Christmas Eve in Paris (Part 2): Notre Dame and Beyond

I left St. Sulpice and headed toward the Saint-Michel area, turning first for one last look at the church:



This small sculpture of a woman was hanging from a tree along my path, and I thought it was beautiful:



I reached the Saint-Michel metro and decided to pop into the Saint Andre cafe for a glass of wine, but not before snapping this photo:



I noticed while watching the crowds pass that the French do not wear the "Christmas sweater" that is so common in the southern U.S. The only nod to the season I have seen reflected in clothing is one girl's Santa hat. But from my perch on a reedy chair, I see a man ride by on his bike, smiling so happily that I want to ask him where he's going. I see an American guy in the bar, who appears to be meeting his girlfriend's French mother. He keeps gazing at his girlfriend's hand while she pushes a glass toward him. I also see a man and woman on the street, huddling together to see how his photo of her, posed in her long lavender coat against a Christmas tree, has turned out.

Feeling refreshed, I head toward Notre Dame cathedral, reached by crossing a bridge from the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) to the Ile-de-Paris. I looked back at the Seine while crossing to the island:



And then caught my breath as I glimpsed Notre Dame in the dusk light:



Drawing closer, I saw that the brightly colored square was a sign with information about the updates to the cathedral, which looks fabulous:



I admired the roof of the nearby Hotel de Ville, along with the curving lines of a street light:



As you can see, there was quite a crowd here--I did not realize it then, but the Archbishop would be conducting Midnight mass at Notre Dame:



The cathedral was beautifully decorated outside for the Christmas holiday (I saved my visit inside for another day):



A statue of Charlemagne sits outside--he looked impressive against the setting sun:



The setting sun did beautiful things to the winter Paris sky that night:







I walked along the Seine, thinking I would find a drink at the Ritz Hotel, then dinner nearby, and watched the tour boats pass by:





This apartment appeared truly lovely to me, with its wood-beamed and painted ceiling, flower boxes and bread on the balcony:



Some of the bridges along the Seine are particularly charming:





A few shops were open for last-minute shoppers:



I believe this photo, while not entirely focused, shows the view of the Left Bank and Eiffel Tower quite beautifully:



I turned north from the Seine, searching for the street that would slant northwest toward the Ritz, and saw this well-lit church (yes, the photos are blurred, but I still like them!):





The Rue de Rivoli was brightly lit by these hanging Christmas lanterns:



Even this metro stop was decorated for the holidays, with an artistic touch:



At this point, my feet were tired and I was exhausted (due largely to jet lag), and very much looking forward to curling up on a chair in the Ritz Hotel bar with a warm drink. However, much to my disappointment, when I finally located the hotel, I did not find there the warm hospitality I have found at other Ritz hotels. Rather, the hostess turned me away, saying they were too booked, even though there were many empty tables and I told her I just wanted to enjoy one quick drink before heading out for dinner. I was too tired even to eat dinner, so I found a taxi and returned to my hotel, where I sank gratefully into a very deep sleep for the next 12 hours.

More later on Christmas Day in Paris . . .