Each year, elegant holiday lights adorn several neighborhoods, shopping districts and historical sites in Paris, ushering the city out of its November gloom. Before checking out our list of places to head for festive scenes this year, get a little inspiration by checking out our photo gallery of Christmas decorations in Paris.

• Christmas/holiday lights displays on the Champs Elysées
  The majestic Avenue des Champs-Elysées is flooded with lights every winter, with light-drenched trees stretching all the way from the Place de l'Etoile and the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. This year, 200 trees lining the avenue will scintillate with lights, glimmering even more magically thanks to 400 projectors situated alongside, and gradually shifting from white to violet to red. Don't forget to visit the Christmas market in the area while you're at it, to grab some mulled wine and find some original Parisian Christmas gifts.
  Location: Avenue des Champs Elysées, metro Charles de Gaulle Etoile, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Champs-Elysées Clémenceau, or Concorde
  When: The lights are scheduled to be switched on at 6:00 pm on Thursday November 20th, 2014 (special celebrity host to be announced). The displays will be taken down on Thursday, January 8th, 2014. The street is lit until 2:00 am each day, and all night on December 31st, to bring in the new year in Paris.
   

• Lights and Decor at Place Vendome and Surrounds
  The elegant Place Vendome and surrounding streets are festively lit for the holiday season. Stop for tea at the Ritz to warm up, then go out and admire the gorgeous square.
  Location: Place Vendome, Rue de la Paix, Rue de Castiglione, Rue Saint-Honore and Rue des Capucines (Metro Opera, Tuileries or Concorde
  When: From November 20th, 2014 through January 5th, 2015. 
   
• Christmas Lights on Avenue Montaigne
  Known for its luxury boutiques, Avenue Montaigne is getting all gussied up for the holidays this year.
  Location: Avenue Montaigne (Metro Champs-Elysees Clemenceau
  When: From November 20th, 2014 through January 5th, 2014

 

• Christmas Light Displays at Paris Department Stores
  The classic Paris department stores district near the Opera Garnier is awash with lights and elaborate window decorations every holiday season, starting in early to mid November and throughout the January sales season in Paris.
  Location:Galeries Lafayette, Printemps and surrounding stores on Boulevard Haussmann, 9th arrondissement
  When:Galeries Lafayette will unveil its giant 2014/2015 Christmas tree on November 5th under its art-deco cupola inside. For this year's festivities, the giant, 25-meter Christmas tree is made of elaborate, art-deco style glass, and turned upside-down from the ceiling for added dramatic effect. That same day, the Galeries will unveil its annual holiday windows display, dedicated this year to the whimsical theme of "monsters". The kids always enjoy this annual event.

• Just down the block, Printemps department store will flip the switch on its lights and holiday windows around mid-November.
• Metro: Havre-Caumartin
• RER: Auber
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See More:Pictures of Holiday Lights and Window Displays at Paris Department Stores

• Bercy Village Lights and Decorations
  The outdoor shopping "village" near Paris's National Library District in the south of the city will be festively lit and decorated for the holidays from November 14th, 2014, and displays will remain until early January. Find out more  in our complete guide to the Gare de Lyon and Bercy neighborhood.
   
• Christmas Decor at Notre Dame Cathedral
  As if Notre Dame Cathedral weren't stunning enough on its own, each Christmas season the Gothic cathedral hosts an enormous, lavishly decorated tree on its main plaza. The decor generally appears in mid-November to early December.
   

"Paris Illumine Paris": Hundreds of other streets light up
From early December, the Paris City Hall will light some 125 streets around Paris for the holidays, with lights switched on from 5:00 pm each night until 2:00 am. Some streets illuminated last year included la rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais, Place des Abbesses in Montmartre, Avenue de Saint Ouen, Boulevard Saint-Germain, Rue de Rennes, Place de la Convention, Rue de Belleville, Place du Jourdain, Rue de Richelieu, Rue des Saints-Pères, or Rue de Grenelle. Check back here soon for a complete list, and in the meantime, visit this page (in French, but you can find out the street names by each Paris district (arrondissement) very easily, then locate them on your own map or smartphone.