La Grande Roue de Paris

La Grande Roue de Paris

Although this ferris wheel is commonly known as "la Grande Roue de Paris" 

it is a relatively new construction which is portable and requires no

special foundation.  It is held in place with ballast of 11,000 gallons (40,000 liters) of water.

This roue de Paris was designed and built for the 2000 millennium celebrations.

It has traveled to England, Belgium, Thailand, Italy, and the Netherlands

over the past ten years.  It is always a welcome sight on Place de la Concorde and can be seen from the Arc de Triomphe in line with the Louvre.

The original "Grande Roue de Paris" was built for the 1900 

Exposition Universelle and was dismantled in 1920.

La Grande Roue de Paris

Place de la Concorde

75008, Paris

Aux Champs-Élysées

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

The avenue has many looks and 

is always well-dressed whether at Christmas,

for Quatorze juillet, or anytime in between.

Aux Champs-Élysées

Aux Champs-Élysées

Au soleil, sous la pluie

À midi ou à minuit

Il y a tout ce que vous voulez

Aux Champs-Élysées ♪♫

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

75008, Paris

Le Bon Marché

Le Bon Marché

Even in late November the Parisians were 

busy holiday shopping.

(So were the tourists)

Le Bon Marché

24, rue de Sèvres

75007, Paris

Galeries Lafayette

Galeries Lafayette

Over the top, elegant and beautiful!

Yes, that is a huge ornament.

Galeries Lafayette

40, boulevard Haussmann

75009, Paris

Les ballerines de Palais Garnier

The ballerinas of Palais Garnier

On a rainy December morning these ballerinas 

danced in the windows of the gift shop of Palais Garnier.

Never miss a chance to dance...

Palais Garnier

75009, Paris

Champs Elysées et La Grande Roue

Champs Elysées and the Big Ferris Wheel

La Grande Roue becomes an iconic landmark 

between November and February each year.  

It sits in Place de la Concorde at the foot of Avenue des Champs Elysées.  

An adult can ride for 10€ and see all of Paris.

Avenue des Champs Elysées

75008, Paris

 

Ma Bourgogne - la terrasse en hiver

Ma Bourgogne

the terrace in winter

In the frigid temperatures of December,

this is how you enjoy the terrace at Ma Bourgogne

The heaters are quite toasty 

and the regular waiters greet you with a smile.

Ma Bourgogne

Place des Vosges (northwest corner)

19, place des Vosges

75004, Paris

Des sapins de Noël

Christmas trees

The first time I saw trees bundled like this on the streets of Paris, 

I first thought of mummies.  

These are quite tall and grand 

when you consider the size of many Paris apartments.  

Can you imagine toting one of these 

over your shoulder through the Paris Métro?

Passage du Grand Cerf

Rue Saint Denis

75002, Paris

l'émerveillement!

Awe!

The Christmas windows of Printemps are amazing

as can been seen in the face and reflection of this young girl.

bon weekend

Printemps

Boulevard Haussman

75009, Paris

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois - la crèche

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

In the large space of the "crossing" 

where the nave, choir, and transept intersect 

is placed this manger scene. 

The rug, candles and 15-foot trees

 give an Old World appearance. 

bon dimanche

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

2, place du Louvre

75001, Paris

Printemps - des chaussures et des bonbons

Printemps

Christmas windows

Two of my favorite things:

shoes and macarons

Printemps
64, boulevard Haussmann
75009 Paris

Réflexion - Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

...a delicious panoply of lights

Christmas in shades of blue, white, and silver

Ave des Champs-Élysées

75008, Paris

Métro Franklin D. Roosevelt

Cartier - la panthère

Cartier

This jeweler has an over-the-top display for the holidays.  

The building is washed in red light 

and one expects that the panthers will leap at any moment.

This well-known street was unusually quiet 

which suits me just fine.  

It could be that the intermittent rain 

and frigid wind kept the shoppers at home.  

No, I did not do any shopping here.

Cartier
154, avenue des Champs-Élysées
75008, Paris

Galeries Lafayette - le dôme en violet

Galeries Lafayette

The iconic art nouveau glass dome is illuminated in purple this year as it celebrates the beginning of its 101st anniversary.  The theme is thankfully child-centered at Galeries Lafayette for Christmas 2013, and there are many animated windows to delight children and adults alike.  

As you walk into the rotunda area filled with counters of perfumes, the sheer size of the dome will take your breath away.  In certain department stores they frown on photos but this shot is replicated by every visitor to Galeries Lafayette apparently with the blessing of management.

Galeries Lafayette
Boulevard Haussmann
75009, Paris
Métro Chaussée d'Antin La Fayette

Sapins de Noël - Passage du Grand Cerf

Christmas trees in Paris

Giggling on the first occasion of seeing 

Christmas trees dressed like sausages, 

I now find them totally charming.  

The stands made of split tree trunks are quite solid 

and they are ready to be carried off, 

through the Métro or by bus to a waiting Paris apartment.  

The scents of fresh evergreen are as omnipresent 

as those of the baguettes from the nearby boulangerie.

Messages du Grand Cerf

4, passage du Grand Cerf (Rue Saint Denis entrance)

75002, Paris

des coeurs sous une cloche

Hearts under a cloche

Just as this bell-shaped glass was designed 

to protect English garden plants from frost, 

this cloche may be protecting fragile hearts.

There was an immediate appeal to this window scene 

which was likely just a whim of the designer.  

I do wonder though....

Blanc d'Ivoire

104, rue du Bac

75007, Paris

Métro Sèvres-Babylone

Joyeux anniversaire, DKB

Printemps - Christmas windows 2013

Printemps

The windows are dazzling 

and the mirror reflections in this fashion window add to the look.  

I chose to cut off the name of the sponsor 

as the displays were much better before the grand magasins 

sold their window designs.  

Now the sponsor's name is splashed liberally 

throughout the windows and the store.

Printemps

64, boulevard Haussmann

75009, Paris

Rue Cler

A favorite street of mine as you can run into old friends and make new ones.  This pedestrian street is only a few blocks long, but it is a delightful neighborhood  and the decorations are appealing in the daylight as well as at night.

I am thinking about my friend Christiane who I first met here several years ago, 

and who shared with me her treasured fèves anciennes.  We have kept up with each other over the years, and Holly and I saw her in Paris recently.

It makes me think of an old poem, "Make new friends and keep the old.  

One is silver and the other gold."  I do treasure the friends I have made in Paris.

Rue Cler

75006, Paris

 

Joyeux Noël - la crèche

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

Of all the nativity scenes I have seen in Paris over the years, 

this is one that I come back to time and again...

for the trees, 

the lights, 

the cherubs in the distance, 

the tapestry rug, 

and the players in this familiar scene.

Joyeux Noël

Église Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois

2, place du Louvre

75001, Paris

Métro Louvre-Rivoli ou Pont Neuf

Les oiseaux - Printemps

Printemps

Just one day more...

This Christmas window was filled with exotic birds and elaborate fashion.  

Although this was not an animated window, 

the array of colors and textures gives a feeling of movement.

Printemps

64, boulevard Haussmann

75009, Paris