If it's bright lights you're after this Christmas, where better to celebrate than Paris. With it's numerous Christmas markets and spectacular New Years Eve celebrations, there's plenty of fun to be had by all!

Christmas markets line the streets of Paris with colourful stalls, decorations and fir trees brightening up the city, with the twinkling lights along the Seine creating a wonderful winter wonderland. The markets spring up in a variety of places around the city, here are a few to choose from:

La Defense

25th November until 27th December 2009
Monday-Friday: 11am - 7.30pm and Saturday-Sunday: 11am - 10pm

La Defense is in the city region and perhaps one of the most impressive markets. Here there is an ice rink which entices visitors to take to the ice or to simply watch, relax and take stock for a while. 

Christmas Market on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees - Place de la Concorde

Late November 2009 until early January 2010
Open daily

This is the largest Christmas market within Paris's city limits. The market stretches from the Champs-Elysées roundabout (Metro Champs Elysées-Clémenceau) to the Place de la Concorde (Metro Concorde). 

On New Years Eve, locals and guests come together at the Champs Elysées and the Eiffel tower and sip on anything from wine to champagne to bring in the new year, and with a spectacular fireworks display at the stroke of midnight, paris is an ideal place to celebrate the beginning of a new year.

*Christmas Market dates are provided by the Tourist Board, and may be subject to change.