So, goodbye tiny ice rink stuck out in the 13th arrondissement that no-one went to! This year Paris boasts just 2 outdoor rinks for the holiday period, so you’ll need to get down to Hôtel de Ville or Montparnasse if you want to try out your skating skills.

Here are all the details you’ll need for your Paris Holiday on Ice!

And then they were two… The third rink near the Grande Bibliothèque (now defunct) was in an area with mostly offices, meaning that it was empty most of the time. Like this…

You can almost hear the icy wind blowing over it, can’t you?

So, the Xmas ice rinks that are left this year will probably be even more packed than usual (nearly 150,000 skaters every year). Be prepared to queue a little if you go at peak hours.

Also, the rinks can close without warning if the weather requires it, and gloves are obligatory!

Here’s the slightly reduced programme then for the Xmas 2009 outdoor rink in Paris.

Hôtel de Ville
from 18th December 2009 – 6th March 2010

This is the bigger of the two (25m x 50m), with another smaller space for kids and beginners. There’s also a large play area with activities for children (under 6) and a giant teepee!
Where : place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 75004 Paris (here), métro Hôtel de Ville (lines 1 & 11)
Open every day: weekdays from midday – 10pm, weekends and public holidays from 9am – 10pm. Last admission one hour before closing.
Free if you have skates, 5 to hire them (free for kids).

You can also take a free skating lesson at the weekend between 10am and midday, but places are very limited: for 5-8 year-olds: 8 places, for 9-12 year-olds: 10 places and for 13-80 year-olds: 12 places.

Montparnasse
from 18th December 2009 – 6th March 2010

Rink measuring 22m x 35m
A 150m² “ice garden” (?) for the teeny tots (3-6 year-olds)
Where: Place Raoul Dautry, 75015 Paris (here), métro Montparnasse-Bienvenüe (lines 4, 6, 12, 13)
Open every day: weekdays from midday – 8pm, weekend and public hlidays from 9am – 10pm. Last admission one hour before closing.
Free if you have skates, 5 to hire them (free for kids).