Christmas spirit at the Champs Elysées

After an abundant Thanksgiving lunch today, I decided to take a digestive stroll down to the "Village de Noël des Champs-Elysées", thinking this might be a good start into the Christimas spirit. Oh boy was I wrong.

I had to fight my way out of the metro, shove myself past the 160 little chalets surrounded by hundreds and thousands of people. Whiffs of churros, onion soup, chocolate waffles, mulled wine and incense were taking turns as I pushed my way down the world-famous Champs-Elysées.
American Christmas songs from the 50s and 60s blaring out of loudspeakers and fake snow hanging from the roof tops is not my idea of a quaint Christmas market. Don't get me wrong I adore Dean Martin and Bing Crosby at Christmas but where has the traditional cosy holiday feeling gone?

I guess with over 1 million tourist walking up and down the Champs Elysées every single weekend something has got to give. So I went hunting for some good shoots instead. See for yourself:

Metro Champs-Élysées - Clemenceau

Full moon over Place de la Concorde

Looking towards Pont de la Concorde at sunset

Boule de neige au chocolat

Babushka dolls

3 Euros for mulled wine is a good deal

Kids ride down the slide

Ride down the Champs Elysées

1 out of 1 million

Christmas lights lining the Champs-Elysées

Place Clemenceau

Trendy restaurant "L'Avenue" on Avenue Montaigne