Dreaming of spending Christmas in France, but can’t decide where to go? Consider the type of Christmas you deficiency to experience.

While the various regions of France have several Christmas traditions in common, many regions have their own holiday customs that vary depending on the foods served, climate, and the local activities put on offer.  Here is a guide to the top 3 places to spend Christmas in France.

Strasbourg

If you believe that Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without an abundance of beautiful decorations and cold weather, Strasbourg is the holiday destination for you. Strasbourg is in the Alsace region of France, just on the border of Germany. Every year, Strasbourg transforms itself into a Christmas fantasy, full of twinkling fairy lights, garlands of pine, wooden trinkets, ornaments, and toys. This transformation primarily occurs courtesy of the Strasbourg Christmas markets, which are the biggest in France and have existed for over 400 years.

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Velib program in the Marais

By Tom Meyers—

I just returned from 16 glorious days in France. The journey included six days in Paris and ten days on the road, driving through the rolling countryside to pebble beaches, sun-kissed villages, and major cities. Today I’m posting some “postcards” from the at the outset week of the trip.

1. Vélib’ at work (above).

The good news: Vélib’, the city’s bike-share program, seems to be a smashing success. Bike stations are everywhere in the city, with new pick-up (and drop-off) stations being added frequently. The bad news: I didn’t get to try it out. I will next time, I promise.

I took this photo of my room while brushing my teeth.

2. Hotel “Jeanne Dark”

We’ve recommended the Hotel Jeanne d’Arc in the Marais since the site launched in 2001. We’ve never had any complaints–it’s a cute guesthouse with a “country” touch and reasonable rates. When I stayed on July 25 with my parents, however, the hotel experienced a very unusual power outage.

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