Seasonal Paris Disorder.

I am not going to lie to you, getting through the winter slog in Paris is really hard.

Starting around November and certainly by the end of December, the days morph into a perpetual gray. Not only does the sun completely disappear, but the sky starts to feel claustrophobic as the city seems to be encased in a gray dome. You can’t see clouds, sunlight, or the actual sky.

Despite my love of living here, I will complain about Paris every winter, without fail. As mentioned in a previous post, I have gotten better at anticipating the depression that sets in like clockwork and do my best to circumvent it by taking a multitude of vitamins every day, working out, and “trying” to eat healthy (impossible around Christmastime).

I continue to reassure myself that moving here was totally the best decision ever because what other city looks so stunning against gray skies? When it rains and becomes gloomy here, Paris is a vibe.

But when you start stacking days, weeks, and ultimately months back-to-back with zero sun whatsoever, I think even the most cheerful person will be hit hard. There is actual data that supports why I slump into depression every winter (credit goes to @berlinnewsdaily):

When I shared this chart with a friend, she aptly pointed out there might be an interesting connection between said lack of sunlight and “economic stability and per capita productivity.” Sorry, no shade (pun not intended) to our sunnier neighbors, I am extra jealous of them these days due to the Parisian lack of sun.

It has also been suggested to me that a great way to combat the lack of sun is to go above the cloud line and ski. Excellent idea, except that I don't actually know how to ski, and it’s also not exactly within my current budget. So that will have to wait. 

So what does one do to fight the never-ending depression and gloom of a Parisian winter?

You go to the Christmas markets, of course!

At risk of repeating ad nauseam what countless other bloggers, influencers, TikTokers, Instagramers, LinkedIn enthusiasts, and your distant high school friend on Facebook who seemingly travels all the time have all said, I will not be telling you where to get the best Raclette sandwich or mulled wine. I will also not be comparing the Christmas markets (although apparently this year, the market in the 9th arrondissement has begun charging a 5€ entry fee to the grande horreur of Parisians).   

Instead, I will tell you of my own little tradition that I share with my (very French) boyfriend.

Our current favorite market is the Marché de Noël des Tuileries, which is not the biggest Christmas market in the city, but it is one of the loveliest, offering the scenic views of the nearby Louvre and Tuileries gardens.

Eschewing all “normal” traditions, we head straight for a very specific stall on the side closest to the gardens, easily found by the brightly colored checkered cloth decorating the stand.

This is the Guadeloupe stand in the Christmas market, although the menu choices reflect the French Antilles as a whole, and they even offer Rougail Saucisse, a dish from the island of Réunion that I am particularly fond of.

We go there with a singular mission: to drink their outstanding rhums and chow down on traditional French Caribbean food. And let me tell you, it is bliss.

Their selection features a range of rhums mixed with various exotic fruits, including one rhum infused with habanero peppers. Yes, we have tried it, and yes, we love it. All delicious, all guaranteed to warm you up in the cold winter air.

This year, I opted for a punch coco, a creamy, coconut-milk-infused rhum option that was fantastic. My boyfriend chose the equivalent, but with a peanut mixture, much stronger and richer than mine, also delicious. To help cushion our stomachs for the rhum, we got the must-order accras, little dough ball fritters filled with codfish that are ubiquitous at Caribbean or African restaurants around Paris. I have no fear of spice, so we made sure our dipping sauce had their house-made chili oil poured in, and it was so good.

And because we went extra hard on the food order this year, we each got a bokit sandwich, which is not for the weak: the bread is fried in oil. A variety of fillings were available, but I chose morue, or codfish, which is the most popular.

We went to the market mid-afternoon this year and noticed that while the other stands were still relatively empty, the Guadeloupe stand had a solid crowd of enthusiasts around it. And it is absolutely deserved.

In these bleak, depressing days, being temporarily transported to the joy and cheer of a beautiful French-Caribbean island, eating a fried sandwich after a long day of walking, and sipping a little coconut rhum is simply *chef’s kiss.*

I love this stand, the friendly people running it, and their excellent selection of food. The only downside was that this year they were temporarily sold out of my favorite item: jambon de Noël. That’s right, cured Christmas ham. But you know, Creole-style. I struggle to explain exactly what makes it so delicious, but it reminds me of the cured ham I grew up with, and I also just love a good pork product. 

So I guess I have no choice but to go back to the Marché de Noël and get some Caribbean Christmas ham. In the meantime, more vitamins.  

What to order at the Guadeloupe stall at the Marché de Noël des Tuileries :

1. Les accras de morue (this is a must)
2. Any rhum that you like
3. Bokit with the filling of your choice
4. Rougail de Saucisse, being mindful that this is not from the Caribbean but from Réunion
5. Jambon de Noël
6. Boudin noir (small dark sausages similar to black pudding or any blood sausage)
7. Le Colombo de poulet (probably the most famous curry from the region)
8. More rhum