A White New Year in Paris

Paris usually gets a few flurries, but I haven't seen snow like this since 1995 (which coincided, unfortunately, with the longest transport strike in 30 years). It snowed on the 2nd of January during the night, and then again on the 5th from early morning until late afternoon. Big fat flurries settled in parks, little garden squares, around trees and on rooftops of cars and buildings.

It warmed up enough to melt on the streets and some sidewalks immediately. Around the center of Paris I didn't see any snow this morning, but in the 13th where I live most of the sidewalks on side streets are covered in a slick sheet of frozen slush. The park in the center of the Place d'Italie has a small snowman. Someone scraped some of the snow off my car hood (which is on a residential long-term parking street, rarely ever driven) to make snow balls.

This photo was taken in the morning before the snow really piled up on the car.

Today the weather is in the mid-teens (Fahrenheit), with more snow predicted for the evening. Pretty, yes, but I'm probably going to do my food shopping at the supermarket instead of the outdoor market today so that I don't slip on the ice or lose feeling in my hands and feet. Despite going to college in Minnesota, I've still got a photograph of an Arizona sunset above my desk reminding me of where I grew up. If I could wear a snow suit and big snow boots, maybe I'd brave the outdoor markets, but I'm afraid I'm just too Parisian at this point to prefer practicality over fashion. I hope my fruit vendor doesn't hold it against me if I don't return until it gets back up into the 30s.

Lena & Pedro in their winter coats.

Lots of Vélib's available today!

A view from the Heather-cam onto Place d'Italie.

Disturbingly lifelike doll sticking out of a poubelle.

La Manufacture des Gobelins (tapestry-making).

Update on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 by Heather

The cold temperatures hit -8°C today, and around Paris there have been interruptions from the cold and snow including the closure of Ste-Chapelle (too cold, it's not heated), the Eiffel Tower (the steps were too slippery), and even the airport in Marseilles, the south of France, where record snows piled up to 29cm. Another week of cold weather (which came down from Siberia, apparently) is expected before things get back to "normal". Hang in there!

Comments

[mim]

We left Paris on the 31 Dec. feeling sad that we didn't see Paris dusted with snow!! If only we'd stay a bit longer. Thanks for the photos, I'm living vicariously.