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Post by GitteK on Nov 20, 2008 5:44:11 GMT -5
For those of you who are going to Paris during the coming month, here are some ideas for Christmas'ing: L'Arche de Noël à la Défense Christmas market with more than 250 huts Christmas decorated Du 26-11-2008 au 28-12-2008 De 11h à 19h30 Sunday-Friday De 9h30 à 20h Saturday ESPLANADE DE LA DEFENSE 92800 LA DEFENSE  Marché de Noël et village du Père Noël PLACE SAINT SULPICEDu 10-12-2008 au 24-12-2008 All days 10h00 à 20h00 PLACE SAINT SULPICE 1, place Saint-Sulpice 75006 PARIS Le Village du Père Noël sur la place Saint-Germain des Prés Du 05-12-2008 au 31-12-2008 Du lundi au dimanche de 10h à 20h PLACE SAINT GERMAIN DES PRES 75006 PARIS  Marché de Noël Champs-ElyséesThe market stretches from the Rond-point des Champs-Elysées to Place de la Concorde Du 20-11-2008 au 04-01-2009 Avenue des Champs-Elysées 75008 PARIS Marché de Noël Place des Abbesses Du 28/11/2008 au 30/12/2008 1, place des Abbesses 75018 PARIS Marché de Noël à la Maison de l’Alsace Du 29-11-2008 au 28-12-2008 All days 11h à 20h Maison de l’Alsace 39, avenue des Champs Elysées 75008 PARIS  Marché de Noël à la Gare de l'EstDu 29-11-2008 au 13-12-2008 De 08h - 20h Monday-Saturday De 09h à 19h Sunday GARE DE L'EST Parvis Gare de l'Est 75010 PARIS Marché de noël PLACE DE LA NATION Du 01-12-2008 au 24-12-2008 All days 10h à 20h 75011 PARIS Marché de Noël à la Tour MontparnasseDu 28/11/08 au 29/12/08 All days 10h30 à 19h30 A row of multicoloured huts offering regional, food products and handicraft items. Lots of ideas for presents and there will also be tastings of hot wine... Place Raoul Dautry - 33 avenue du Maine 75015 Paris  Marché de Noël à Disney VillageDu 12/12/2008 au 06/01/2009 Monday-Friday de 15h à 21h30 Saturday-Sunday de 11h à 21h30 DISNEY VILLAGE 77777 MARNE LA VALLEE RER : Marne la Vallée - Chessy |
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Post by Anne on Nov 20, 2008 8:51:15 GMT -5
The pictures or even just talks of the marché de Noël at the foot of the tours de la Défense always set my teeth on edge . And now I read that there is one at Tour Montparnasse too  ... Anyone want to see authentic, centuries-old Xmas markets located on ancient squares and streets take the train to Alsace or Germany ! (Yes I know, Germany is not the point in this forum :  . When I was a child, there was NO Xmas market in France outside Alsace, and now they have them everywhere and in the most inadequate locations  . |
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Post by GitteK on Nov 20, 2008 8:54:43 GMT -5
The pictures or even just talks of the marché de Noël at the foot of the tours de la Défense always set my teeth on edge . And now I read that there is one at Tour Montparnasse too ... Aren't people in La Défense or Montparnasse allowed to have Christmas markets ? What's wrong with that ? Moi no comprendo......  |
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Post by Anne on Nov 20, 2008 9:28:32 GMT -5
It is not about the people, it is about the location . You will find some pictures of the marché de Noël in Strasbourg here, it may help you to understand : www.photo-alsace.com/thematique/tourisme/marche_noel.phpTo me, Christmas markets are about tradition, the Alsacian ones date from the 16th century and are all located in ancient parts of ancient cities, a "gemütlich" atmosphere . Their recent spreading all over France is about business, but OK (after all, the fact that Strasbourg's market is now about twice as big than when I was a child is about business too ) . But to me, a Xmas market being located in such a modern, cold place as la Défense is a shocking anachronism and a painful remainder of the business aspect . Sorry, I guess that it is all about childhood beliefs of mine that I haven't been able to forget about  ... |
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Post by phread on Nov 20, 2008 9:42:08 GMT -5
The marche de Noel at Montparnasse and St Germain are commercial crap feature junk mostly from Asia.
The marche at St Sulpice is made by or for the benefit of associations benefiting the handicapped.
Anne is right, the authentic Marches de Noel are in the east and, having been at xmas time, I can tell you that they are light years away in quality and atmosphere from the junk in Paris.
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Post by sistereurope on Nov 20, 2008 10:03:21 GMT -5
I have to side with Anne and Phread on this one Gitte! To me, it's like the malling of America - once you start putting Christmas markets in office parks it kind of takes the charm out of them, you know?! It becomes about the commerce, rather than the tradition (which is also very American, come to think of it! ;D)
Of course I am VERY partial having spent several Christmas holidays in Germany...as much as I LOVE Paris and all things French, in my opinion no one can beat those Germans when it comes to the traditional Christmas market. And I just love that Glühwein!! ;D
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Post by sunshine817 on Nov 20, 2008 10:14:46 GMT -5
Talk about conflict...a marche de Noel at Disney Village, an address I drive by at least 2-3 times a day, so ultra convenient for me.
But it's Disney. (shudder)
Happily, one of the other links pointed out a few others in small villages in our area...so I'll go to THOSE, instead.
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Post by Happygoin on Nov 20, 2008 11:19:36 GMT -5
Last year, Sistereurope, Luckymama and the Gorgeous Italians wandered by the Christmas market outside St. Germain. We were all underwhelmed.
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Post by sistereurope on Nov 20, 2008 11:22:37 GMT -5
Hey, that's right happy...I forgot all about that!
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Post by willow on Nov 20, 2008 12:19:03 GMT -5
Hmm we were planning on trying to see one of these markets in their final days as we arrive on the 30th, but it doesn't sound like its worth the time. We have a Christmas market downtown in Chicago as well as one in my town of Schaumburg modeled after our sister city in Germany. That may be a better bet.
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Post by GitteK on Nov 20, 2008 13:00:03 GMT -5
Geez.......... you ladeez are one bunch of half-timbered, home-cooked, hand-knitted sentimentalists !! ;D I'm going to Berlin on 16.-18. December, so I'll post some really purrty pics of old-time German Christmas markets for ya' !  BTW, I don't know how many of you have been to La Défense after dark ? It does have a strange, silent poetry and beauty quite of it's own - despite all the steel, glass and concrete.   |
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Post by sistereurope on Nov 20, 2008 13:26:32 GMT -5
Gitte- Please promise to have some Glühwein in Berlin for me, and I'll grant you that there is something to the eery beauty of La Defense all lit up at night...  |
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Post by Anne on Nov 20, 2008 14:01:06 GMT -5
Exactly Gitte, "sentimentalism" is the word that I was looking for, not "beliefs" ! So I am not ashamed to say that I do indeed view this subject with serious remnants of childhood sentimentalism ! Just the smell of Glühwein and pain d'épices on Strasbourg's market make me melt ... I have never been to Berlin so I cannot comment on its market . |
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Post by denise on Nov 21, 2008 3:21:23 GMT -5
:)Thanks for this list Gitte, I am sure it will be very useful. Love Denise |
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Post by mossie on Nov 21, 2008 6:08:29 GMT -5
Anne, thanks for the link to the real Christmas markets. And Gitte, thanks too for your link.
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Post by sunshine817 on Dec 7, 2008 8:35:47 GMT -5
Hi ladies (and randy and mossie ) Went into Paris yesterday -- the marche at la Defense is enormous -- but we were disappointed, frankly. Had a glass of vin chaud (only 2,50 -- and a BIG cup!) -- and bought some saucissons and jambons from Catalan, but didn't see anything really unique or special enough to make a good Christmas gift. The marche at Abbesses is tiny -- maybe a dozen chalets. Walked along the Champs Elysees -- which is absolutely GORGEOUS with all the blue-silver lights! The "marche" at Maison d'Alsace is a dozen tables with things mostly made in China  but with an Alsatian motif. (sorry, Anne, they didn't do all that well by you!). The marche along the Champs Elysees is all mass-produced items -- fairly decent, but nothing special or unique. Hopefully we'll find better marches soon! We had a great time, though -- it was fun to just amble the city with all the bustle of the holidays! |
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. When I was a child, there was NO Xmas market in France outside Alsace, and now they have them everywhere and in the most inadequate locations 
.
...
but with an Alsatian motif. (sorry, Anne, they didn't do all that well by you!).
Let the riot begin! LOL - 
hahahha