to Visit Paris at Christmas to Avoid Crowds: The First Three Weeks of December

PRAGUE - Rezul -- Travellers who want to see Paris at Christmas without the biggest crowds should go in the first three weeks of December rather than between Christmas and New Year, according to two years of booking data from Smiler, a platform that connects travellers with local professional photographers.

Between 1 and 20 December, the number of holiday photoshoots in Paris stays about 20 percent below the city's average day, even though the Christmas lights and window displays are already up. The picture changes completely after Christmas. In the week from 25 to 31 December, Paris runs at 2.1 times its average day, and on 30 December at 3.4 times, making it the busiest date of the year in the city.

More on Rezul News

• Nine MLS Boards, Nine Different Rules for Disclosing Virtually Staged Photos
• Shelter Structures America backs MATRA Second Life Project to turn retired tent vinyl into homes for displaced families
• P-Wave Press Announces Becoming Dad: Reflections for New Fathers by L. A. Davenport
• Logicraft Launches FuelDeck™, AI That Turns Aviation Fuel Tickets Into One Traceable Ledger
• Inaugural OC Tech Week Draws 3,000 From 12 Countries, Sends Finalist to $1M Startup World Cup

The late-December rush is bigger than anything Paris sees in summer. The holiday week is almost twice as busy as an average summer day, and Christmas Day sees 1.7 times as many photoshoots as an average day in July. Bastille Day, 14 July, does not even reach the July average.

For visitors, timing within the day also matters. Paris sunsets in December come just before 5 pm. One in five December photoshoots in the city starts at dusk or later, when the illuminations are on, while the typical shoot starts around noon. Starting about an hour before sunset gives both daylight and Christmas lights in a single outing.

"If you can choose your dates, the first three weeks of December in Paris are the sweet spot," said Tomáš Dekan, CEO of Smiler. "The city already looks like Christmas, but the big rush only starts after the 25th."

More on Rezul News

• Award-Winning American Hotelier Opens Art-Filled Luxury Cottage in Norfolk, England
• Virtual Results Puts AI to Work for Home Buyers and Sellers, Not Just Agents
• K2 Global / Ozi Amanat Named Among Top 100 AI Venture Capitalists in 2026
• 303 Crown Maids Brings Transparent, Reliable Cleaning Services to Superior
• Dr. Latorial Faison Appointed Poet Laureate of Virginia

The full report, including a day-by-day view of the season and figures for other cities, is available here.

Methodology
The analysis covers photoshoots booked through Smiler and its partner channels in Paris that took place between January 2024 and December 2025, excluding cancelled, unpaid and test bookings, by local date and time of each shoot, compared with the city's own average day. It measures demand for photoshoots, not total visitor numbers. Absolute volumes are not disclosed.

About Smiler
Smiler connects travellers with local professional photographers in cities across Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australia. The company is based in Prague.

Media contact
Alica Zoldak · press@smiler.co · https://smiler.co