I try to bring nicer memories back into my life. Now that time has passed and the two great women of my life are out, (my mom Gladys and my wife Martine) and lastly my dear Dad Elio. This is the time where all comes back. I like to share these moment again with my readers. Thank you for reading me since Nov 26 2010! , and hope these memories brings joy to you and your families. This post will be in my black and white series, no pictures. Therefore, here is my take on Christmas time in Paris !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Needless to tell you this is my favorite time of the year. Regardless of your religious inclination, the lights, actions, events, festive mood all around is magical. It seems the folks awaits this time to bring out their best. We enjoy every single season ,and for 9 plus years we were at Versailles with Paris as our background. Now for the last 13 years we have been in the Morbihan, in
Bretagne and as normal the country is more subdue, more family closeness, Another year ends and Christmas season is in the air, The December 2011 Christmas was our first one in our new apartment of Brec’h in my beautiful Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne and my belle France. However, took the boys back to Paris because its always an excuse, because it was my twin boys 18 birthday wow!! now big men, times flies, and because it was the start of decorations, and Christmas market in the Champs-Elysées. Voilà Noël is in the air !!!
The day was begun at the George V parking lot underground ,one of my favorites spots to park my car as in several others. We then proceeded to a huge visit and Dad/Mom hefty price tag at Virgin Megastore (now closed) at the Champs-Elysées. This was great as usual and they got their X360 videogame machine plus all kinds of tapes, and video games. We walk as far as the place de la Concorde, and the big wheel or grande roue was there flashing already a Paris landmark and waited by many. The chalets or market stalls were abundant and nice with wood from the French vosges , all kinds of them, and they were already busy with the crowds. We notice some over pricing, as my oldest son work in the business of souvenirs stores in Versailles, there the prices sometimes are half of those in Paris ::) However, it seems of little importance as folks were gathering gadgets all over the avenue.
Finally it was time to head back, to find something to eat, well we were in tourist heaven so not much choice,however, we had eaten at Pizza Pino at Montparnasse before and it was good portions at good pricing so we opted for it. Pizza Pino has a branch in the Champs-Elysées (now closed) right in front of l’entrecote and next to pizza roma, cant missed it. We left happy as it was, also, my twins birthdays and as they wanted to shop for their gadgets there we ate on site. We did not finish shopping we went across to FNAC another dept store , at the Champs-Elysées, and we purchase two samsung digital cameras (mines) there plus more cd, and dvds tapes for the kids and Dad ::) We then went over to the George V parking garage got in my car and drove over to the port de Suffren where the boat Maxim’s is anchored.
The boat Maxim’s is a double decker maroons off the Seine just below the Tour Eiffel, and owned by Pierre Cardin. Every year I get invitations to the tastings of wine and goodies there, you can eat on the upper deck or just buy and go home. Over the years we have done both, this time we just bought our regular house wines from the Loire,beaujolais nouveau, and plenty of chocolates, French chocolates home made by artists of the genre, really good. The parking there is free with attendance,and you get to see and walk around the Eiffel tower which after so many trps over the years no need to go up again lol! We were loaded ,more broked ,but very happy as usual of our Paris escapades. We headed home but knowing it was late and just the hour for folks coming in and out of Paris for the night activities we took the direction of La Defense, went around the N13 direction Suresnes and reach the A13 at just Versailles, nice ride by the road warrior once again. The day made more special because of my twins boys 18 birthday !!!
On boulevard Haussmann, the windows will delight young and old alike during the end-of-year celebrations. True to tradition, the facades of Parisian department stores like Printemps Haussmann, Galeries Lafayette, BHV Marais, La Samaritaine, and Bon Marché Rive Gauche are decked out in since November with their finest festive decorations. The Christmas Windows of the Grands Magasins de Paris, this is an unmissable Christmas stroll that will delight young and old alike. Every year since 1909, the department stores of Paris have called on the greatest decorators to draw crowds around their bustling shop windows. These shows with constantly renewed decors give off a magical je-ne-sais-quoi and are one of the free walks you absolutely have to do during Christmas in Paris. The showcases are also the scene of surprising sketches where animated automatons and magical decorations rub shoulders in an interactive world… a real spectacle! Enchanting universes imagined and created by craftsmen and decorators with invaluable know-how, which fascinate young and old alike over the years. The main decorations over the years on the department stores of Paris !
The Galeries Lafayette Haussmann is teaming up with illustrator Florent Chavezt and novelist Claire Castillon to honor the plant totem of Christmas: the Christmas tree. With Planète Sapin, the windows of the Layaette galleries tell in images a story imagined around Nordmann, a fir tree character from the planet Elato. We find his illustrated and colorful adventures on the facade of the store with his friends Annie, the little girl with curly red hair and the sloth with the funny mustaches. Also inside the store find the traditional and impressive giant Christmas tree under the new Art dome. Note that, every 30 minutes, the lights go out to give way to a sound and light animation during which the tree comes to life as if by magic. And also inside the store, an immersive experience around storytelling and motion-reactive video projections are to be discovered! The store at 40 boulevard Haussmann, 9éme get there on metro Havre-Caumartin, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann :https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/?s=no%C3%ABl
This year, the Christmas windows of Printemps Haussmann pay homage to the world of the circus and its scenography: puppets and figurines with the heads of animals alongside a ballet of trapeze artists, clowns, a giraffe and of course Santa Claus. All in a colorful universe of yellow, green and red with glowing stars, balloons, presents, flowers and butterflies complete this enchanted decor. Of course, the magic of Christmas continues inside the store with the decor installed under the majestic Wybo dome, which puts on its winter clothes in a magical setting. The store at 64 boulevard Haussmann, 9éme get there on metro Havre-Caumartin, Printemps Haussmann: https://www.printemps.com/fr/fr/printemps-paris-haussmann
The La Samaritaine makes the stars jump with a Christmas window display entitled “Paris leads the dance”. Reopened in 2021, the iconic department store in the center of Paris dots its facade with luminous stars and installs a decoration of varied choreographies. Disco, rock, breakdance or voguing, each window has its own style! La Samaritaine has decided to bet on the world of dance with showcases retracing its modern and contemporary history. Thus, characters sway their hips in the various sparkling windows to the sound of rock, hip hop and disco classics… In addition, four windows have been designed in partnership with the Centre National de la Danse: these tell, using archive videos, the history of dance since the 1930s. In a preview, the dancers of the Théâtre du Chatelet present excerpts from the musical 42nd Street. To be seen on weekends, on the floors of the store. The magic and surprises continue in the store with, in particular, a giant advent calendar, a concert, Santa’s Groove to dance in the aisles of the store and dance lessons provided by Studio Dancefloor Paris! Until January 10, 2023, The store located at 9 Rue de la Monnaie,1éme; and get there on Metro Pont Neuf or Louvre Rivoli. Official Samaritaine: https://www.samaritaine.com/en/events/
For this end of the year, the BHV Marais is putting Provence in the spotlight in its Christmas windows. For this “Christmas in Provence” edition, the BHV Marais takes us to experience the flavors and scents of Provence. Decorations, candles, fir trees, ceramic tableware and interior scents adorn the windows of the department store. Gourmands will find sweets in a chalet decorated in Christmas colours! The store at 52 rue de Rivoli, 4éme and you get there on metro Hôtel de Ville, Official BHV Marais : https://www.bhv.fr/blog/reverie-de-noel
The Bon Marché Rive Gauche adorns itself with its most beautiful decorations and invites young and old to discover how Christmas balls are created with its animated windows. Transformed into a workshop for busy mini-elves, these come in colorful and magical paintings to illustrate the birth of a glass Christmas ball. Elves blow on the glass to form a Christmas ball, turn a gear, or mix gold, pink or purple pigments. The facetious elves write messages to brighten it up with funny words. The result is a fun Christmas ball signed by illustrator duo Toqué Frères. The store at 24 rue de Sèvres,7éme and you get there on Metro Sèvres – Babylone, Official Bon Marché Rive Gauche : https://www.lebonmarche.com/fr
For now, let me give some of my favorite places for goodies in Paris and some new ones,there is always time for new places to enjoy the Bounty of France. The chocolates of the rive gauche or left bank will leave speechless if you try one of our favorites ;Jean-Charles Rochoux, he does marvels with creating chocolate expressions of Christmas or Noêl, this year is the bears in tune. You can get to him at 16 rue d’Assas,6éme. Official JC Rochoux: https://jcrochoux.com/
The all time favorite is the La Grande Epicérie, 38 rue de Sévres,7éme. In 2014, Coming from Australia and New Zealand, resembles a kind of pickle which would be filled with small translucent beads to taste like candy close enough to the grapefruit William Ledeuil associate it with ginger in a carpaccio of Saint Jacques, Olivier Roellinger scattered its oysters and Jean-Louis Nomicos proposes all new French pay per view in the form of sea bream and carrots marinated, lemon basil citrus and caviar. Just wonderful goodies found of an all time favorite, Official: https://www.lagrandeepicerie.com/fr/noel/
And ,of course you need to eat at Poilâne Paris, in 2014 nice biscuit figurines of deers are the return. Get it at 8, rue du Cherche-Midi, 6éme. Official Poilâne: https://www.poilane.com/
The Paris tourist office on Christmas: https://parisjetaime.com/eng/article/christmas-fun-and-entertainment-family-in-paris-a1058
There you go folks a dandy experience , always remember with fondness, this is the season to be merrier, we always try even if memories of the past will come flashing by rapidly. It is always a time to cheers and in Paris much the better. Again, hope you enjoy this post on Christmas time in Paris !!! as I
And remember, happy travels good health, and many cheers to all !!!
