La Nuit Blanche

Dear All,

Last night, Paris and surrounds celebrated “La Nuit Blanche.” – Blanche, because for one night, pretty well everyone leaves the lights on! – Cafes, restaurants, shops and even museums keep the doors open until well into the morning, so that the partying, weary, thirsty or culture-hungry people of the city can pass a huge night with plenty of fun and laughs.

So! – My “Nuit Blanche.” – First of all I should point out that the World Cup Rugby was in full swing last night as well with France playing off against New Zealand in the qualifier . .. . So the unexpected result of France actually beating The All Blacks meant that on top of Le Nuit Blanche, Paris was absolutely crazy last night!!!!!

So after a quick apperatif at home with the flat mates, I headed out and met up with some other Erasmus students at the Centre Pompidou for a quick night view of the city from the roof. From there we bagan an 8 hour trek. Stopping only briefly every now and again for a loo stop or emergency crepe, we criss-crossed the city sometimes with a plan, but mostly just pin-balling our way through the various attractions and museums on offer for the night. – A highlight though was Les Jardins des Tuilleries. As part of the mass of art installations brought from all around Europe for the night, the Tuilleries had been transformed into a huge walkway between the Louvre and The Champs Elysees – featuring nothing but fire and water.

-While you had to spare a thought for the evident carbon emissions offsetting their “Velib” idea – The sight was incredible! – Flames literally exploded into view and danced around all the way down the length of the gardens- lighting the path and faces of the crowds wandering past. Huge chandeliers of kerosene lamps held up by cranes, and mechanical models bobbed along on the surface of the ponds, making twin reflections on the water’s inky surface. Fire breathing, eating and twirling performers also made their way through the procession, spot lighting themselves in the glow of their flames.


By this point, having passed café after café crammed with French supporters cheering for “Les Bleus” on the way to the Louvre, it became pretty evident that France had won when the roads suddenly flooded with dancing and cheering fans draped in red, white and blue. Car horns were being hooted in successive staccato bursts alongside scooters over-revving their engines and most of the fountains we saw for the rest of the night could boast at least one semi-naked Frenchman singing La Marseillaise with friends, or, just alone - without the friends he thought were going to join him for a swim. Ha.

The rest of the night continued pretty well in the same way, before the last few drinks at an Irish Pub ( as you do in Paris) then a stroll back along the Seine to the Metro we thought was going to be open all night - - - But which in fact closed at 4am.
This was O.k though, because the city was still alive with people – so one by one we walked around the city, dropping off members of the team as we went.

All in all, a great night. And today we’ve got a brilliant sunny day. So I’m off to a park with the housemates for a nap in the sun. Tough times.

Tim.