Thanksgiving falls on Thursday 26 November 2026. In Paris, that is just a Thursday. Shops open, the Métro runs, and your waiter has no idea why you are asking about cranberry sauce. Still, every year thousands of Americans spend the holiday here, and the city has quietly learned to feed them. Here is how to make the day feel like Thanksgiving, with a little French help.
Is Thanksgiving a holiday in France?
No. It is a normal working day, so museums, monuments and restaurants keep their usual hours (check the official website before you go, since winter hours can change). The good news: that also means no holiday closures to plan around. The not-so-good news: if you want turkey, you need to book it. Paris has fewer American kitchens than New York, and the ones that do a Thanksgiving menu fill up fast.
Where can you eat Thanksgiving dinner in Paris?
Several well-known Paris addresses announce a special American menu for 26 November 2026, according to the city guide Sortiraparis. Among them:
- Fouquet's on the Champs-Élysées, with stuffed turkey, pecan pie and live music
- Benoit, Alain Ducasse's classic bistro, with a French-American dinner
- Le Drugstore on the Champs-Élysées, with a Thanksgiving menu by chef Eric Frechon
- Lordy's Paris Club at the Sofitel Paris Baltimore Tour Eiffel, with dinner and music
Menus and prices are set by each restaurant, so book directly and check the details on their official sites. A small tip from us: ask for the time of the last seating. Parisians dine late, and an 8:30 pm table here is an early one.
Is there a free Thanksgiving dinner in Paris?
Yes, if you like a potluck. The American Cathedral in Paris, at 23 Avenue George V, hosts a traditional Thanksgiving potluck dinner on Friday 27 November 2026, from 7 pm to 11 pm, in the nave of the cathedral. The Cathedral says it is free of charge and that everyone is welcome, parishioner or not. Two roasted turkeys are provided. You bring a dish for four or five people, served at room temperature, and a plastic bag to take your dish home. You must RSVP through the form on the Cathedral's website no later than Wednesday 25 November. Can you think of a more Parisian way to share pumpkin pie than under Gothic Revival arches?
Where can you find a bit of America in Paris?
Thanksgiving is a good excuse to visit the places where the French and American stories cross. Start at Picpus Cemetery in the 12th arrondissement, where the Marquis de Lafayette is buried. An American flag flies over his grave, and the story goes that he was laid to rest under soil brought back from Bunker Hill. Not bad for a man who first sailed to America at nineteen. The cemetery is private and opens only at set times, so check before you go.
Then head to the Île aux Cygnes, the narrow island in the Seine near the Pont de Grenelle. At its tip stands a smaller copy of the Statue of Liberty, given to Paris in 1889 by Americans living in the city, for the centennial of the French Revolution. Look at which way she faces: west, toward her big sister in New York harbor.
What else is happening in Paris that week?
You arrive at a good moment. The Champs-Élysées Christmas lights are switched on on Sunday 22 November 2026 from 6:30 pm, with a ceremony led by Cate Blanchett and a concert by Feu! Chatterton, according to Sortiraparis. After that, the lights shine every evening from 5 pm to 1 am until 3 January 2027. So your Thanksgiving week can end with a walk under the lights, which beats the parade on TV. For more ideas, read our guide to Paris in November 2026 and our tips on Christmas in Paris.
How can you make the day special?
Food is only half of Thanksgiving. The other half is time together. If you are travelling as a family, a private tour on the morning of the 26th is an easy way to give the day a shape: you see the city together, you ask every question you want, and nobody has to read a map. With a car, you can link Lafayette's Paris, the Statue of Liberty on the Seine and the Champs-Élysées in one relaxed loop, then arrive at dinner with stories to share around the table. Happy Thanksgiving from Paris.
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