Paris Holiday Lights, A Good Mood Booster

There is something magical when the Paris sky darkens and the lights start to glow!  The city of lights and all its beauty takes on another glorious dimension.

It is as though the air electrifies to a higher energy level and vibration, a real mood booster.  Any time of year Paris is a feast for the eyes, but during the Holidays even more so!

It is easier to feel rather than describe.  Night lights in Paris unleash a sense of gaiety in the air.  Whiffs of merriment surround you.

Suddenly you find your mood shifting upwards.  Glittering colored lights affects mood.

Wish you were here to celebrate with me!  Instead, I will take you along on my little mini-tour of Paris holiday lights.

I’ll do all the walking and writing.   Forget wordy observations.  This is just eye candy for me and I hope for you too!  The night air tonight feels refreshing with a cool light breeze.

However corky to say, the fun starts just riding up on bus 68 from my avenue heading north and then crossing the Seine past the Tuileries gardens and Louvre to the Opera Garnier/ Haussman area.

My plan was to start there and walk down Blvd Opera, past Palais Royale, and cross over Rue Rivoli to the Louvre and Tuileries.

 

 

 

 

I get up off between the two huge Gallerie Lafayette department stores.   That area is always congested with shoppers and tourists, but it seems worse tonight, a real thicket of humans to dodge as best I can.

Bumping into strangers here and there is practically unavoidable.  I donned my FFP2 mask, even though I am triple vaccinated.

Omicron is surging in Paris as it is all over Europe.  I avoided even trying to get close enough to get a shot of the adorable animated Christmas windows.  Each one was swarming like bees to a sugar bun.

After weaving between traffic-jammed cars on Blvd Hausmann, I gingerly navigated down Rue Scribe alongside Opera Garnier.

At the corner of Rue Auber and Bld des Capucines stand the revered Cafe de la Paix.  There was a long line waiting to get in and I heard mostly Italian spoken.

I have not been in years, however mythical this place is.   I doubt that the cuisine with tromped-up prices outshines the gorgeous views.

By the time I had crossed Capucines upon Ave Opera, I had been stepped on and bumped into too much despite my careful dodging.

Fortunately some breathing space!  I didn’t think it would be so crowded post-Noel, but I guess there is a new wave of tourists arriving for the New Year.

 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed the walk down Avenue Opera heading towards the Louvre.  The famed Comedie Francais was just simply lit this year.  I did not go to the Palais Royale gardens situated just behind.

The inner courtyard of the Louvre looked splendidly majestic draped in violet with hints of raspberry lights.

I walked in front the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel which was built in 1806 to celebrate Napolean’s victories. It marked a gate to the former Tuileries Palais that was destroyed in 1871.

 

 

 

 

 

The beautiful manicured Tuileries gardens just behind extend to Place de la Concorde and the beginning of Champs Elysees.

 

 

 

 

 

The smaller Arc is perfectly centered and aligned with a straight axe to the large Arc de Triomphe at the end of the Champs Elysees.

The turning red and green Roue de Paris was off to the side brightly lit against the midnight blue sky.  By that time I was feeling famished and opted to take the metro home which is quicker.

The next day I had grand plans to take in Montmartre and the Christmas market, but in light of the continuing explosion of the Omicron cases, I frankly didn’t want to be in any more crowds.

The French are good about wearing obligatory masks on public transports and inside shops.

I was glad to hear that come Friday, masks were again mandatory on the sidewalks and all exteriors.

Geared up with my “bec de oiseau”(bird’s beak) FFP2 NR mask I ventured out again last night.   This time I boarded bus 92 going towards Alma Marceau on the Seine to take in la dame Eiffel.

This bus ventures towards Montparnasse, then northwest passing by Invalids captured through the bus window.  I got off across from the new golden-domed Russian Orthodox Cathedral near the Seine.

The Pont l’Alma offers great views of the La Tour Eiffel and the Seine.   After crossing the river you encounter the memorial to Princess Diana.

I then boarded bus 72 that goes along the Seine, pass Le Grand and Petit Palais to Place Concord where I got off.

 

 

I was disappointed that the fountains on Place Concord were not on, nor was there any special holiday lighting on Place Concord and even the  Obelisk was covered up.

Looking down Rue Royale towards  La Madeleine church was even more disappointing with the facade of the church covered for some sort of renovations.

Here is a beautiful photo of the side of the church in past holiday lighting.

Don’t understand the city not turning on the fountains with all the tourists this time of year!

Maybe has something to do with preventing freezing pipes, but we have had really mild temps most of December.

The Champs Elysees trees lining the avenue were dressed in red lights this year.  The one lone artist looked happy getting a few clients.

 

 

 

 

 

On the northern edge of the Tuileries gardens was a new carnival-type ride, a first that I have seen. The Orangerie Museum above, which houses  Monet’s Water Lily paintings looked lonely and desolate in dimmed white lights.

I decided to take metro line 1 to reach Hotel de Ville.

No ice skating rink this year, but it looked really lovely draped in pretty blue colors with falling snowflakes.

There was a mini Christmas village and the turn of the century merry round was going nonstop to the delight of kiddies.

I then crossed the Seine to see Notre Dame standing serenely elegant and outstandingly beautiful radiating colors of deep blue that turned into raspberry hues.  The only clue of the ongoing renovation was the grue behind.

They did have a small Marché de Noel this year that closed after Noel.

The Bateaux Mouches tourist boats were churning up quite a bit of waves in the narrow passageway that already has a very swift current.

I was surprised to find the Marché aux Fleurs with some holiday lights still open. After walking close to 4 miles, I was ready to take line 4 at Cité back to chez moi, a short 12 or so minutes ride.

Once home, I quickly mixed up my ricotta dill gnocchis for poaching while sipping some Crémant de Loire, enjoying the bubbles while preparing the topping and salad.

I covered the pillow-soft gnocchis in a beurre noisette and topped them with grilled cherry tomatoes, arugula, lemon zest, and parmesan shavings.  Delicious comforting lusciousness!

I felt so satiated that I had no room for some more of my passion fruit-filled Dulcey chocolate Buche de Noel.

Joy is something you have to create or look for, instead of waiting for it to show up on your doorstep.  The holidays are difficult for me since my son died, so I look for any simple pleasures available to brighten up my day.

For me, this includes making delicious dinners, even if I have to do them all by myself!  Lighting my candles, as I do every night,  begins a ritual for prayer and gratitude.

A lot of cities worldwide dress up in special holiday lights.  Take advantage of them to bring in some extra merriment in your own lives.

Be a joy seeker!

Hugs to all.