BRING ON THE FÊTES!

It’s hard to believe we’re rounding the corner into the 2009 holiday season! Paris, and every other city and town in France, loves to celebrate and there is no more magical, or romantic, time of year than now to be part of the scene.

SHOPPING DE-LIGHTS
December lends a special glow to the shop windows of Paris, which really does live up to its “City of Lights” appellation at this time of year. Among the best and brightest:

• The department store, Printemps and the Galleries Lafayette
• Au Bon Marché (which lights up its building exterior)
• BHV - Bazar de l'Hotel de Ville (one of Paris’ most historic department stores), famous for the animated dolls and puppets that frolic in the store’s windows

ILLUMINATIONS
Many of Paris’ avenues and neighborhoods sport beautiful holiday illuminations. Our favorites include: The Champs Elysées • Avenue Montaigne • Place Vendôme • Rue de la Paix • Rue de Castiglione • Rue Saint-Honoré • the top of Montmartre


TAKE NOTE:
• The Paris Catacombs are closed at the moment – they were vandalized & the repairs are most likely to last until early 2010…

• The Picasso Museum, Paris, closed for renovations until early 2012

• D’Orsay Museum – certain galleries will be closed, starting in December, while the impressionist exhibits are being reorganized

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES! We’ll be back with the blog next week, Tuesday, December 1.