We are already in December. A lot of houses in my neigh borough are decorated with Christmas' colors. This year is going to be my first Christmas in the United States, my first Christmas in IUP and, most of all, my first Christmas away from Paris and my family. This article is not to make you feel sorry for me but to make you discover what a Christmas in Paris is.
I'm excited to discover how you celebrate Christmas here but I have to admit I don't really feel like it's going to be Christmas soon. Since, I will not stay here during the break, we don't have any Christmas tree or decorations in my house and the streets are forlornly dark. At this time, my house in France is full of decoration and the Christmas tree has an overabundant decoration. Outside, in every city, there are luminous tinsels everywhere on the street lamps and on the shop and houses' windows.
City council of Saint- Ouen, the city where I live in France. Map. Picture by Google image.
Here are the places almost every Parisians- including me- go during the Christmas period:
The Champs Elysées
The best thing to do when you spend Christmas in Paris or close to Paris is to go to the Champs Elysees. You will see the beautiful illuminations, the stores' decorations, the Ferris wheel, enjoy traditional dishes and find present's ideas in the 170 small chalet-style house built for the Christmas market.
Tree's decorations and the Ferris Wheel; Louis Vuitton's luminous store windows on the Champs Elysees. Picture from paris.photobynight.com
More than a million of luminous dots illuminate the 415 trees of the most beautiful avenue of the world. It's more than 180 000 m of luminous tinsels and LED bulbs, more observant about the environment. Thanks to them, Paris will reduce its electricity bills to about 70 percent according to the French newspaper, Le Journal du Dimanche.
This light fairy will cost about 2,5 millions of euros- $3.35 million- to the storekeepers and the city.
This year, 15 millions of visitors are expected.
Boulevard Haussmann and the Galleries Lafayette
For 50 years, the Haussmann Boulvard and the Printemps and Gallerie Lafayettes' windows-a famous department store company- are, for Christmas, the inescapable places for families to admire the Christmas' animated stores. These illuminations will cost a million of Euros but these consumption's temples will make a quarter of their sales during this period.
Boulvard Haussmann stores'animated windows. Picture from www.linternaute.com/ paris
The Eiffel Tower
From the Eiffel tower's side, a luminous show recounting the monument construction, more than a century ago. The strobe light effects, the game of light and color follow the five minutes of sparkling that mark each hour every day from 8 p.m. It will last until December 31.
Eiffel Tower's Illuminations during Christmas. Picture from Google Image
For me, a Christmas full of light and decorations, full of people and full of things that make you smile like a kid is a real Christmas. That's why I love Paris during this period.
And for you, what is a real Christmas?
Where is your favorite place to celebrate it?
I hope you have appreciated the trip.
You have such a fascinating life! I can't imagine going from Paris to Pennsylvania... do you enjoy it? Great French guide to Christmas, too. I've always wanted to spend the holidays there, it's so pretty.
Thanks!
Yeah, I'm enjoying a lot. As i said, it's not easy every day but it's a great experience that happens one time in a life so i'm taking all the good of it.
You should go there one day. It's not because i'm French but it's an absolutely beautiful place to go and particularly during Christmas and the summer.
Thanks for your comment.
Hi nice post, I have shown a few colleagues this as they all don't think much of the switch we made from 54w to a 12w LED and i must say the new LED bulb is alot brighter than my old bulbs. But of course the main difference is the cost saving and energy saving i will benefit.
It's crazy, I have still never been to Paris, even though I grew up in Britain and have been in Europe all my life. Any time of year will do me - gotta do it soon!
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