Local view: Traditionally, the French mark New Year’s Eve with a supper known as le réveillon – usually an indulgent feast of delicacies such as oysters, caviar, escargot and foie gras. Avoid disappointment and skip the Eiffel Tower entirely fireworks are only set off here on Bastille Day, and you can see it lit up any night of the year with slightly fewer crowds to battle. Still, if you’re hoping to soak up the atmosphere without being packed shoulder-to-shoulder, the street parties in hilly Sacré-Cœur offer a cinematic – and slightly calmer – view over the festivities. The centre of the action is undoubtedly the firework display on Champs-Élysées. The main event: If you’ve got someone special to share a midnight kiss with, there’s no better place to spend New Year’s Eve than the city of romance. Brand new for the 2023/24 season is four-bedroom Chalet Schuss, a private mountain retreat designed by celebrated interior designer Christophe Tollemer. Rooms and suites are snuggly hideouts with views out onto the white expanses – warm up before heading to Nobu Matsuhisa restaurant for black cod miso and cocktails. Where to stay: Airelles Val d'Isère is one of the ski resort’s most opulent hotels. For foodies, there’s the Michelin-starred La Table de l'Ours or cosy Bistrot Gourmand elsewhere, Champagne-spraying starts early at famous spots such as La Folie Douce. Eyes turn to the skies at midnight as pyrotechnics illuminate the night sky, while the bars, clubs, and restaurants are bustling hubs of activity. The local view: Val d'Isère is a seasonal party playground for avid skiers (and après-skiers) – expect myriad nationalities and personalities rubbing shoulders. Festive lights and sculptures illuminate the streets, and the highlight of the evening for visitors with a view is the spectacular midnight fireworks display. The main event: Val d'Isère is one of France’s premier ski destinations, so it’s no surprise that travellers with pennies to spare head here to ring in the New Year. It houses the first Spago restaurant by Wolfgang Puck in Europe, a rooftop bar with panoramic views, and an art nouveau café that hosts seasonal cabaret shows and lip-smackingly-good brunches. Where to stay: Matild Palace is a relatively new addition to Budapest’s hotel scene, one of a matching pair of neo-baroque fin de siècle, UNESCO-protected palaces. The holiday is a food-fuel affair, so secure a table in a restaurant with a view and prepare to be as noisy as midnight approaches – firecrackers and raised voices ward off unfriendly spirits. Locals and tourists stand side-by-side, waiting for the twelve clock chimes to ring in another year. The local view: Vorosmarty Square is the central hub of activity on New Year’s Eve. Fireworks displays illuminate the sky thanks to many different organisers, but much of the fun occurs in the squares and historic streets. The main event: There are no ‘official’ fireworks displays in the Hungarian capital, and New Year’s Eve in Budapest is a low-key affair compared to many other European cities.
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