Paris between Christmas and New Year

My 16 year old daughter and I are visiting Paris for 3 days at the end of December, staying near the Parc de La Villette. The aim is to have some fun mum and daughter time, practise / learn French (she%26#39;s just started the A Level course). We both like art, music, history and generally just absorbing new places and meeting new people.

Has anyone got any tips of things we really must see or do, either in general or at that time of year in particular/

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This from the Grand Palais web site:

%26quot;This year at the Grand Palais, festivity will be a central theme, a leitmotiv running through a succession of the most eclectic and joyous events. For the Christmas period (December 22 -31), the Nave will be home to merry-go-rounds, fairground attractions and all sorts of games, as Jours de Fêtes returns to the Grand Palais four years after the inaugural edition in 2005. An event for all the family, with a carousel dating back to 1900, special areas earmarked for the very young, and live music with a focus on jazz.%26quot;

grandpalais.fr/fr/Accueil/p-93-Accueil.htm

These are the major special exhibitions that will be open while you are there.

The Grand Palais has %26quot;Renoir in the 20th century.%26quot;

http://www.rmn.fr/Renoir-au-XXe-siecle

The Musée Rodin has a major Rodin/Matisse exhibition:

http://www.musee-rodin.fr/

And the Musée du Luxembourg has a Louis Comfort Tiffany exhibition:

http://www.museeduluxembourg.fr/

For any of these an advance purchase ticket would probably be a good idea. If you don%26#39;t catch any of them that particularly interest you on this trip you will miss them all as they close either in January or February

If you are only there for a short visit, Versailles is probably out as it would take most of a day, but just in case you feel this is something you can%26#39;t pass up:

…chateauversailles.fr/news-/events/exhibitio…

There will be concerts in many venues and the ballet and opera seasons will be in full swing. If you are looking for something for which you do not have to pre-book, pick up a copy of Pariscope as son as you get there.

And of course the Christmas lights and decorations are splendid...

Bon séjour à Paris!

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Thanks so much for your informative reply. The tip about pre-booking is useful - might save some time queuing up in the cold!

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You might visit the Carnavalet museum in the Marais. It%26#39;s a museum devoted to the history of Paris. It%26#39;s one of my favorite museums. It%26#39;s free but closed on Mondays. It%26#39;s small enough to do in a few hours. Then off to lunch at L%26#39;As du Falafel. Then there is some good shopping in the neighborhood. A nice day.

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We will be there during the same time period and staying in the Marais. Will stores be open or will many of them be closed for the holidays? We are especially interested in small art galleries and food/wine shops.

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Paris at xmas......*sigh*...lucky lucky %26amp;%$%26amp;$#%26amp;$

enjoy

T