Christmas-time in Paris

Saturday
A day of contrasts today. This morning we were out in the countryside, enjoying the sunshine, going to the glass workshop in Soisy-sur-Ecole, to buy some gifts, then on to the nearby village of Courances to their Christmas market. We enjoyed lunch at a sushi place in Milly-la-Foret, then we took the train up to Paris to see the Christmas lights. The train and metro were actually free today, due to high pollution levels in Paris - at least the third day in the last few weeks this has happened. We started on Boulevard Haussmann, seeing the windows of the big stores Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, as well as Galeries Lafayette's glamorous interior and big Christmas tree, this year made entirely of paper. We then went on to elegant Place Vendome and several other illuminated streets, finally taking in a little of the Christmas market at Champs Elysees before going for dinner.

One year ago: Santa in Samois!