It’s an annual event, but there are slight changes this year; three years ago there were three ice rinks, last year there were two, this year there’s only one main one (at Hôtel de Ville)!

However, there are a couple of other icy treats hidden away that we’re happy to share with you…

So, you should head for Hôtel de Ville (here) if you want a proper outdoor rink, but don’t think you’ll have loads of room; it’s almost always extremely busy. Try going late (after 8pm) if you don’t want to wait too long.

There is good news though. If you have skates already, entrance is free! (otherwise, it’s a reasonable 5 euros to rent them). And there are free lessons at the weekend from 10am to midday.

And just one more thing – if the weather’s bad (excessive rain or snow) they are liable to close without warning.

The outdoor rink is open from 16th December 2011 – 4th march 2012

Opening hours: weekdays midday – 10pm. Weekends from 9am – 10pm

If you find yourself near the Xmas market on the Champs Elysées, you can skate through their ‘ice trail’ (in exchange for 5 euros).

Apparently you will be “totally immersed in a magical Scandinavian scene, with 600 trees surrounding the trail evoking a Canadian forest.” So, is it Scandinavian or Canadian? Perhaps you’ll be able to enlighten us.

The trail is open until 1st January 2012 inclusive, form 10am – 10pm. 5€

And if you want to travel back in time to 2006, check out the official website for the Champs Elysées Xmas market, with its awful layout and even more awful music. OMG!

Trocadéro on Ice, with its English title and heavily-photoshopped image is trying just a little harder than the rest. Perhaps too hard: “The mountain in the 16th arrondissement” they call themselves. Good grief.

Anyway, there aren’t any other details about the event, apart from the fact that there’s a skating rink at 5 euros (what size though?) and a trail to walk round in snowshoes (4€). Sounds rather comical.

Open from 8th December 2011 – 2nd January 2012 from 11am – 9pm