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Winter months in Paris see tourists numbers drop by half.Tara O'Brady/The Globe and Mail

Springtime in Paris may get all the glory, but a strong case can be made for exploring the City of Light when the days are long and dark. The “off-season” is November to March, and while the name implies a visit during those months is less-than-ideal, in truth the city’s charm doesn’t wane as temperatures drop. In some ways, wandering the arrondissements becomes even more delightful.

Smaller crowds

France is the most visited country on Earth, welcoming 89 million travellers in 2017. While the streets of Paris are rarely deserted, the winter months see arrivals drop almost by half and attractions are proportionally less crowded. Visiting the Louvre (Rue de Rivoli) then is the prime opportunity to have some breathing room and smaller venues feel like private salons.

One example is the intimate Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris (5 Avenue Marceau), which presents an exhibition spanning the entirety of the designer’s career and includes a peek into the studio in which he worked for 30 years. Located in Saint Laurent’s former haute-couture house, the museum inhabits multiple floors of the narrow building; space is at a premium and a low-season visit affords the elbow room necessary to truly appreciate the dazzling collection.

Also make time for the Palais Garnier. In summer the lines can stretch outside the venue, home of the Paris Opera, as people wait for tours of its interior, boasting stunning inlaid floors and awe-inspiring chandeliers (the Palais is the setting of The Phantom of the Opera). As crowds thin, save an afternoon to poke around its moody corridors and illuminated mirrored rooms, or experience a performance as the opera season will be in full swing.

Holiday markets and activities

Christmas markets abound from late November through the new year; some estimates put the number close to 20 across the entire city. Wander through the booths at the Marché de Noël Notre Dame in the shadow of the cathedral (2 rue du Fouarre) or La Magie de Noël (formerly the Champs-Élysées market, relocated to Jardin des Tuileries). Sip mulled wine and take in the sites of the season at your leisure. The city’s outdoor skating rinks are usually open; a favourite is the sprawling one at the Champ de Mars, which is free excluding skate rental.

The year-round terraces

Paris doesn’t get all that frozen – December averages 3 C for its low – but the city is still well prepared for the chill and many of the famed terraces stay open.

Jackie Kai Ellis, founder of Vancouver’s Beaucoup bakery and bestselling memoirist, studied in Paris and now lives there for part of the year. She is well-versed in the lure of an afternoon watching the world go by from a terrace. Her spot of choice, Chez Carette, the Places des Vosges location (25 Place des Vosges). “I sat there many Sundays during the time I was in pastry school and even now.”

She continues, “I love to park myself at a bistro table [find one under a heater], wrapped in a thick winter coat and scarf. The cafés usually offer blankets for your legs in the coldest months and I revel in sitting for hours with a coffee or a glass of wine, watching daily life. It’s all like outdoor theatre and I do it until my toes or nose is just too chilly to continue.”

Hot chocolate and cold-weather cuisine

For Edd Kimber, a London-based baker and food writer and first series winner of The Great British Bake Off, Paris is synonymous with an indulgent sip of chocolat chaud.

“I see a city with endless hot chocolate and pastries to keep me warm. For a classic and sophisticated hot chocolate I think it’s hard to beat Jacques Genin. At his Marais location [133 rue Turenne], the drink is almost unfathomably thick, exactly what a cold Parisian afternoon demands.” For an inventive rendition, Kimber considers Maison Aleph’s (20 Rue de la Verrerie) worth a look. “[It is] a little thinner, but this time embellished with a host of spices; think orange peel, cardamom and cinnamon, this is a hot chocolate to really warm you up.”

Gastronomically speaking, beyond hot chocolate and croissants, Paris excels in the winter. The third Thursday in November marks the release of the Beaujolais nouveau for the year and oysters are in season. With a nip in the air, the brasserie fare and the great classics – consider boeuf bourguignon, cassoulet and the like – are perfect.

Tara O’Brady is the culinary host on the 2019 Globe Seine River Cruise. To learn more visit GlobeNormandyCruise.com.

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