Throwback Thursday

 

Crêches in churches are removed on the last day of January and signal the end of the Christmas holiday season.

 

Castle in a window

A Christmas tradition originating in Kraków, szopki are ornate castles that showcase Nativity scenes.    

 Above: a gleaming szopka takes up the entire window of a Polish bookshop on Boulevard Saint-Germain

Crèche hopping

  

A favorite outing during the Christmas season is visiting Nativity scenes / crèches de Noël - each unique - set up in churches all over the city.

Above: inside l'Église Saint-Pierre de Montmartre

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More:

Église Saint-Roch

Église de la Madeleine

Église Saint-Eustache

Église Saint-Joseph Artisan

 Église Sainte-Marie des Batignolles

    Église Saint-Léon

Église Notre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle

Église Saint-Pierre du Gros Caillou

Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville

Église Saint Sulpice

Église Saint-Jean de Montmartre

Église Saint-Étienne-du-Mont

Èglise Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

 

Nativity ball

Nativity scene inside a giant inflated ball in front of l'Église Saint-Pierre in Montmartre.

Nativity scenes

This life-sized crèche from Eastern Europe is one of many set up in churches across the city.