What to see and do in January in Île-de-France?
Our four recommendations for January 2026
Whether you're more into culture or nature, there's something for everyone with our four ideas for free activities accessible by public transport in Île-de-France in January.
Paname: Bilal Hamdad's exhibition captures scenes of ordinary life at the Petit Palais
Until February 8, 2026, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris (located in the heart of the Petit Palais building) is giving carte blanche to the painter Bilal Hamdad with his free exhibition Paname. The Algerian painter offers a dive into urban solitude through scenes of ordinary life.
His style? Large hyper-realistic oil paintings as well as candid photos taken in the heart of the city's effervescence.
On the program of the exhibition?
About twenty large oil canvases and two new works created for the occasion, nods to the works of the museum's permanent collection (also free)!
Practical information
- To be discovered until February 8, 2026
- Tuesday to Sunday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (closed on Mondays)
- Free admission
How to get there?
Musée des Beaux-Arts du Petit Palais
Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris
- Metro 1 and 13 : Champs-Élysées – Clemenceau
- RER C : Invalides
- Bus : 28, 42, 72, 73, 80, 83, 93
The Bois Saint-Martin: a nature escape at the gateway to transport
Looking for unspoilt nature without leaving the Île-de-France?
Head for the Bois Saint-Martin (between Noisy-le-Grand and Villiers-sur-Marne), a small treasure that has long been kept secret and has been open to travellers since the 2020s.
Did you know? With 282 hectares, this XXL wood is larger than the Parc de Sceaux with its 184 hectares !
Bois Saint-Martin, why do we recommend it?
- Beautiful forest paths to walk in the middle of nature
- Bright meadows, hundred-year-old trees and ponds filled with life
- Rich wildlife with protected roe deer, foxes, bats, passerines and amphibians...
Which route to follow for your walk?
Let yourself be guided by the marked paths that cross the wood and follow the forest tracks.
With the four other woods (the Bois de Célie, the Bois de la Grange, the Bois du Boulay and the Bois de la Malnoue), it forms a green lung of 500 hectares, crossed by a GR to follow to extend your walk.
To get there?
RER E: Les Yvris – Noisy-le-Grand station, just a two-minute walk from the start of the routes.
Chamarande belvedere: take to the skies in Essonne
In summer, we recommended the terrace of Mont-Valérien to gain height with a breathtaking view.
This time, we take you to the south of the Ile-de-France region, to Chamarande (Essonne), for a getaway that mixes heritage and breathtaking panoramas.
On the program?
The Belvedere of Chamarande is located in the heart of a magnificent estate of the same name.
During your walk, you will see the alleys of the Domaine de Chamarande and its park (the largest public park in the department) as well as the renovated castle classified as a historical monument!
The ascent to the Belvedere is quiet, and from up there you will be treated to the magnificent landscapes of the Essonne countryside and its hilly horizon.
How to get there?
Domaine départemental de Chamarande, 52 rue du Commandant Maurice Arnoux, 91730 Chamarande
- RER C : Chamarande station
Dopamine: the exhibition that deciphers your life behind the screen at the Cube Garges
Spending time on your phone, picking it up to answer a question, scrolling endlessly...
These gestures have become so natural that we don't even think about them anymore. But where do they come from? Why are they so addictive? And, above all: who invented them?
The Cube Garges, a cultural space that questions digital technology
Until January 11, 2026, the Dopamine exhibition invites young and old alike to learn about the hidden side of our digital habits at the Cube Garges.
But the Garges Cube: what is it? It is a 1000 m² cultural venue (with a theatre, a cinema, a media library, exhibitions and workshops) where everyone can come and learn and create.
Dopamine exhibition, what do we see?
- Immersive installations inspired by our online uses
- Unique contemporary works of art
- Behind the scenes of the most popular platforms dissected
Practical information
- When? From October 11, 2025 to January 11, 2026
- On what occasion? As part of Némo – International Biennial of Digital Arts of the Île-de-France Region
How to get there?
The Cube Garges is located at 40 avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, 95140 Garges-lès-Gonesse.
To get there, get off at Garges-Sarcelles station (RER D) then take bus 133 and get off at Le Cube Garges stop.
In summary: what to do in January in Paris and its region?
- See Parisian life from a different perspective with the exhibition Paname by Bilal Hamdad at the Petit Palais
- Walking in the heart of the Bois Saint-Martin
- A walk between castle, park and exceptional viewpoint in Chamarande
- A dive into the mechanics of our screens with the free exhibition Dopamine at the Cube Garges
Happy discoveries! See you next month for ideas for winter outings accessible by public transport, everywhere in Île-de-France.