Totally Frenched Out

From the blogger formerly known as Samdebretagne

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Marché de Noël

For the fifth year in a row, my best-laid plans to go to Strasbourg were foiled. I swear I will make it there some day! Knowing that, I decided to visit the marché de noël at La Défense after hearing that it was the largest Christmas market in the metro area. It was my first visit out to La Défense - I'd been wanting to go check it out since this summer, but was always too lazy to buy an extra ticket out to zone 3. However thanks to Karina, I found out that if you take line 1 out there, you can just use your regular zone 1-2 ticket roundtrip (but you do need a zone 1-3 ticket if you take the RER - who knew?). So guess who will be making another trip out there in the near future to check out the shopping mall...
The market itself was a bit disappointing though - the decorations were great, but 90% of the stands had nothing to do with Christmas. Just the regular knick-knacks that you find at any other market, though there seemed to be some kind of rule that your stand had to say "magique" some where on it if you wanted to participate. We saw magic wallets, magic hats, magic toys - the list went on and on.The only Christmas-related stand there:
But who cares, when you've got vin chaud and gooey raclette cheese to keep you warm right??

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12 Comments:

Blogger Anna said...

Go to Strasbourg! It's seriously worth it. But the raclette at La Défense is pretty good.

December 9, 2008 at 6:51 AM  
Blogger islandgirl4ever2 said...

Hey there....

I went yesterday with Dawn, Eliz, and Andrea to La Defense... I had vin chaud for the first time ever and it was good!!! There are lots of good things to eat there...
Alex and I are going to Strasbourg on the 23/24... I am sure you'll make it there one day...

December 9, 2008 at 8:36 AM  
Blogger Global Librarian said...

Assuming Global Baby's residency permit arrives in time, we are going to the Strasbourg Market. I'll take pictures for you.

December 9, 2008 at 8:53 AM  
Blogger Anne said...

Aw it's a shame to miss the Strasbourg markets then again, if and when you do go, try and avoid the weekend! Trying to navigate the narrow markets along with two million tourists is not my idea of fun!

December 9, 2008 at 9:12 AM  
Blogger shannon said...

I've been to three Christmas markets so far this year. The one at La Defense (which I did go to last year), the one at the Champs Elysees, and the one in Amiens (which is supposed to be the biggest one in the North). I must say, I've been pretty disappointed by all of them. Except for the food and wine stands... those are good. This week, I'm going to the one in St. Quentin. Though small, it's really cute and sweet, and they have snow machines making real snow! Plus, a tent that has an "old fashioned" Christmas. This weekend is the one in Chauny... I was gone the weekend of it last year. I hope it at least has the Christmas spirit!

December 9, 2008 at 10:46 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love La Défense by night any time of the year ! My sister lives in the area so each time I go to Paris, I spend some 'quality' time in the parvis.

December 9, 2008 at 5:44 PM  
Blogger Starman said...

If you like shopping, you'll love Quatre Temps.

December 9, 2008 at 7:45 PM  
Blogger Leah said...

Can we please make a date to go to the Strasbourg Xmas market next year? I've been dyyyyying to go for like 5 years now as well!! And I totally agree about the booths being rien a voir with xmas...Rennes had one last year that serrrriously had some dude selling his old kitchen utensils and tupperware...laaaame. But, Strasbourg sounds cool, plus I've never been to the eeeeeast. Ok, all these elongated lettttters mean I'm tired...I go now.

December 9, 2008 at 11:18 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Oh now this is the type of market I miss so much! I still question why they don't do this in north america!

December 10, 2008 at 1:31 AM  
Blogger Megan said...

That is the first time I have seen Raclette at a Christmas fair.

December 10, 2008 at 6:21 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think pretty much all the Christmas markets content is the same across the board. Metz has our own markets and I've been to Strasbourgs last year and it was the same stuff in Metz..knick knacks which are mostly junky kind of things (or seriously overpriced) But the decorations, vin chaud and saucisse are worth checking it out neverthelss!

December 10, 2008 at 12:25 PM  
Blogger Anne said...

I've been long puzzling over the logic of the La Defense RER stop being in zone 3 and the metro being in zone 2. I learned this the hard way when I couldn't exit at La Defense with my 1-2 Navigo. Fortunately no one was around when I went under the turnstile!

December 11, 2008 at 8:48 AM  

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