Three cities to visit in France during the Immaculate Conception
In this blog we give you the 3 best cities to visit in France during the Immaculate Conception holiday.
You have decided to take advantage of the Immaculate Conception holidays and you have the week to travel. We give you in this blog the 3 best cities to visit in France at this time of the year!
No.1: Strasbourg and its famous Christmas market
Strasbourg, this French city is located in Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine, on the border with Germany. It is known in Europe as the seat of the European Parliament. But it is also known for its traditional and famous Christmas market.
The traditional Christkindelsmärik in Strasbourg, as it is called in Alsatian, will start on Friday 25 November and end on 24 December 2022 to the great delight of visitors, tourism professionals and Strasbourgeois around 14 different squares and with more than 300 chalets in total. This magical place will please children, parents and grandparents alike. Various free shows are offered throughout the market, and you can even go on a treasure hunt.
To warm up from the cold, we advise you to stop in one of the chalets offering the typical vin chaud, and for the youngest a good hot chocolate will do just as well. Don't forget to buy the famous Alsatian salted biscuit, to be eaten with its vin chaud or as an aperitif, the Bretzel.
You can't leave this place without tasting one of the Alsatian specialities, the choucroute. This is a dish made of finely chopped cabbage, cooked in white wine, beer, or even champagne. It is accompanied by potatoes, charcuterie, especially smoked palette, Strasbourg sausages, Montbéliard sausages, cooked sausage, bacon.
No. 2: Lyon, City of Lights
Lyon is the second most visited city in France after Paris. It is worth noting that Lyon has been designated by the World Travel Awards as the first destination to discover in the world in 2022. It is known as the city of lights, but where does this nickname come from? In the past, the city was called Lugdunum, from the Latin "lux" meaning "light", which gave "the hill of lights", probably because Lyon was built on the Fourvière hill, facing east, the direction of the rising sun.
Moreover, the famous Lumière brothers lived in Lyon for most of their lives and invented the cinematograph, which was used to record films. Then, during the renovation of the Basilique de Fourvière in 1852, an order was placed to acquire a statue of the Virgin Mary. It was inaugurated on 8 December 1852, the day of the Immaculate Conception. Much awaited by the people of Lyon, at nightfall, they put up lumignons to celebrate her. Since then, this tradition has continued over the years and has given Lyon the name of City of Lights.
The Festival of Lights is a religious festival as seen above, but over time it has become more and more of a tourist event. It is one of the most popular events for the French. They go to Lyon at this time to see the magnificent show that the city puts on. During the 2021 edition, no less than 3 million visitors came to Lyon. The 2022 edition will take place from Thursday 8 December to Sunday 11 December. Since 1989, at the request of the city's mayor, Lyon's monuments and squares have been dressed in lights and artistic installations that bring the city to life. Book a parking in Lyon
No. 3: Paris, capital of love
We couldn't afford not to include the French capital in this top 3. It remains the second most visited city in Europe, just behind London, with no less than 19 million visitors each year. It is famous for its world-famous buildings, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre Museum (pictured above), the Palace of Versailles, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Montmartre.
Christmas festivities
Paris is also known as the City of Light, because it was the first capital in Europe to install electric lighting. During the month of December, the city is completely covered by its Christmas lights, which can be garlands in the trees, large illuminated structures, bridges, and mainly monuments. It's a magical show that starts at sunset! We can also advise you to go ice skating in the various rinks set up this December. The most iconic? Surely the one in the Jardin des Tuileries or the one installed on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower!
Several restaurants are offering Christmas dishes, and there's nothing more romantic than going out to eat one evening in the middle of this enchantment in the capital of love.
Shopping on the Champs-Élysées
One of the city's most popular attractions is to do shopping on the famous Avenue des Champs- Élysées. This is where you will find the most beautiful shops in the city, and as soon as night falls, you will have the opportunity to contemplate the spectacle of the illuminations.
All you have to do now is choose your destination and go to France! Remember to reserve your parking in advance to avoid unpleasant surprises in terms of parking, by clicking here.