17 Best Things to do in Paris on New Year’s Day (2026)

Quick List: This Sights are open on New Years Day

Here’s for you a list of the sights that are open on New Year’s Day. Be quick, they sell out fast because most other things are closed:

• Eiffel Tower – Reserve your ticket to the summit in advance for the 1st of January
• Seine Cruise -relaxed & recover from New Year’s Celebrations (book here)
• Musée d’Orsay – Book your tickets here (it’s in high demand because the Louvre is closed)
• Moulin Rouge Cabaret Show – Mostly sold out on NYD, but check here if you’re lucky
• Disneyland Paris – Get your tickets ahead of time because it is very popular on the 1st
• Tour Montparnasse

But these popular sights are of course not all. Read on to know the best activities for Paris on the first of January.

For more ideas for December and January, check out our post on Winter activities in Paris! 

17 Best Things to do in Paris on New Year’s Day

So, here’s for you without further ado the list of the best things you can do in Paris on January 1st. Rest assured, it won’t be boring.

#1 Visit the Eiffel Tower on NYD 2026

→ Click here for tickets – they summit is very popular on NYD

When traveling to Paris, it’s almost obligatory to visit the Eiffel Tower, and luckily this is possibly year-round! The Eiffel Tower remains open even on the first of January!

As it’s one of the few landmarks in Paris that is open, tickets sell out much in advance, and you should absolutely make sure to reserve.

Click here to get your tickets for the Eiffel Tower in advance.

Reservation is needed, especially if you want to take the lift to the summit or want to avoid waiting for hours in the queue. It’s winter after all, and it will be cold!  Click here to see all ticket options for visiting the Eiffel Tower

#2 Take a tour on the Grand Rue: The Ferris Wheel

Kick off your New Year’s Day with a sky-high adventure in Paris. The Ferris Wheel at the Tuileries Garden is where you’ll find some of the best views of the city.

Tucked in the heart of Paris, right by the festive Christmas Market at the Tuileries, this towering wheel is impossible not to see.

#3 Enjoy a Show at a Cabaret on New Year’s Day

verify here if tickets for New Year’s Day are still available

Paris is renowned for its Cabaret Shows and many of them are performing their shows also on January 1st!

Check here to know which shows are staging on the first of January!

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However, if you plan to visit more than just the Cabaret on New Year’s Day, you can easily book a combo tour. The most popular tour for New Years days includes these treats:

• Visit the Eiffel Tower
• Enjoy a Seine River Cruise including a 3-course Dinner
• See a show at the famous Moulin Rouge Cabaret while sipping Champagne

That’s definitely a great way to start the New Year with a bang – You can get all the information about this NYD tour here!

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Or you opt in for a lighter version with a sightseeing cruise and a glass of Champagne at the Moulin Rouge! Click here to check, they still have spots!

Tip: be quick about it, they sell like hot cakes

#4 Attend a Classical Concert

You probably know that Paris has many very beautiful churches, but did you also know that many of them host classical concerts?

Attending a classical concert on the first of January is actually a great way to welcome the new year! Check here for events.

#5 Take a Cruise on the Seine

I took a cruise with Bateaux Parisiens last year with my son, and we loved it.

Another classic Paris activity that is very enjoyable on the first of January: A sightseeing cruise on the Seine! 

It is one of the best things you can do on the first of January in Paris:  It’s laid back, and relaxed, and it’s simply wonderful to see Paris from the perspective of a riverboat. Especially if you’re cruising during nighttime. You can book your Illumination Seine Cruise here

However, you can also just take a basic tour and have the best time, or you treat yourself to something special on this New Year’s Day: A Dinner Cruise on the Seine – enjoy a fancy gourmet dinner (or lunch!) while taking in the stunning view of Paris.

#6 Visit a Museum on the 1st of January in Paris

➔ safe money: get the Paris Museums Pass

Many museums are closed on January first, the Louvre for example. But many are also open.

Below you find a list of museums that you can visit in Paris on the 1st of January and for your convenience the link to my most trusted ticket provider:

• Musée d’Orsay – Get your tickets in advance, it will likely sell out
• l’Orangerie– start the new year with Monet’s Waterlilies
• Quai Branly Museum – click here fore more info and tickets
• Pinault Collection – Modern art in the heart of Paris more info

Tip: You are probably visiting a few museums while in Paris, check if the Paris Museums Pass is beneficial for you! Click here to know which museums are covered!

#7 Eat Seafood on New Year’s Day in Paris

If you decide on spending New Year’s Eve in Europe and pick Paris, you’re not getting around Seafood, Oysters, in particular. Surely, they are surely not for everyone, but for most french, they are an absolute delicacy!

They are eaten especially around Christmas and New Year – it’s also the best season for getting the best seafood!

Check our Paris Foodie Guide for more culinary input for your Paris-Must-Eat list!

#8 Visit the Père Lachaise Cemetery

Also read my visitors guide to the Père Lachaise Cemetry

The Père Lachaise Cemetry is one of the oldest cemeteries of Paris and certainly the most famous. Not only is it a truly beautiful place, it’s also the last resting place of many famous people, both French and international.

You can see the graves of no one less than Jim Morrison, Molière, Chopin, Edith Piaf, Oscar Wilde, just to name a few.

However, strolling on the old cobbled stone lanes, along with overgrown and weathered graves, it’s really a very atmospheric New Year’s Day activity in Paris.

#9 Treat yourself: Have a fancy Afternoon Tea

Afternoon tea is not a typical Parisian – or French – thing to do. Yet, more and more luxury hotels are offering this treat, and it’s surely a nice thing to do on the first day of the year in Paris. Take a look at the afternoon tea offers at Le Maurice, The Four Seasons, Shangri-La, or the Hotel Ritz.

My personal recommendation is the Afternoon Tea at the Hôtel de Crillon. I was lucky enough to enjoy it for my birthday and it was absolutely fantastic.

For the more casual location, you also can treat yourself to an excellent hot chocolate and cake at Angelina or at the Cat Café, surrounded by cats!

#10 Go Ice Skating on the world’s biggest indoor rink

During Christmastime in December, you find in some years ice skating rinks installed in Paris that are open until January. The most beautiful – and biggest – is located in the amazingly beautiful Grand Palais.

It’s not the cheapest activity to do, but if you see the place, you understand.

Local TIP: Skates are included in the price, but it is obligatory to wear gloves. If you don’t have any, they’re sold on site.

Fun Fact: It’s the biggest indoor ice skating rink in the world!

#11 Go for a Walk in the Historic Neighbourhoods

The Marais, the Quartier Latin, Saint Germain… the historic districts of Paris around the Notre Dame Cathedral are usually packed with people. They are popular neighborhoods among locals and tourists alike.

However, New Year’s Day in Paris is rather quiet – most people recover from New Year’s Eve and you have the chance to explore those very nice areas without the crowds.

#12 Enjoy Disneyland or Parc Asterix

Read our Disneyland Guides to prepare your trip

Disneyland is open year-round and a great thing to do on the first of January! The magic of Disney brings a special sparkle to the start of the new year, with festive decorations still aglow and a cheerful atmosphere.

Parc Asterix is also open for a few days around New Year and Christmas, offering a delightful blend of thrilling rides and unique Gaulish charm that’s sure to create memorable moments.

#13 Stroll around Montmartre & the Sacre Cœur

Also Read: 31 Fantastic Things to do in Montmartre – Local Insider Guide

Montmartre on New Year’s Day is a great choice, and perfectly suited for the occasion. Some shops may be closed, but this means fewer crowds and allowing you to explore this charming district more relaxed.

The beauty of Montmartre lies in it’s cobble stoned roads, the magnificient views and its many interesting spots. As most of them are freely accessible, you’ll find your visit to be unaffected by bank holidays or specific opening hours.

If you wish to attend a mass in the Sacre Coeur Basilica, they are scheduled at 7:00, 11:15, 18:30, and 22:00.

#14 Visit the Aquarium de Paris

Book your 1st of January visit to the Aquarium here

The Aquarium de Paris is located just across the Eiffel Tower in the gardens of the Trocadero. It has more than 10000 fish, a touch pool, sharks, stingrays and many more.

#15 Go for a walk in the Tuileries Garden

The Tuileries is the public garden between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde in the center of Paris. The gardens belonged originally to the king’s palace and are open to the public since 1667.

On New Years Day the Christmas market in the Tuileries is still open and a perfect occasion to try some delicious French food, relax in a wine bar, or heat up with a typical Christmassy cup of hot wine. The entrance is free.

#16 See a Movie

Up for the movies but worried you won’t understand a word? Then I have good news for you: Most theaters are broadcasting original film versions, look out for the label “VOST”  – Version Originale Sous-Titrée:  Original version with subtitles. Check here for schedules.

#17 Eat a Galette des Rois – the King’s Cake

That’s a classic, and you can’t miss it. Traditionally, it’s eaten on the 6th of January, but you find a Galette des Rois already in December everywhere. It’s a puff pastry with a marzipan filling and, and that’s the special about it: a little fève.

The fève is a little figurine baked in the cake, and the one who finds it in his slice is the king or the queen. Very convenient, the crown is delivered with the cake.

Voilà, that’s New Years Day in Paris. Even it is a bank holiday and the pace in town is rather on the slow side, you find plenty of activities to spend a marvelous day.

Happy New Year 🙂

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