It's Boxing Day today in some parts of the world but not here in Paris where many of the businesses in our local area were open as normal. In fact, when my niece and I went for a wander through the Marais yesterday (Christmas Day), many cafes and galleries were open then too. I guess that's what you do in a neighbourhood popular with the Jewish community and tourists. On our walk, we saw Jewish newly-weds posing for photos with a stretch limo, visited a funky group exhibition that featured recycled materials, and listened to a counter-tenor sing in Place des Vosges.
We are leaving Paris in a couple of days and there are so many things I could be writing about - our stroll around Canal Saint Martin, sitting in Renoir's gardens in Montmartre, visiting Versailles or the Musee Rodin. I'll save those for another time. As the Christmas season draws to an end, I thought I'd show you a little more of Christmas in Paris.
Over the past few weeks, Marche Noels have popped up everywhere. Some, such as the one in the church on Rue du Temple, are little more than secondhand stalls or craft markets. Others are collections of specially constructed huts, with stalls selling vin chaud every few feet, as well as souvenirs and local crafts.
We found this Christmas decoration at a Marche Noel near Notre Dame Cathedral. The market was specialising in handmade goods and food and was very small.
We also found a Christmas market at Sacre-Coeur - a little bigger but still a mix of craft, food, wine and souvenirs.
The Christmas market at Jardins du Trocadero is much bigger and includes an ice-skating rink. Not bad, being able to skate in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
There are, of course, lights all over this City of Light. The Champs Elysee is probably the focal point for Christmas lights. We visited these on Christmas Eve, after climbing the Eiffel Tower and enjoying vin chaud from the Marche Noel on Quai Branly.
The hotels in the 8th arrondisement seem to be in quiet competition for best lights. Here is my favourite - I forgot to write down it's name but I think it's Plaza-Athenee on Avenue Montaigne. I think the combination of a panda (there is one on either side of the hotel entrance), fairy lights and a beautiful tree in the foyer is quite special.
But dazzling as the lights can be, my favourite Christmas images have been much more modest and often unexpected. When my niece and I were walking in the 19th on Sunday, we passed Cafe La Fontaine, which had a delightful display of miniature buildings, many moving, in its window.
Nothing, though, beats discovering this community garden and Christmas tree in Jardins Anne Frank. The garden is tucked away at the end of an 'impasse' (dead end) about 5 minutes away from us. When we first visited it, the garden was quite bare and the community vege patch was struggling. It must be lovely in spring and summer when the trellises are covered with vines. But when we visited on the weekend, look what we found: a Santa Scarecrow (or a Pere Noel Scarecrow) and a community Christmas tree covered in decorations made out of recycled materials such as plastic bottles and old cds.
Joyeux Noel et Bonne Annee!
