Every change since the last version, pulled from the latest emails — updates through Mon, Sep 28, 2026.
New · Sep 21Dec 26 Disney → Paris car BOOKED — Viator 1446810393, Mercedes V-Class (Samantha Travels). Still to add: Hyatt drop-off, 3:15 PM, Ronan’s seat.
New · Sep 20Status sweep. Asks drafted for the Hyatt concierge (Le Train Bleu, silent since Aug 11) and for Lindsay (who owns the Disney package now, Christmas Day dining).
Closed: Hilton O’Hare night is prepaid, non-refundable; Guest of Honor upgrade dropped (Chase points stay not eligible).
New · Sep 16Dec 31 airport van CONFIRMED. Hyatt concierge booked a Mercedes Viano van to CDG — pick-up 9:00 AM,
€180, 4 people + luggage, 1 child seat (Ronan; corrected Sep 21). The split PHL → ORD seats are fixed in the AA app.
New · Sep 12Dec 28 dinner booked — Arlecchino. The post-circus dinner is confirmed via UNIITI:
Sun Dec 28, 7:30 PM, 4 guests, 42 Av. de la République (11th), a short walk from the Cirque d’Hiver.
New · Aug 24American rebooked the flight home. Dec 31 is now AA 755 CDG → Philadelphia, 1:30 → 4:10 PM, then
AA 2747 PHL → ORD, 6:31 → 8:20 PM (was via Charlotte, landing 11:00 PM). Knock-ons:
van at 9:00 AM, not 11:30 (~3½ hrs at CDG for the VAT refund); US entry at Philadelphia with a 2 h 21 m
connection (was 3 h 38 m) for immigration, bags, customs & re-check; you land 2 h 40 m earlier — the prepaid Hilton night stays available.
New · Aug 6Dec 23 dinner booked — Manhattan Restaurant (in your own hotel): Wed Dec 23, 7:45 PM, 4 guests, WWW/MAN34300285W; table held 15 min.
Check the plan: the old “in bed by 8 PM” jet-lag night moves, or the table does.
Disney package officially confirmed (Jul 31). Give Lindsay’s confirmation PDF a once-over — names, dates, room,
Half Board Plus. Optional add-ons she floated: the train (vs. Magical Shuttle) and express luggage.
Christmas-Day character dining — timing clarified. DLP dining opens ~60 days out (late October).
Lindsay had the preferences on file, but she is leaving Travelmation (Sep 12), so confirm in writing who books —
otherwise Parav books directly the day the window opens.
New · Sep 12Watch plan changed — buying, not trading in. Instead of trading the Seamaster at Crésus, the plan is now to
buy a used Rolex (box & papers) at Crésus (Vendôme, Dec 29) — Joseph Bonnie in the Marais as a price
alternative — and to buy a new rare Speedmaster at the Omega boutique (Dec 27). Rare Omega pieces are
allocation, so contact the boutique ~1 week before the trip (≈ Dec 15) to hold the exact reference. Both feed the
Dec 31 VAT refund (Section 08).
Zapptax enrolled for the VAT refund (Aug 2) — app route in Section 08; simpler than store paperwork, works below €100 per store.
01
Trip at a Glance
Dates
Base
Focus
Dec 22
Travel day
ORD → DFW → overnight flight to Paris
Dec 23–26
Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel (cash)
Christmas at Disneyland Paris, both parks
Pkg: 4-day Park Hopper, Half Board Plus, Photo Pass, Magical Shuttle
& Auberge de Cendrillon — paid in full (Jul 31)
Dec 26–31
Hyatt Paris Madeleine (points)
Markets, museums, circus, carnival & food
24 Bd Malesherbes, 8th · Family Room · breakfast not included
Dec 31
Fly home from CDG rebooked
Land ORD 8:20 PM → overnight at O’Hare
Dec 31–Jan 1
Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport (cash)
Crash night after the 8:20 PM landing · prepaid, non-refundable
Points strategy: Disney hotels are Disney-owned — no Bonvoy/Hyatt redemptions.
Cash for the 3 Disney nights; points for the 5 Paris nights.
02
Confirmed Flights
Record Locator WHOGPH · BOOKED · seated together on all four legs (PHL → ORD fixed in the AA app, Sep 14)
Date
Flight
Route
Times
Seats
Tue Dec 22
AA 3180
ORD → DFW
6:59 AM → 9:44 AM
10A–10D
Tue Dec 22
AA 48
DFW → CDG
4:40 PM → 9:00 AM (Dec 23)
18D, 18E, 18G, 18H
Thu Dec 31
AA 755 new
CDG → PHL
1:30 PM → 4:10 PM
17D, 17E, 17H, 17J
Thu Dec 31
AA 2747 new
PHL → ORD
6:31 PM → 8:20 PM
Together (fixed Sep 14)
Rebooked by American (notified Aug 24, 2026). Previously AA 2442 CDG→CLT 3:00–6:05 PM and
AA 873 CLT→ORD 9:43–11:00 PM. The connection moves from Charlotte to Philadelphia, CDG departure is
90 min earlier, and you land ORD 2 h 40 m earlier.
DFW layover (Dec 22, 9:44 AM–4:40 PM): Exec Platinum / oneworld Emerald on an international itinerary =
Flagship Lounge access, Terminal D — lunch, naps, showers before the overnight.
PHL connection (Dec 31): 4:10 → 6:31 PM — 2 h 21 m to clear immigration, collect bags, clear customs, re-check and change terminals. Doable, but noticeably tighter than the 3 h 38 m you had in Charlotte. Global Entry / Mobile Passport makes the difference here. Land ORD 8:20 PM.
03
Booking Tracker
Everything to reserve, grouped by category. Tick the box & note the confirmation number as you go.
Urgent · books out firstSoonWaiting on windowIn-appBooked
A · Accommodation
Item
For
Status
Confirmation #
Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel — package (Travelmation)
Dec 23–26
Booked ✓
Invoice INV-B2D5MW
2 adults + 2 kids · incl. 4-day Park Hopper, Half Board Plus, Photo Pass, arrival
Magical Shuttle & Auberge de Cendrillon (Dec 24) · paid in full · official Disney confirmation + deposit
received Jul 31 — verify names/dates/room · add-ons offered: train & express luggage
Hyatt Paris Madeleine — 5 nights on points (Chase Travel)
Dec 26–31
Booked ✓
Conf # 2519154508
24 Bd Malesherbes, 8th · Family Room (sleeps 4) · check-in Sat Dec 26 4:00 PM,
check-out Thu Dec 31 11:00 AM · non-refundable · Guest of Honor upgrade dropped (points bookings aren’t eligible and
the stay can’t be rebooked) · breakfast not included — café mornings.
Hilton Chicago O’Hare Airport — arrival-night stay
Dec 31
Booked ✓
Conf # 3502305709
2 double beds (sleeps 4) · check-in Thu Dec 31 (now ~9:30 PM, not midnight), check-out Fri Jan 1
11 AM · Honors Nonrefundable, $322.53 prepaid, non-cancelable · late-arrival note on file. Nothing to decide: landing
8:20 PM you could be home by ~9:45 PM, so use the room or skip it — no refund either way.
04
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Dec 22 – Dec 25 · Travel & Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris — the two parks in detail
Two parks side by side off a shared entrance esplanade; the RER/TGV station & Disney Village sit just
outside the gates, and your Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel is a short walk around Lake Disney.
★ = rope-drop headliners (Premier Access is worth it this week). Schematic, not to scale.
Tue 22Travel DayORD · DFW · Overnight to Paris
~5:00 AM
Leave for O’Hare. AA 3180 departs 6:59 AM.
9:44 AM
DFW layover until 4:40 PM: Flagship Lounge, Terminal D — lunch, naps, showers. A long easy layover on purpose — everyone boards the overnight rested and fed.
4:40 PM
AA 48 departs; dinner & breakfast aboard. Kids sleep after dinner — Dec 23 starts the moment you land.
Wed 23Land + Easy Disney Half-DayDisneyland Park
9:00 AM
Land CDG. Magical Shuttle to Disneyland Paris (~45–60 min, in the package). Check in at Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel; if the room isn’t ready, leave bags and go.
Afternoon
Half day at Disneyland Park: the 24-meter tree on Main Street, timed snowfall, 2–3 gentle rides (it’s a small world, Peter Pan, Casey Jr.), Christmas Tree Lighting at dusk. Keep it gentle — jet lag peaks today; the goal is daylight and wonder, not a checklist.
7:45 PM
Dinner — Manhattan Restaurant, in your own hotel (Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel). Booked by Parav, 4 guests, conf WWW/MAN34300285W. The table is held 15 minutes only, so leave the park by ~7:00 PM. Straight to bed after — Christmas Eve is the big day.
Watch the bedtime. The earlier plan was “early dinner, in bed by 8 PM” on the
worst jet-lag day. A 7:45 PM seating means the kids eat at roughly the old bedtime and land in bed closer to 9:30–10 PM.
Either accept a later night on day one, or move the table earlier — cancel and rebook is the only way to change it.
04
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Dec 24 – Dec 25 · Christmas at Disneyland
Thu 24Christmas EveDisneyland Park · Full Day
Rope drop
Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates, Phantom Manor, Hyperspace Mountain (check Ronan’s up for it), Buzz Lightyear. Headliners first — the park hits capacity by 11 AM this week.
12:00 PM
Auberge de Cendrillon: the meal with the Disney Princesses & Mickey (BOOKED, in your package) — a highlight for Riva. Arrive a few minutes early.
2:00 PM
Mickey’s Dazzling Christmas Parade — curb spot 20 min early. Afternoon: “Let’s Sing Christmas!” and character meets.
Evening
Nighttime parade (~5:30 PM), Disney Dreams of Christmas castle show, Disney Village chalets after.
Fri 25Christmas DayDisney Adventure World
Morning
Presents in the room, then character breakfast with Mickey (Lindsay books when the dining window opens late Oct — preferences on file).
Day
Full day in the second park: World of Frozen (first Christmas edition — headline for Riva), Ratatouille, Crush’s Coaster (Premier Access), Cars ROAD TRIP, Avengers Campus (Spider-Man for Ronan), Toy Story Playland.
Late aft.
Hop back to Disneyland Park for one more parade + Dreams of Christmas. Christmas dinner at a table restaurant (covered by Half Board Plus — same late-Oct booking window).
Premier Access, every morning. Dec 23–26 is DLP’s busiest week of the year. Buy in the DLP app
each morning for the headliners you actually care about that day; rope drop covers the rest.
04
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Dec 26 – Dec 27 · Transfer to Paris · markets & lights
Sat 26Disney, Outlet & Paris TransferDinner cruise · Eiffel
Early
After breakfast — into Disneyland until ~10:00 AM (rope-drop favorites, last souvenirs).
~10:00 AM
Cab to La Vallée Village outlet (~10 min; 3 Cr de la Garonne, Serris; opens 10 AM). 90 min of designer-outlet shopping. As a tourist, ask each store for détaxe/VAT-refund papers — or run it through Zapptax (Section 08).
~11:45 AM
Cab back to the Disney Hotel New York: check out and leave everything with the bellhop.
Midday
Back into Disneyland for a final few hours (until ~3:00 PM).
3:15 PM
Private Mercedes V-Class (Viator 1446810393, Samantha Travels) — collect bags first → Hyatt Paris Madeleine (~50 min). Check in from 4:00 PM & freshen up.
6:15 PM
Bateaux Parisiens early dinner cruise — BOOKED, conf # 4743680 (Étoile Service; check-in 6:00 PM, Port de la Bourdonnais). Dinner gliding past Notre-Dame, the Louvre & the lit-up city. Back ~8:15 PM.
~8:45 PM
Eiffel Tower summit (pre-booked). Five-minute walk from the dock; on the hour the sparkle goes off around you. Down by ~10 PM.
Sun 27Antique Market, Windows & Christmas BusParis
Early
A quick look at La Madeleine, the grand church by the hotel, then Line 4 north.
Morning
Les Puces de Saint-Ouen (Porte de Clignancourt) for the iconic flea market. Arrive near opening (~10 AM). Hall-by-hall map in Section 09 — Patek hunting at Marché Biron & Paul Bert-Serpette.
Lunch
Cozy classic bistro in the market lanes on Rue des Rosiers.
Afternoon
Galeries Lafayette. Animated holiday windows, the suspended Christmas tree under the dome, the Jellycat plush display.
Late aft.
Omega Boutique — buy the new rare Speedmaster. The Omega boutique inside Galeries Lafayette (you're already here), or the Champs-Élysées flagship ~10 min from the hotel, carries the deepest stock. Rare/limited pieces are allocation, so this is picked up on a hold placed ~1 week before the trip (≈ Dec 15) — see Section 03. Ask for the détaxe/Zapptax form at purchase (validate at PABLO on Dec 31).
6:00 PM
Tootbus Open-Top Christmas Lights Tour (90 min) from 23 Bd des Capucines — BOOKED, ref DCM59BEQ.
7:45 PM
Grand Café Capucines. Historic Belle Époque brasserie at 4 Bd des Capucines, 2 min from the Tootbus stop. Tiered seafood platters, oysters & lobster, a lavish Art Nouveau room (Jacques Garcia), former haunt of Oscar Wilde. Reserve ahead for holiday week.
04
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Dec 28 – Dec 29 · Louvre, circus, Montmartre & the carnival
Mon 28Louvre, Chocolate & CircusParis
~7:50 AM
Quick early breakfast (or grab-and-go) and cab to the Louvre (~15 min) to make the 8:15 check-in.
8:30 AM
“Mona Lisa First Viewing” private Louvre tour (LivTours, 90 min, BOOKED — order LVO-696601). Early access before doors open; guide holds a LivTours sign under the Louis XIV equestrian statue in front of the pyramid (Cour Napoléon). Arrive by 8:15. Ends ~10:00 AM.
~10:00 AM
Linger in the Louvre, or step out to the Palais Royal: the striped Buren columns (kids love hopping them), arcades & gardens — a quick, free stop before lunch.
Lunch
A café or crêperie around the Grands Boulevards.
1:30 PM
Choco-Story chocolate museum (10th). Live praline making, unlimited tastings. Book the timed slot online. Optional: the 45-min make-your-own-chocolate workshop for the kids (ages 7+).
3:30 PM
Covered passages walk (Passage Jouffroy) — old-school wooden toy shops.
5:15 PM
Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione — “VOLTE” (BOOKED, Premium Row A). Acrobatics & trapeze in the historic dome; be seated ~20 min early.
7:30 PM
Arlecchino (BOOKED — confirmed via UNIITI, 4 guests). Kid-approved Italian (pizza & big portions) a short walk from the circus in the 11th.
After
Champs-Élysées Christmas-lights stroll to the lit Arc de Triomphe. Keep it short; confirm 2026 light dates closer to the trip.
Tue 29Central Paris & the CarnivalParis
~9:00 AM
Métro up to Montmartre: Sacré-Cœur at opening, quiet, panoramic views, then wander down the village lanes to the model-train shops. The small Abbesses Christmas market is here — but usually ends ~Dec 29, so check.
10:00 AM
Model-train shops, 9th (Rue de Douai / Rue d’Amsterdam): Paris Modélisme (top-rated) & Au Pullman as anchors, with Trans Europ Trains & Decotrain (vintage). English-friendly.
Late AM
Angelina on Rue de Rivoli — the ultra-thick “l’Africain” hot chocolate & the Mont-Blanc pastry (house signature since 1903). Same block: pick up pre-ordered Cédric Grolet pastries at Le Meurice (228 Rue de Rivoli): the famous trompe-l’œil fruits. Order online the moment it opens (~a week ahead) — sells out fast.
12:30 PM
Lunch — Le Florentin (BOOKED), by Concorde. Jewel-box 1890s room; onion soup, escargots, confit de canard, steak-frites (+ burgers for the kids). ~5 min from the hotel.
Early PM
Watch shopping — Crésus (near Place Vendôme): buy a used Rolex with box & papers (authenticated, warranty) — no longer trading in the Seamaster. Reserve online & have the piece transferred to the Paris boutique first; see the candidate panel in Section 08. Ask for the détaxe form. Allow ~45–60 min. (Joseph Bonnie, Marais, Dec 30 — a price/curation alternative.)
Afternoon
La Magie de Noël, Tuileries — fairground rides, giant Ferris wheel, 250 m² ice rink.
~6 PM
A Chapon chocolate-mousse cone (69 Rue du Bac) before it closes, then back to the market all lit up. Dinner: market chalets — raclette, churros, sweet crêpes.
04
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Dec 30 – Dec 31 · The Marais, palace tea & departure
Wed 30The Marais & Palace TeaParis · Last Full Day
Early
Wander the Marché des Enfants Rouges (Paris’s oldest covered market) for a warm pastry before the museums open.
Morning
Explore the Marais: Place des Vosges (Paris’s oldest square — arcades & open space for the kids), the free Musée Carnavalet (city history, quick & kid-friendly), then the medieval lanes & Village Saint-Paul toward lunch. Check holiday hours for Carnavalet.
Lunch
L’As du Fallafel in the historic Jewish Quarter.
3:30 PM
Afternoon tea at Le Bristol / Café Antonia (BOOKED · res 55PUK54PP3F7), 112 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré: tiered finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream & jewel-box pastries in a palace salon — keep an eye out for Fa-raon, the hotel’s resident cat. Smart-casual. ~10 min from the hotel.
7:00 PM
Dinner — Le Train Bleu (celebration). A gilded, fresco-ceilinged Belle Époque dining room inside Gare de Lyon. Roast leg of lamb carved tableside, steak tartare at your table, rum baba & flambéed crêpes Suzette. The last-night showstopper — concierge request drafted; book ahead.
Thu 31DepartureHome for New Year’s Eve
9:00 AM
Final packing & check-out (check-out is 11:00 AM, so you leave ahead of it). Your pre-booked Mercedes Viano van (via the Hyatt concierge, €180, 1 child seat for Ronan) collects you at 9:00 AM — at CDG by ~10:00 AM, about 3½ hours before the 1:30 PM flight. You want that cushion for the VAT refund: validate the Zapptax barcode / détaxe forms at a PABLO kiosk before check-in, and the holiday-week queues can be long. Holiday traffic is unpredictable.
1:30 PM
AA 755 departs CDG → Philadelphia 4:10 PM. Immigration, bags, customs & re-check at PHL — 2 h 21 m, tighter than the old Charlotte connection. Then AA 2747 6:31 PM → ORD 8:20 PM.
~8:20 PM
Land ORD → Hilton Chicago O’Hare (check in ~9:30 PM; conf 3502305709). Prepaid and non-refundable, so use it — or, landing 2 h 40 m earlier than planned, go straight home and sleep in your own beds; nothing to cancel either way.
Christmas markets during your stay (Dec 26–31 — confirm 2026 dates):Tuileries – La Magie de Noël (in your plan, Dec 29): the big one — ~100 chalets, 20 m tree, Ferris wheel
& ice rink, ~11 min from the hotel, runs into January. Also open: Hôtel de Ville (market + ice rink, near
your Dec 30 Marais day), Saint-Germain-des-Prés & Place Saint-Michel. The tiny Montmartre / Abbesses
market by your Dec 29 morning usually ends ~Dec 29. Note: La Défense & the Eiffel/Trocadéro markets typically
close ~Dec 28, and Notre-Dame ends Dec 25.
Who's ticking
Open items pulled from the booking tracker and the October window. Ticks save on this phone only; the tracker tab shows the official status.
03
Booking Tracker — Disney & Paris
· continued
B · Disney Parks & Dining
Item
For
Status
Confirmation #
Park tickets — 4-day Park Hopper, both parks · included in the package
Dec 23–26
Booked ✓
In pkg INV-B2D5MW
Manhattan Restaurant — arrival-night dinner, Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel
New
Dec 23, 7:45 PM
Booked ✓
WWW/MAN34300285W
Booked by Parav (Aug 6) · 4 guests · booking name “Patel Parav” ·
table held 15 minutes only · in your own hotel, so no transfer needed · to change, cancel and rebook
via the Disneyland Paris booking site
Auberge de Cendrillon — meal with the Disney Princesses & Mickey · 12:00 PM · in the package
Dec 24
Booked ✓
In pkg INV-B2D5MW
Character breakfast with Mickey — Christmas Day · DLP dining opens ~late Oct · Lindsay is leaving, so confirm who books or Parav books directly
Dec 25
Opens late Oct
confirm booker
Christmas Day table-service dinner · Half Board Plus covers it — booked when the same window opens
Dec 25
Opens late Oct
———
Disney Premier Access (skip-the-line) · buy in the DLP app — not optional this week
Dec 23–26
In-app each AM
———
C · Paris — Attractions & Tickets
Item
For
Status
Confirmation #
Bateaux Parisiens dinner cruise
Sat Dec 26
Booked ✓
Conf # 4743680 · Order B03465124
Étoile Service 18h15 (6:15 PM) · 2 adults + 2 children · check-in 6:00 PM,
Port de la Bourdonnais
Eiffel Tower summit — timed entry ~8:45 PM
Dec 26
Urgent · day tix open
———
Tickets release ~60 days out (late Oct); holiday-week summit slots vanish in hours
Louvre — private tour (LivTours)
Dec 28
Booked ✓
Order LVO-696601 · Booking LVB-710951
“Mona Lisa First Viewing,” 8:30–10:00 AM · arrive 8:15 · meet under the Louis XIV
horse statue in front of the pyramid · 24-hr free cancellation
Paris hotel → CDG transfer · pick-up 9:00 AM — at CDG ~10:00 AM, ~3½ hrs before the 1:30 PM flight, for the VAT refund · 4 people, 4+ large bags (van)
Dec 31, 9:00 AM
Booked ✓
Mercedes Viano van · €180 · pick-up 9:00 AM · 1 child seat (Ronan) · Hyatt concierge
Book when the window opens — check early October
Christmas Day character dining — opens ~60 days out (late Oct). Lindsay is leaving Travelmation; get it in writing who books, otherwise Parav books directly on opening day.
Eiffel Tower summit (Dec 26) — tickets release ~60 days out (Oct 1 calendar reminder set).
Choco-Story (Dec 28) — museeduchocolat.fr; check early Oct.
Le Train Bleu dinner (Dec 30) — concierge asked Aug 8, follow-up going out ~Oct 5; the restaurant takes bookings only via le-train-bleu.com or TheFork, so if the concierge can’t, book it directly the day December opens.
Disney → Paris car (Dec 26) — booked (Viator 1446810393); ask Samantha Travels (+33 7 82 53 31 28) to add the Hyatt drop-off, 3:15 PM & Ronan’s seat.
Cédric Grolet (Le Meurice, Rue de Rivoli) — pre-order pastries online for Dec 29 pickup (a few days ahead).
Watches — reserve a full-set used Rolex at Crésus (cresus.fr) and have it transferred to the Paris boutique for Dec 29; ~1 week out (≈ Dec 15) contact the Omega boutique to hold the new rare Speedmaster for Dec 27 — Mitir still needs to pick the exact reference.
Reminders set on Google Calendar: Oct 1 (far-out bookings) · Nov 25 (Disney→Paris transfer) · Dec 15 (Omega Speedmaster hold) · Dec 18 (final reconfirm).
Maps are drawings, not to scale. Pinch to zoom.
05
Practical Notes
Topic
The short version
Weather
37–46°F, rain likely. Waterproof layers & shoes — Disney is outdoors 10+ hrs/day.
Crowds
Dec 23–26 is DLP’s busiest week of the year. Rope drop daily, Premier Access on headliners.
Dec 25 closures
Most of Paris shuts Christmas Day — you’re at Disney, so it costs nothing.
Around Paris
The Hyatt Madeleine (8th) is very central — Galeries Lafayette, the Tootbus stop, Angelina, the Tuileries market & the model-train shops are short walks; Champs-Élysées lights ~10 min on foot. Line 4 reaches the flea market. Contactless / Navigo Easy; taxis are slow in holiday traffic.
Jet lag
7-hour shift. Push through day one, daylight outside, no naps past 4 PM. Note the new 7:45 PM dinner on Dec 23.
VAT refund
Zapptax account is live (Section 08) — upload invoices as you shop; don’t wait for the airport.
06
Walking Routes from the Hotel
Your base sits right on the Place de la Madeleine. The grand food halls — Fauchon, Ladurée, Hédiard
& Maille — ring the church (2 min south of the door), and Rue Royale runs straight down to Concorde.
Destination
On foot
Route
La Madeleine (church)
~2 min · 160 m
South past the Place de la Madeleine food halls — Fauchon, Ladurée, Maille — to the church steps.
Opéra Garnier
~8 min · 650 m
East along Bd de la Madeleine & Bd des Capucines, past the Olympia, to the opera house.
Galeries Lafayette
~9 min · 750 m
North to Bd Haussmann; Printemps sits beside the famous stained-glass dome.
Tootbus / Grand Café
~9 min · 750 m
East on the Capucines — no. 23 for the bus, no. 4 for dinner.
Place de la Concorde
~8 min · 700 m
South down Rue Royale, past Ladurée & Maxim’s, to the obelisk & fountains.
Angelina / Le Florentin (Rivoli)
~10–12 min · 1.0 km
Rue Royale → Concorde → east under the Rivoli arcades. Le Florentin by Concorde; Angelina at no. 226.
Tuileries Christmas market
~11 min · 950 m
Through Concorde into the Tuileries, past the Orangerie, to the Ferris wheel & chalets.
Champs-Élysées lights
~10 min · 800 m
Rue Royale → Concorde, then up the illuminated avenue toward the lit Arc de Triomphe.
Model-train shops (Rue de Douai)
~15 min · 1.2 km
North via Bd Malesherbes / Rue de Rome, past Gare Saint-Lazare, toward Place de Clichy.
Louvre (métro faster)
~18 min · 1.5 km
Concorde → along the Tuileries & Rue de Rivoli, past the Palais Royal, to the pyramid.
Dec 26 evening — taxi to the Port de la Bourdonnais dock (check-in 6 PM). The Bateaux
dinner cruise glides east past the Louvre & Notre-Dame and back by ~8:15, then it’s a 5-minute walk to the
Eiffel summit for the on-the-hour sparkle.
06
Paris — Your Week on One Map
Stylized & oriented (north up), not to scale — landmark icons show which way things lie; dotted
lines are walking routes coloured by the day you use them. The Louvre & flea market are quicker by Métro.
The grand food halls ring the church, 2 min south of your door; Rue Royale runs straight
down to Concorde. Everything on the big map fans out from this square.
Zoom · Dec 26 eve — Eiffel & the cruise
Taxi straight to the dock (easiest with kids and a 6:00 PM check-in). The cruise glides east
past the Louvre & Notre-Dame and back by ~8:15 — then walk to the tower for the on-the-hour sparkle.
07
Métro Directions — Point by Point
Home stations: Madeleine (Lines 8, 12, 14) & Concorde (Lines 1, 8, 12). Line 14 is fastest &
step-free. Kids 4–9 half-fare, under 4 free.
14St-Lazare · Madeleine · Châtelet · Gare de Lyon — Le Train Bleu (step-free)
1Clemenceau · Concorde · Palais Royal · Châtelet · Gare de Lyon — Le Bristol ↑ Louvre
The five lines that cover your week — most days start with a 2-minute walk to
Madeleine or Concorde. Line 14 (step-free) runs to Gare de Lyon for Le Train Bleu; Line 1 is the
Louvre–Concorde–Le Bristol axis; Line 8 reaches the Eiffel (École Militaire) & the Marais/circus (Filles du
Calvaire); Line 12 climbs to Montmartre (Abbesses) and meets Line 4 at Marcadet for the flea market.
→ Eiffel & dinner cruise · Dec 26 eve · ~15 min
Easiest with kids & a 6:00 PM check-in: taxi (~15 min) straight to Port de la Bourdonnais.
Métro alt: Madeleine → Line 8 (dir Balard) → École Militaire → walk ~12 min to the dock.
→ Les Puces flea market · Dec 27 AM · ~30 min
Walk to Madeleine (~2 min).
Line 12 (dir Aubervilliers–Front Populaire) → Marcadet–Poissonniers.
Transfer Line 4 (dir Porte de Clignancourt) → terminus.
Walk ~8 min under the ring road. (Return: reverse.)
→ Louvre · Dec 28, ~8 AM · ~10 min
Walk to Concorde (~8 min).
Line 1 (dir Château de Vincennes) → Palais Royal–Musée du Louvre.
Follow signs to the Pyramid. (Or walk ~18 min, or cab to make 8:15.)
→ Louvre → Grands Boulevards · Dec 28 PM
~15-min walk north — straight up through the covered passages you’ll visit anyway (Galerie
Vivienne → Panoramas → Jouffroy). Or Palais Royal → Line 7 (dir La Courneuve) → Le Peletier.
→ Circus / Arlecchino → Champs-Élysées → hotel · Dec 28 night · ~20 min
Filles du Calvaire → Line 8 (dir Balard) → Concorde.
Walk up the illuminated Champs-Élysées (or Line 1 one stop).
Stroll ~10 min back via Rue Royale & the Madeleine.
→ Montmartre → model-train shops · Dec 29 AM · ~20 min
Madeleine → Line 12 (dir Front Populaire) → Abbesses.
Walk ~10 min (or funicular) to Sacré-Cœur.
Down the hill ~10 min to the model-train shops.
From Pigalle/Blanche, Line 12 → Concorde or Madeleine.
→ Marais · Dec 30 AM · ~15 min
Madeleine → Line 8 (dir Créteil–Pointe du Lac) → Filles du Calvaire (direct).
Walk ~5 min to Marché des Enfants Rouges; Place des Vosges & Carnavalet ~10 min further south.
→ Marais → Le Bristol (tea) → Le Train Bleu · Dec 30
Saint-Paul → Line 1 (dir La Défense) → Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau, walk ~6 min to Le Bristol.
To dinner: Clemenceau → Line 1 (dir Vincennes) → Gare de Lyon; Le Train Bleu is up the stairs inside.
→ Gare de Lyon → hotel · ~8 min · Hotel → CDG · Dec 31 · ~45–60 min
Line 14 (dir Saint-Lazare) → Madeleine, direct ~6 min. For CDG on Dec 31: your pre-booked Mercedes Viano
(via the concierge, €180) collects you at 9:00 AM — at CDG ~3½ hrs before the 1:30 PM flight for the VAT refund.
08
Shopping List & Where to Buy
Where each stop shines, a checklist, and the détaxe (VAT-refund) drill — now with the Zapptax route.
Where (day)
Best for
La Vallée Village (Dec 26)
Designer/luxury outlet — fashion, handbags, shoes, kids’ brands, coats — at a discount. Détaxe available.
Galeries Lafayette / Printemps (Dec 27)
Grand department stores — beauty, fashion, accessories, toys & the gourmet food hall. Free rooftop view.
Gourmet gifts to bring home — Fauchon, Ladurée, Maille mustard, Patrick Roger chocolate; Chapon too.
Crésus (Vendôme, Dec 29)
France's largest pre-owned watch retailer — buy a used Rolex with box & papers (authenticated, 24-mo warranty). Reserve online, transfer to the Paris boutique; by appointment, Mon–Sat. (Joseph Bonnie, Marais, Dec 30 — price/curation alternative.)
Omega Boutique (Dec 27)
New rare/limited Speedmaster — Champs-Élysées flagship or the boutique inside Galeries Lafayette. Rare pieces are allocation: contact ~1 week ahead (≈ Dec 15) to hold the exact reference.
Crésus — a full-set Rolex candidate for Dec 29 Updated · Sep 12
34 mm steel, black dial, COSC automatic, sapphire, 100 m; full set (box, card, manual); factory warranty to Dec 16, 2027
transfer to Paris boutique
Illustrative (Aug 3) — verify still available, or pick another full-set piece. The rare Speedmaster is bought new at Omega (Dec 27), not used from Crésus.
Play: browse cresus.fr for a full-set Rolex you like (the OP34 above, or a Datejust/Explorer),
reserve it and ask for a transfer to the Paris boutique for a Dec 29 viewing; get the détaxe form at purchase.
For the Speedmaster, email or call the Omega boutique ~1 week ahead (≈ Dec 15) to hold the exact reference.
Crésus line: +33 (0)4 72 32 20 00.
Gifts (who → what)
Moncler jacket — La Vallée Village
Used Rolex (box & papers) — Crésus / Joseph Bonnie
New rare Speedmaster — Omega boutique (hold ≈ Dec 15)
Patek Philippe — Les Puces flea market
Z-scale trains — model-train shops (Rue de Douai)
A313 Retinol Cream — any French pharmacie (green cross)
Embryolisse Lait-Crème — pharmacie / Monoprix
Détaxe (VAT refund) — two ways
1 · Zapptax (enrolled Aug 2 — the easy way): shop anywhere, ask for an invoice in
Zapptax’s name, snap & upload in the app — no €100/store minimum. At CDG on Dec 31, validate the single
barcode at a PABLO kiosk before check-in; refund lands on your card.
2 · Classic store forms: spend €100+ in one store/day (La Vallée Village & Galeries
Lafayette have détaxe desks), get a form (passport), keep items unused/tagged, scan at PABLO before check-in —
~10–12% back.
Tip: pack a light foldable tote for finds; keep purchases accessible for the airport détaxe, not buried in checked bags. EU sizes differ from US.
09
Les Puces Flea Market — Where to Find What
Les Puces de Saint-Ouen (Dec 27) · a cluster of specialty halls along the Rue des Rosiers.
Schematic, not to scale — halls colour-coded for the things on your list; the two red halls are where
the watches & designer bags live. Walk in from the métro under the overpass to reach the real antique halls on
the Rue des Rosiers.
Hall by hall
Hall
What’s inside
Marché Vernaison
Oldest & closest to the gate. Toys, dolls, old frames, pictures & curios. Poster Paul (Allée 1, St 41): vintage travel posters.
Refined galleries. The priciest vintage jewelry & fine watches.
Paul Bert-Serpette
The swankiest hall. Designer vintage bags — Chanel / Hermès / LV — watches & mid-century design. Le Monde du Voyage · Babellou.
Rue Jules Vallès
Chez Sarah — couture & vintage designer clothing / bags.
Flea-market tips: Open Sat–Mon (you’re going Sunday Dec 27) — arrive near 10 AM for cooler,
calmer browsing. Bring cash (many stalls don’t take cards) & haggle politely. Free hall map at the entrance /
Tourist Office (124 Rue des Rosiers). Skip the knock-off stalls by the métro — walk under the overpass to the real
antique halls on the Rue des Rosiers.
⚜
Bon voyage & Joyeux Noël
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