French Christmas Markets — Self-Launched
7 days · France
Contiki charges £855
No-markup version: ~£680 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Contiki's 7-day French Christmas Markets loop from Paris — Paris, Tours, Dijon, Beaune, Colmar, Strasbourg, Metz, Reims and the Champagne region — rebuilt with trains instead of a coach, hostels and budget hotels instead of group hotels, and self-bookable equivalents of the perfume workshop, Seine cruise and champagne tasting. December in France means cold days and long evenings of mulled wine, so pack a proper winter coat and walking boots. All costs are approximate per person, excluding flights.
Day-by-day
Paris — Landmarks & Seine at Dusk
Paris
Arrive in Paris and check into a hostel or budget hotel near Porte d'Orléans or in the 11th/12th arrondissement for easy Métro access. Spend the afternoon walking the classic circuit on foot: Notre-Dame and Île de la Cité, the Louvre exterior and Tuileries, Champs-Élysées up to the Arc de Triomphe, then Métro to Trocadéro for the Eiffel Tower at sunset. In the evening, book a Seine river cruise (GetYourGuide, ~£13–16 for a 1-hour evening sailing) and finish with a cheap crêpe or falafel dinner in the Marais.
🚌Métro single tickets ~£2 each; consider a Navigo Easy card or a carnet
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel near Porte d'Orléans / 11th arr.
- →Self-guided walking tour of Notre-Dame, Louvre exterior, Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe
- →Eiffel Tower viewpoint at Trocadéro
- →Seine evening river cruise (booked via GetYourGuide)
Paris — Perfume Workshop & Christmas Markets
Paris
Morning: book a small-group perfume creation workshop at a Parisian fragrance house (Fragonard's free museum tour in the 9th is a good cheap option; a paid 1.5-hour 'make your own eau de parfum' workshop runs ~£45–70 via GetYourGuide). Afternoon: wander the Tuileries Garden Christmas market and the Marché de Noël at Saint-Germain-des-Prés, or head up to Montmartre for the village-style market and Sacré-Cœur views. Optional evening: a cabaret or theatre ticket — book direct with the venue or via Klook for cheaper seats.
🚌Métro; walkable in the centre
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel, Paris
- →Perfume workshop / Fragonard museum tour
- →Tuileries and Montmartre Christmas markets
- →Optional cabaret or theatre show
Paris to Tours — Loire Christmas Markets
Tours
Take a morning TGV or Intercités from Paris Montparnasse to Tours (about 1h10–2h30, £20–40 booked ahead on SNCF Connect). Drop bags at a hostel or budget hotel near Tours Centre station. Spend the afternoon in the old town — Place Plumereau's half-timbered houses — and browse the Christmas market stalls along the rue Nationale and Place Jean Jaurès. Optional add-on: a half-day Loire château trip to Chenonceau or Villandry if you have energy (local bus/train + entry £20–30).
🚌SNCF train Paris Montparnasse → Tours, ~£20–40
🛏Budget hotel or hostel near Tours Centre station
- →Old town walk around Place Plumereau
- →Tours Christmas market
- →Optional Loire château visit
Tours to Beaune via Dijon
Beaune
Train to Dijon (roughly 1h30–2h with a change, ~£20–30), where the city runs a self-guided 'Parcours de la Chouette' owl-trail — pick up a map from the tourist office for a few euros and follow the owl symbols to the Palais des Ducs, Notre-Dame and the covered market. Dijon's Christmas market fills Place de la Libération. Continue by regional train to Beaune (~45 min, ~£8–12), a walled wine town. Evening: dinner at a local bistro in Beaune — try oeufs en meurette and a glass of Burgundy.
🚌TER trains Tours → Dijon → Beaune, ~£30–40 total
🛏Hostel or small guesthouse inside Beaune's walls
- →Self-guided Dijon owl-trail walk
- →Dijon Christmas market
- →Beaune old town and Hospices de Beaune exterior
Beaune to Metz via Colmar & Strasbourg
Metz
This is a big travel day — book an early train Beaune → Colmar (via Dijon/Mulhouse, ~2h30, ~£25–35). Spend 2–3 hours in Colmar, the most postcard-perfect of the Alsace markets, with its illuminated half-timbered houses and 'Christmas village' stalls. Then take a TER to Strasbourg (~30 min, ~£8) for the afternoon: the Christkindelsmärik around the cathedral and Place Broglie, plus a self-guided festive food walk (tarte flambée, bretzel, vin chaud) — or join a paid food tour via GetYourGuide (~£35–50). Late train to Metz (~1h15, ~£12–18) to sleep.
🚌TER/TGV Beaune → Colmar → Strasbourg → Metz, ~£50–65 total
🛏Budget hotel or hostel near Metz station
- →Colmar Christmas market
- →Strasbourg Christkindelsmärik
- →Optional festive food walking tour
Metz to Reims via Champagne
Reims
Morning in Metz: its own Marché de Noël around Place de la République and the golden-stone cathedral. Train to Reims (~1h, ~£12–18). In the afternoon, book a champagne house cellar tour and tasting direct — Taittinger, Martel or a small grower-producer — typically £20–30 for tour plus one or two glasses. Walk Reims' orientation highlights yourself: the Reims Cathedral (a UNESCO site where French kings were crowned), the Porte de Mars and Place Drouet-d'Erlon. Evening: Reims Christmas market and stalls, with a final dinner of champagne and local cuisine.
🚌TER Metz → Reims, ~£15
🛏Budget hotel near Reims centre
- →Metz Christmas market and cathedral
- →Champagne cellar tour and tasting
- →Reims Cathedral and Christmas market
Reims to Paris — Departure
Paris
Quick morning market coffee and a last look at Reims before taking the TGV back to Paris Gare de l'Est (~45 min, ~£15–25 booked ahead). If time permits before your flight, drop bags at a station locker and do a final Paris market or museum visit. Depart.
🚌TGV Reims → Paris Gare de l'Est, ~£15–25
🛏None (departure day)
- →Reims Christmas market morning stroll
Self-launched vs. Contiki
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Contiki | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£680 | £855 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £175 per person (20%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Contiki-style trips? Check them out here.~£680
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does French Christmas Markets — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £680 per person for 7 days in France. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Contiki?+
Yes — Contiki charges around £855 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £680 — a saving of roughly £175 (20%) per person.
How long is the France trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through France.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a festivals, culture, foodie trip through France, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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