28.11.11

Fiat lux - again





This is not the first time (see previous post) I show the Christmas illuminations on the Champs Elysées, but this year they are new, a new design, obviously less power consuming.
The “fiat lux” took place last Wednesday and our beloved Amélie Poulain, alias Audrey Tautou, pushed the button. Unfortunately I was not present, had another nice appointment, so this picture is from a local newspaper.
The design has completely changed; the trees are surrounded by circles which slowly change colour. I have a doubt with regard to the “Christmas effect”…

  compared to what has been up the last couple of years; this is what it looked like last year.













I had some difficulties to choose the top picture, more or less zoomed. … and, for once, I had to admit that I could not use my favourite automatic settings, so I tried hard, trying to avoid trembling…
… but of course I trembled a little now and then.













The other direction:





Some scenes from along the Avenue.























Half way down the Avenue, on the “Rond Point”, the decorations were also new. Further down there is again a Christmas Market, but I neglect to report about it this year, much more a market than Christmas in my mind.


Marks & Spencer left Paris some ten years ago under not much appreciated circumstances, leaving some 1700 people jobless. They are now back and opened this week a rather modest shop on the Champs Elysées. Obviously more to follow.


34 comments:

Olivier said...

les illuminations de noel, c'est tout simplement magique et magnifique. Superbe spectacle aux champs elysées

French Girl in Seattle said...

Thanks to you, i am ALMOST there, Peter! Thank you so much for this detailed report of "les Illuminations 2011." A big change, to be certain. Not sure I like the new "circles" as much as the old "rain drops." At any rate, I think you did fabulously well, trembling or not! - Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

Nikon said...

Great photos, Peter! I love night photography and you did a fabulous job with the hand held camera. Your "trembly shots" are very nice - the shake produces a beautiful effect!
I like the old decorations better than the circles, I think.

Mrs A said...

The circles are strange! they make it look like a circus! but your photos are fabulous, thank you!

Alain said...

La grande roue de la place de la Concorde ressemble à une cocarde géante et par un curieux effet de perspective, les champs semblent monter vers elle.

Maria O. Russell said...

I don´t care how or where this lights go, the effect is stunning!

Looks like it's very cold out there-I envy you.

Thanks for getting us in the mood for Christmas!

Studio at the Farm said...

Well, Peter, your photos are great, but the decorations leave something to be desired. They really are not Christmas-y at all.

Ruby said...

Great photos of my dream city! I missed spending Christmas in Paris on my 25th birthday - the only chance i had so far.. Thanks for sharing these. :)

Ola said...

very nice and modren ligthening!
I did not know this story about M&S, intersting that here their shops are also not vey popular...

Bettina said...

WOW ! I wanna be there !!!

claude said...

La râleuse arrive.
Je trouve les arbres décorés des champs beaucoup plus beaux l'année dernière que cette année. L'an passé cela faisait vraiment Noël, cette année, ça fait fête foraine.
Tu as raison de douter de l'effet Noël. Je trouve ça moche pour tout dire.
Quant à la grande roue, je rejoins le com d' ALAIN.

Synne said...

I love the polar bear! This year's decorations look dreamy and different - how fun!

Virginia said...

What, you moved the button off Automatic , Automatic?? Ha Good job Peter. Since you are so kind to share links with me, I'll share one with your readers today. Audrey turning on the lights! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tvEDbq7KeU

V

Paris Paul said...

I missed the button pushing ceremony as well! I posted this for my ParisByCellPhone.com blog, but your shots came out a lot better than ones with my cell phone at night! Thanks for sharing, Peter.

sonia a. mascaro said...

Wow! Just gorgeous, Peter! Thanks for sharing these stunning photos.

Starman said...

Love the new lights on the Champs. I love Christmas lights of any kind.

Catherine said...

what a jolly light show - I am actually in Paris this wknd with students for a Mun Conference so i hop we get the chance to come and see these lights...thanks

Lady Mondegreen's Secret Garden said...

What a tantalising taste of the Paris we are to visit. I was thinking of spending our Thursday night there at the Musee d'Orsay but maybe we will just walk the illuminations! The trembling photo is gorgeous :-)

Ruth said...

Blue lights at Christmas in Paris; nothing could be prettier! Except perhaps at l'Heure Bleue. :-)

hpy said...

Claude a encore une fois exprimé une opinion que je partage - au moins en partie. Mais, économie oblige!

Cergie said...

Je suis passée il y a peu à proximité de la Grande Roue qui est revenue place de la Concorde. J’ai remarqué que les balancelles sont fermées à présent à la différence de celles que j’ai photographiées et publiées sur Cergipontin. Ma fille est montée dans celle de Rouen avec sa petite fille, je pense que ce devait aussi être fermé sinon quel dangerosité avec un jeune enfant de deux ans !
(Je suis contente du retour en France de Mark & Spencer)

Cezar and Léia said...

Paris is magnificent and very well prepared for Christmas!
Wonderful lights in this romantic city!
Léia

Nathalie said...

Merci pour ce beau billet. Il fallait des conditions bien difficiles pour que tu abandonnes la fonction automatiques LOL.

Comme toi je me pose des questions sur les cercles de lumière, moins 'Noel' que les autres années ? J'en jugerai sur pièce quand je monterai à Paris !

Marks & Spencer.... toute une histoire. Tu nous en feras bien un billet ?

Shionge said...

Whoa!!! Like a big party going on there Peter :D

I almost have to put on my sunglasses hehehee..

Virginia said...

Now you have seen and photographed all of the windows and now the Champs Elysées! What is left for us to discover? Sigh... Not to worry, I"ll think of something. :)
V

Thérèse said...

An invitation for aliens to come and help us with the economy of lights and other things...

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Brilliant pictures......

Shammickite said...

Marks & Spencer were here in Canada for a while but pulled out suddenly a few years ago. If they are back in Paris, maybe they are planning a return to N America too? We will have to wait to find out!
Your photos of the Champs Elysee Christmas lights are lovely, even the ones where you had the trembles! But it's still only November and it's far too early for me to put my own Christmas decorations up....,. although many people have had them for many weeks, and of course the shops are completely decorated in Christmas mode. I like to wait until nearer christmas!

Parisbreakfasts said...

WOW What a change!
But for the better?
sometimes less isn't more...
I love the look of the old electicity-wasting lights I think

arabesque said...

whoa! the whole place lights up nicely sans ou avec tremble. ^-^
Paris is just pretty inside out.
and yes, je compte les jours jusqua Decembre, haha, am i even saying it correctly. ^0^

joanna said...

Interesting modernistic lighting decorations, great shots,,,
I do like a few of your trembling photos, a nice effect.

joanny

Anonymous said...

Great photos as usual. :) Ah.. Paris.. <3

Jeanie said...

Sometimes when we tremble, the results are all the more magical, and I must confess I love the moving images that give the feel of passing by, the energy and the cheer. Perhaps not so "Christmas." Still lovely.

Trotter said...

Gorgeous!! Also the blurred ones... ;)