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Fortune has allowed me to celebrate several significant occasions in
Apart from its beauty, the special thing about
The Christmas lights were spectacular. In the Galeries Lafayette main store, a five storey Christmas tree hung from the top of its historic glass cupola, so that the beauty counters on the ground floor would not be disturbed. The Champs Elysées was a vision in blue: every tree twinkled with tiny blue lights. From the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, with its huge illuminated Ferris wheel, the sight was truly stunning. The Eiffel tower, that global icon of the city, had its own light show that lasted for ten minutes every hour; sparkling stars ran up and down the delicate-looking structure that was built in 1889 as the entrance arch for the World Fair.
It was not expensive to visit many of the magnificent museums: the Orangerie with its fine Monet collection cost 6.5 Euros, about R65. One can spend an entire day in this glorious place. It was closed for refurbishment for many years; every time I was in
The city is not only about museums. To take in the mood I wandered through the cobbled streets off the Boulevard Saint Michel; rue St. Séverin was lined with restaurants, and led to a warren of walking streets. My very favourite was rue de Buci, off the Boulevard Saint Germain; on market days it is buzzing, and on ordinary days magnificent displays of seafood and other delights tempt the stroller. I can recommend the 'Prix Fixe' menus offered at many restaurants, which consist of two or three courses at a fixed price; escargot in the shell, a hearty Boeuf Bourguignon followed by Créme Brulée will keep the cold and drizzly weather at bay.
Don't let winter weather put you off visiting this splendid city; there are great advantages in being able to get into any museum or restaurant without crowds, and at this time of year the visitor is especially welcome. You can immerse yourself in Frenchness. On a previous visit it snowed; that made the hot chocolate even more delicious!
Gone are the stereotypes of rude French waiters smoking foul-smelling Gauloise. Smoking has been banned in public places, and that includes restaurants. The rudeness, real or imagined, has given way to people who are exceptionally helpful and willing to speak English. French people may have changed, but