Stylish outings to experience during the holidays

© Domaine Reine Margot - Nicolas Fagot, Studio9, and Volzhenka Caviar

Hooray, the holidays are finally here ! How about making the most of this well-deserved break with unique outings and original activities ? From a festive New Year's feast and exhibitions at the Palais Garnier to a raclette party at Hoxton, a show at the Château de Versailles, and a free Christmas decoration workshop at Hermès — Paris has it all during the holidays, ensuring you won't be bored !

Indulge in the chicest activity this Christmas vacation ! Head to the Hermès store on Rue Saint-Honoré, where creative workshops are offered. In this precious setting, recycle leather scraps, squares of silk, or small pieces of colored twine and transform them into cute little elves or fairies to hang on your Christmas tree!

Guided by one of the creators from "petit h" (Hermès product line crafted with recycled materials), cut, assemble, and choose all the elements that will make your creation a unique decoration. Enjoy a candy cane and some sweets to savor on-site or take away ! Bonus : on the ground floor, a secret staircase leads you to a karaoke room where you can sing "All I Want for Christmas Is Youuu"—a unique experience !

Hermès Workshops, 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 8th, on the first floor behind the high jewelry at the back of the store. Workshops take place every day from the store opening to closing. Until early January, free, no reservation required.

Nestled in Paris's coolest hotel, The Hoxton, Monty's chalet is the perfect place to have a REAL good raclette night with friends. A true journey back to the 70s, enjoy singing around the piano to Bohemian Rhapsody between bites of charcuterie. Two options on the menu : Monty's raclette with raw milk cheese, assorted charcuteries, potatoes, salad, and unlimited pickles (€35 per person). The more adventurous can opt for the Super Monty with smoked cheese, bresaola, and truffled white ham (€46 per person).

Also noteworthy are the signature cocktails with Monkey 47. Our favorite? The Sloe Collins 47 with Monkey 47 Gin, peach & jasmine soda from London Essence, and jasmine syrup (€16). In other words, the stylish and gourmet rendezvous to experience during the holidays.

Monty's, The Hoxton Hotel. 30-32 Rue du Sentier, Paris 2nd. Online reservation.

© Hôtel The Hoxton - Clélia Stevenard

On January 6, 1993, Rudolf Nureyev took his final bow. To pay tribute to him 30 years after his passing, the exhibition "Rudolf Nureyev at the Opera" is dedicated to him in the library-museum of the Palais Garnier. From his first performance on the Parisian stage in 1961 with the ballet La Bayadère to his appointment as the Director of Dance at the Paris Opera in 1982, the exhibition traces the journey of the icon of classical dance in the capital's operas. Photographs and videos of rehearsals or ballets, costume sketches, resplendent tutus from Cinderella and Swan Lake, and even a pair of pointe shoes worn by Nureyev himself are revealed to the public. A marvel !

Extend this enchanted interlude with a visit to the Palais Garnier, included in the exhibition ticket. The perfect opportunity to admire the ceiling painted by Chagall and the legendary opera hall.

"Rudolf Nureyev at the Opera" until April 5, 2024, at the Library-Museum of the Palais Garnier Opera, 8 Rue Scribe, Paris 9th. Exhibition accessible with the visit to the Garnier Opera. Starting from €10. Information and online reservation.

A few years after opening its first Parisian boutique in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Molinard house opens a second gem on the very chic Rue Saint-Honoré. This sublime boutique with its signature violet tones is an invitation to discover the unique world of Molinard, which has endured for 5 generations in Grasse, the perfume capital of the world.

What do we particularly love ? Workshops to create your custom perfume directly in the newly inaugurated charming vaulted stone cellar. There, two round tables adorned with dozens of perfume essence bottles await aspiring noses. You are then explained the recipe for the perfect perfume : 2 top notes, 3 heart notes, and 4 base notes. The hardest part will be choosing from the dozens of offered fragrances. You leave with your personally crafted perfume bottle, a unique composition whose formula is carefully kept for future orders. Making your own perfume, wouldn't it be the ultimate self-care ?

Create your perfume at Molinard. 270 Rue Saint-Honoré, Paris 1st. Monday to Saturday, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 7 pm. Workshops from 20 minutes to 2 hours, starting from €29.

© Molinard

Surely, the food collaboration that tempts us the most this year-end at Do It. On the occasion of the opening of the first Volzhenka pop-up at Printemps Haussmann Homme, the Caviar House partners with Babka Zana to create a unique masterpiece: the "Babkaviar", a savory babka generously filled with Sevruga sturgeon caviar and thin slices of cucumber (€30). The pop-up also offers for sale the 6 caviars from their collection with their Christmas gift boxes. A delight!

Volzhenka Pop-up at Printemps Haussmann Homme, 70 Boulevard Haussmann, Paris 9th. Open every day from 10 am to 8 pm until January 1, 2024.

© Volzhenka Caviar

Things are buzzing in Issy-les-Moulineaux, and the highly anticipated opening of the Domaine de la Reine Margot has become one of the most exciting events of the past fall. Just five minutes from the metro, it took the luxury expertise of MGallery to transform this former 17th-century building, inhabited for 9 years by Queen Margot herself (who went there to escape the Parisian madness... and more generally the plague) and then for 300 years by priests. The lowdown? A huge classified garden with a vegetable garden, orchard, and greenhouse for private receptions, a rum bar hidden in a chapel, a brand-new building with a sleek decor by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, and the overall impression of a countryside stay with just one Navigo card swipe.

Top: under the glass roof of the old house, its bistronomic table led by chef Jean-Philippe Perol offers a delightful 7-course menu for New Year's Eve: lobster with celery root fragrance, turbot dressed in scallops and salsify, roasted farm veal and Pontoise cabbage, Roquefort and quince millefeuille, citrus variations, petit fours, and of course, a glass of champagne. And why not stay overnight?

Domaine de la Reine Margot, 3 Cours de la Reine Margot, 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux. 01 87 53 65 70. New Year's Eve menu €250. Rooms starting from €375.

© Domaine Reine Margot - Nicolas Fagot, Studio9

For those who appreciate a touch of absurd humor in the style of Monty Python and the hilarious Roman epic Two Hours Less a Quarter to Jesus Christ, a true monument of American musical comedy is currently playing at Lido2 under the direction of Jean-Luc Choplin, freshly redecorated by Alexis Mabille. It's none other than "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", an extravagant and quirky show by Stephen Sondheim that imagines a complicated romance between a master and a slave in ancient Rome, all performed (in English with subtitles) by an energetic cast straight from the West End.

Why will you burst into laughter? Because all the characters are completely mad. Between the hysterical matron with the airs of Castafiore, the fundamentally silly son, the megalomaniac captain who comes to collect the virgin he just bought (who never understands anything but just stands there, pretty), the corrupt brothel owner, and the slave master as servile as he is overwhelmed by events: our hearts waver. The rhythm, the music, the costumes, and the overall energy make this theatrical oddity a breath of fresh air that we highly recommend.

Until Feb 4 at Lido2Paris, 116 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris 8th.

© Julien Benhamou

© Pascal Le Mée et Agathe Poupeney

As the sun sets and visitors start to leave, a peculiar spectacle unfolds at the Palace of Versailles... Get ready to witness a magical moment with dancers, musicians, magicians, fencers, and actors who take us on a crazy adventure, culminating in a meeting with a rather baroque Santa Claus!

Immersed in the ambiance of the place, stroll through the Gabriel Staircase where you witness a fencing demonstration, take a tour of the Hercules Room and the Coronation Room where a concert takes place, then head to the Hall of Mirrors with the dancers of the Royal Opera accompanied by their musicians for a costumed performance. Finish with the Gallery of Battles and say hi to Santa Claus before witnessing the majestic fireworks. A dreamy evening!

Christmas Show at the Palace of Versailles, Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles. From December 26 to January 7 starting at 6 pm. Duration 1 hour and 10 minutes, from €32 to €49, online reservation.

Feeling a bit like Angélique, Marquise of the Angels, or Sissi? Go for a horse ride in the Bois de Boulogne, the gardens of the Palace of Versailles, or the Parc de Saint-Cloud with the Horse in the City collective, which offers daily private equestrian rides accessible to beginners.

Meet in a small group at the meeting point for coffee/croissants before setting off with the wind in your hair through the 28 km equestrian trail on your horse, at a walk, trot, and even a gallop! An extraordinary adventure that ends with a convivial aperitif among riders.

2-hour ride, all included, €290 per person. Information and reservations on horseinthecity.fr or at 06 84 33 05 58.

Discover also how to keep your kids entertained during the holidays and Maxim's, the grand return of an iconic table.