Nuit Blanche

Nuit Blanche is one night in the year when Paris offers free events. There is an aid to finding them but I found it difficult to use because it just listed the artist, only when you open the link did you discover what the event was, and when in the night it happened.
So I went and photographed the nightlife. I did ask at the tourist information how to get the best from the evening but she was very honest and said she did not know. We agreed on a trial and error approach - actually hopeless in reality. If you ever visit this event, plan ahead and get to 2 or 3 you want to see. Anything else is a bonus (more that 3 if you want to stay up unit dawn - I didn't).
So here are some photos from the evening. I did get to see the event at the town hall. Cinema clips. I wondered what I was in for, I could not have guessed!
Click to open photos in full size for the best effect.

Notra Dame

Acrobat dancers were here. Not an official part of the night but I had seen them before and they were good.

Cafes were doing well.

This Paris street lamp failed to light up the road.

Hotel de Ville - Town Hall to you and me. Note the London bus.

Samsung high definition, probably in use for the HUGE cinema clips.

Balloons later given away. I did not get one.

The queue. I joined because they suddenly when in in large numbers.

Inside there is a large screen in the courtyard.

When I got in, the screening was of divers under water. No words but lots of diver noises. Then it ended, so I waited until it restarted. When it did, there was no title just a pulsing blob of living stuff. Underwater jelly creature, I wondered? No, the next picture is from the film and is of keyhole surgery in incredible detail. The tube you see on the left will soon shoot out a sack into which the earlier cut out tissue will be placed by pincers. Very graphic. I noticed there were not so many people watching this one.

I went home via the river so had more opportunity for photos. I loved the lights on the water, so you have lots to look at.

Hotel de Ville again, from the other side.

And here with the french flag lit up at the top.

So why "nuit blanche" - I am not sure. But thinking about it, it probably borrows from "carte blanche" since you are "free to visit anything".

If you are prepared to queue.

Comment :
A’ white night’ in English is a sleepless one. It’s probably why they expected you to go on ‘til dawn!
daddad