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The Toronto Christmas Market: An Adopted Tradition
With restrictions in place due to the COVID pandemic, Christmas festivities are quite muted this year. So I thought I would attempt to boost the holiday spirit by sharing some memories of the Toronto Christmas Market past. Started just over ten years ago, this month-long seasonal festival has quickly become a favourite of all ages. And no wonder! For not only does it light up Toronto’s historic Distillery District at the darkest time of the year, it also offers a smorgasbord of tasty treats and unique gift ideas. A Christmas Fantasyland I love visiting the Distillery District at any time, in part because it is home to my favourite local…
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Christmas Eve in Paris: Notre Dame
After spending the first part of my Christmas Eve in Paris at Sainte-Chapelle, I made my way across the Seine to the Saint-Michel area of the city. I had some time before the start of Midnight Mass at Notre-Dame Cathedral and I was in search of a tasty treat. I’ve always found this to be a neat little area. It’s a collection of tiny, ancient, pedestrian streets lined with touristy shops and restaurants and lots of atmosphere. Christmas Crêpes As I wound my way through this labyrinth, I came across the rustic Crêperie de Cluny on Rue de la Harpe. Perfect, I thought. And as I entered the restaurant, I…
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Christmas Eve in Paris: Sainte Chapelle
In the heart of Paris, on the tiny Île de la Cité, a stone’s throw away from Notre-Dame Cathedral, sits the stunning Sainte-Chapelle. This other ecclesiastic treasure of the City of Light is difficult to see from the street though. You see, it forms part of the Palais de Justice – Courthouse – complex. And so it is tucked in behind the walls of this prestigious institution. A Gothic Masterpiece However, as I walked along Boulevard du Palais one Christmas Eve, past the gorgeous clock on the wall of the Conciergerie, I caught a glimpse of it, hovering above the courthouse. I had just finished enjoying un chocolat chaud –…
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Christmas in Paris: Marché de Noël
One of the things I most wanted to experience when planning to spend Christmas in Paris in 2016 was the Marché de Noël – Christmas Market – on the Champs-Élysées. Imagine, hundreds of metres at the foot of that grand avenue lined with little chalets offering all sorts of wonderful Christmas treats. And the majestic Arc de Triomphe overlooking it all! I had read all about it and couldn’t wait to experience a true, European, Marché de Noël. That year, the market ran from Place de la Concorde to the Champs-Élysées roundabout, overtaking the boulevards on both sides of the avenue. Savoury Snacks Above all else, the market is a…
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Christmas in Paris: City of Light – Part 2
A gentle snow is falling as I write this. The view outside my window makes it look as if someone is sprinkling icing sugar over my neighbourhood. Slowly it’s blanketing the ground with a fine layer of white, as if decorating a cake. Christmas is definitely in the air! So what better time to continue my Christmas in Paris: City of Light tour? Luminous Place Vendôme If you’ve read my post Christmas in Paris: Window Shopping, you will remember that much of it focused on the Place Vendôme area. So let’s return there for a bit. This time we’ll take a look at the decorations on the exterior of some…
