My wife and I both like Paris, so when we were thinking about where to spend Christmas in 2014, Paris was an easy choice. We thought the city would be especially beautiful during Christmas, and honestly, I just wanted to go to Paris with my wife.
That was pretty much the reason.
We left Los Angeles on December 23, 2014. Our flight went from LAX to London Heathrow, and then from London to Paris Charles de Gaulle. We arrived in Paris on Christmas Eve in the evening.
I don't remember the exact weather, but I remember it being colder than Los Angeles and looking like it might rain. As we took a taxi into the city, I could see Christmas decorations everywhere along with the sparkling lights on the Eiffel Tower.
It finally felt like I am in Paris and it is Christmas.
Staying Near the Eiffel Tower
We stayed at the Hôtel Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel. The hotel was really close to the Eiffel Tower, which turned out to be a great location for us.
After dropping off our luggage, we walked around the area looking for somewhere to eat. We didn't have any reservation for a restaurant. We just found a place we liked and went in.
Since we were in France, we had to try foie gras and escargots. We ordered them with wine, along with some other food.
My wife doesn't like creamy foods like foie gras, so I ended up eating all of it. That's actually pretty typical of us. My wife doesn't necessarily like something just because it's expensive.
The hotel is still in the same location today, right near the Eiffel Tower. In my opinion, this is the best place you can find near the Eiffel tower. Current rates can vary a lot depending on the date, but 2026 prices are generally around €175–€220 or more per night.
Back in 2014, our hotel and flights were booked together as an American Airlines Vacations package, so I don't know exactly how much the hotel itself cost.
Christmas Eve at the Nude Eiffel Tower
After dinner, we walked back toward the hotel. Since our hotel was so close to the Eiffel Tower, we could just walk there and enjoy the view.
One thing I remember is that the Eiffel Tower area felt much more open back then. There wasn't a fence around the lower part of the tower like there is today.
There were still a lot of people, but it didn't bother me. It was Christmas Eve, I was in Paris, and I was with my wife. I was just happy.
A friend of mine told me about something called the "Nude Eiffel Tower." I'm not sure who came up with that name, but once we saw it happen, it made sense.
Here is how the sequence. Every hour, the tower does its sparkling light show. Thousands of little white bulbs flickering on top of the regular golden glow that lights up the tower every night. Most hours, it is exactly that. The warm yellow background stays on, and the sparkle just dances on top of it for about 5 minutes before settling back down. And this is most people look for.
But the last show of the night at 1 am, is different.
The yellow lights turn off at the same time the sparkling lights turn on. For those five minutes, it's only the sparkling lights, no golden glow underneath, just the tower stripped down to bare, flickering light against the dark sky. I guess that is the "nude" part. And then, as the sparkle fades out, the whole tower goes dark. No lights at all un the the next evening.
We actually planed to watch and waited until 1 am to see it. It was just us and the Eiffel Tower doing its last, bare little performance before going dark for the night. It almost felt like it was doing it just for us.
Maybe that's a little cheesy, but that's honestly how I remember it.
Christmas Day With a Friend
The next morning, we slept in. Sadly, Santa didn't come and there were no presents. But we did have a friend who lived in Paris. Our friend came to see us, and that felt like a Christmas present.
He had a car and drove us around Paris. We passed an amusement ride set up for Christmas and that reminded me of the London Eye, went to Montmartre, and drove around the Champs-Élysées.
The Christmas decorations along the Champs-Élysées were beautiful. I also remember the decorations on the outside of Printemps.
We looked around the department stores and shops, but we didn't really buy anything.
A Picture in Front of the Moulin Rouge
We also went to see the Moulin Rouge.
Our friend dropped us off and took a picture of us. While we were crossing the street, he stopped the cars and told us to hurry up and kiss.
So we did.
We stood in front of the Moulin Rouge while the cars were stopped and took a picture. That's one of those random travel memories that I still remember. And we didn't just take a picture outside. We actually went inside and watched the show.
I didn't really know what to expect. I was also tired from jet lag, so I think I was actually falling asleep during the show.
Then the dancers came out for the French Cancan. That woke me up.
The dancers were wearing very little, and my wife and I watched the show while feeling a little funny. I don't remember much about the actual story of the performance anymore, but I definitely remember that moment.
The show still runs today, and the Moulin Rouge's current Féerie show includes the famous French Cancan. Tickets now vary depending on the show and package, but dinner-and-show packages can be more than €250 per person.
Our show ended late, so we went straight back to the hotel.
Christmas Market, Vin Chaud, and a €20 Umbrella
We also spent some time at the Christmas market along the Champs-Élysées.
We walked around and looked at all the different things being sold. It was cold, so we bought some vin chaud to warm ourselves up.
Then it started raining. Of course, we didn't have an umbrella. So we had to buy one. The umbrella was terrible. You could probably can get for €2, but that was not the case in this famous city.
€20. Yes, that's how much we paid for an umbrella.
I still remember thinking, How can this terrible umbrella cost €20?
But we needed one, so we bought it.
I have no idea what an umbrella costs in Paris today, and honestly, I don't think it matters much. The funny part is that I still remember that terrible €20 umbrella twelve years later.
Steak Frites at Le Relais de l'Entrecôte
One of the restaurants I remember well was Le Relais de l'Entrecôte.
We went there for steak and frites. The steak was tender, and I really liked the sauce they put on the meat. The portion of steak was smaller than I expected, though.
Coming from the United States, I remember thinking, Maybe this is why French people are thinner than Americans.
That's just what went through my mind at the time.
The restaurant is still around today, and steak frites remains its signature dish. Current prices are roughly around €40, depending on the location and menu.
The Oysters I Almost Didn't Buy
One of my favorite memories actually happened at the very end of the trip.
On our last evening, we were walking back toward the hotel when we noticed a market nearby. There was seafood, fruit, vegetables, and all kinds of things being sold.
Then I saw the oysters. They looked so good. I stood there wondering whether I should buy some or not. In the end, I decided to just walk away.
But the next morning, I was still thinking about them.
So I got up early, went back, bought some oysters, and brought them back to the hotel.
There was just one problem. I didn't have anything to open them with. So I went to the hotel restaurant and borrowed a butter knife.
Yes, a butter knife.
I used it to open the oysters. My wife looked at me and thought I was pretty crazy, but she also said I was something else. I wonder why she didn't take pictures of me shuck oysters.
We ended up eating the oysters together in the hotel room.
And they were really good.
That was our last meal in Paris before heading back to the United States.
What Did Our 2014 Paris Trip Cost?
We spent $2,571.56 total for two people, including our flights and four-night hotel stay.
Because we booked everything as a package through American Airlines Vacations, I don't have the individual price for the hotel and airfare.
Looking back now, I'm glad I still have the booking information. It gives me something that I can't remember on my own anymore—the exact amount we paid and the exact flights we took.
I was wondering how much will it cost today. So when I searched for the flights and the same hotel, the cost came out to be close to $3,000. Little more than 12 years ago, but not a big increase. So, don't delay your trip and go for the Christmas in Paris. Why wait!
If you are interested in one day layover in Paris, click here to see what we did.
LET'S GO!
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