Christmas in Paris!
I am someone who believes that the Christmas spirit should start just a few weeks before the 25th.
I cannot stand those TV networks and radio stations that play nothing but Christmas movies and music right after Halloween for heaven’s sake!
Being in Paris though, and as of last Wednesday, December 1st, I was officially smitten with the season.
In the Latin Quarter
How could one not be? While the news continues to be dreadful everywhere, on the streets of Paris, life pretty much continues except that everyone is seriously masked up.
And lightening the mood thankfully is Christmas which is everywhere.
Galleries Lafayette is a-must visit at Christmas! I took this pic from the purse department where I usually get stalled for a time.
It takes my breath away to walk almost any street, especially at night, to see the lights and decorations framing the season, twinkling with hope and promise, and making one believe that all could be well with the world.
Took this in the pouring rain!
Along the Champs Elysées, 400 trees are decked out in red lights. The Hôtel de Ville is a vision (featured pic), as are the shops, hotels, restaurants, and passageways that are all a-glitter.
Josephine Baker Immortalized in Paris Panthéon
It was a spectacular night last Tuesday to watch the ceremony for 1920s Jazz siren Josephine Baker, the American-born Parisian who found an ultra-successful career and new home in Paris.
Parisians came out to celebrate the icon becoming one of only 6 women to be inducted in this French hall of fame and the first-ever black woman.
Baker’s cenotaph rests before the military procession
I was down at the bottom of the street snapping pics of the symbolic funeral procession before and as it made its way up to the main building. Baker’s remains are still buried in Monaco where her family has asked that they stay but a plaque will be put up in her honour.
The French military choir sang a song from the Réaistance, and Baker’s music (“Paris I am back! and “Two Loves”) during the ceremony.) was also featured. It was moving to witness, and so very very deserved.
If you missed my earlier blog on the incredible life of Josephine Baker CLICK HERE.
President Emmanuel Macron welcomes and celebrates Baker’s induction into the Panthéon.
Lucheoning with Friends
I have been luncheoning quite a bit this week, starting with a belated Thanksgiving meal at my friend Martine’s! She hosted nine double and triple-vaxxed friends from Paris, Canada, and the U.S. with course after course of delicious dishes.
The food was superb, the conversation was lively, and we did not get up from the table for 4 hours or more.
You will be hearing more about the tradition of Lunch In Paris in a future blog. But I will mention here that I also went to Café Lapérouse right at Place de La Concorde for a late lunch on Thursday — and had my first Croque Monsieur of this trip.
How do they do this? Put the name of the restaurant in the foam on my café crème?
Croque Monsieur: toasted with oodles of béchamel sauce, cheese, and ham. Forget the salad!!!
Winners of the Annual Members Christmas Giveaway
“Champagne Dreams Webinar”
with World-Class Expert Cynthia Coutu
Two Annual Members have WON a 2-hour Webinar with sparkling wine specialist Cynthia Coutu of Delectabulles.
They are Chris Keiser of Collingwood Ontario and Kaoutsar Entifi of Burlington Ontario.
Congrats ladies, I will be contacting you shortly to help you redeem your gift voucher for this webinar which you can join LIVE most Sundays or have the recording sent to you if you prefer.
READ more about Cynthia in a previous blog post I wrote a few years ago called Women+champagne, a Perfect Pairing. Here is the LINK
Love Reading About Christmas in Paris?
CLICK HERE to read about My Top Ten Parisian Christmas Gifts
and
CLICK HERE for Three Things I would do at Christmas in Paris.
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Diana Bishop the founder of The Success Story Program and A Woman of a Certain Age in Paris as well as a well-known correspondent with over 25 years working for CTV, CBC News, and NBC News. She loves travel, writing, and all things Parisienne.
Christmas in Paris sounds enchanting! Bravo Diana!!
Wish you were here Mary Lu — we would have such a great time at the art galleries… and with the shopping!!!
Best to you and thank you for taking the time to coment. Lots of love, Diana
Hello Bonjour, thank you Diana for your comment on my late Thanksgiving lunch. Thrilled you enjoyed both food and company. Lively and interesting exchanges among guests. Saw that you had a good croque-monsieur at Lapérouse. I suppose you visited the recently reopened Hotel de la Marine. Isn’t it a small Versailles in Paris ? I like the place, the welcoming team, the audio tours. See you soon.
It was so very special Martine and something I will remember for a long time. See you soonest, Diana
You know that I love Christmas, and it looks absolutely magical in the City of Lights ! I wish I were there experiencing it with you !
It would be sublime if you were here to enjoy this with me Shardie. Diana
What a glittering paradise you have landed in! Good for you! Were your ears burning on December 2? Shardie came to Milton so that we could enjoy a pre-Christmas lunch together. However, when we arrived at the restaurant, Pat & Lorraine were waiting for us! Total surprise for me! 3 hour drive for them to get to Milton – then a 3 hour drive back!! So happy to see all 3 of them!!! As you can imagine…..
Hi Gretchen..no my ears were not burning haha … but I knew about the surprise and was so glad to hear it all turned out so well. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if I could have surprised you again by joining all of you… but I was there in spirit!
Diana
I’m not very fond of that (commericalised) holiday but have always enjoyed being in Paris at that time of year, visiting friends and colleagues and of course enjoying pleasant meals. Refreshingly low-key in terms of cloying music, and outside the major shopping districts (Les Champs & les Grands magasins) no overload of decorations.
And not as bloody cold as here, thank the Gulf Stream (Paris is considerably north of Montréal).
Joyous Solstice, return of light! Lovely visit!
I am with you Maria…but Paris does make it into something special and I am grateful that with everything else that is going on in the world to enjoy this slice of season joy — so love being here. Best to you and thank you for you comment. Diana
It was wonderful seeing your photos of Paris for Christmas — since I can’t travel it’s great to see them! BTW, I’ve signed up for Alison Browne’s “Christmas Lights of Paris” virtual tour next Saturday so I will see more!!
That’s great! Alison and I are spending lots of time together in Paris. I look forward to her Christmas lights Live broadcast too .. who knows maybe I will be with her! Best to you Trudy! Dian
I’m with you Diana, could we at least hold off until the beginning of December, please? Here it seems much more about commercialism than beauty, while in Paris it looks so festive and bright.
Your photos are beautiful, I especially love the one of the Champs Élysées in the rain and these days I know my rain!
Enjoy each and every moment.
Hi Margaret Ann…this time of year is always iffy for weather but a little rain in Paris is a small price to pay especially when the temperatures ar so mild and once in a while we get a sunny day like today. Time to head out again and enjoy all that Paris has to offer. Great to hear from you!
Have you taken the ring tram (T3) yet? There is a short segment not completed in western Paris for it to be a full ring. It is fully accessible for familes with children, disabled or elderly persons. So is the most recent métro line (line 14).
Last time I was in Paris, I’d get off at different stations and walk towards the centre.
But then, I’m a public transport geek…