Greetings from Germany and a Christmas market....

I left La Pouyette with a blue sky....
took the TGV train from Angoulême to Strasbourg
via

 Poitiers...

Tours....

Valle de Marne....etc....
direction Strassburg....

... all along with a wonderful blue sky,
and then I was welcomed by thick fog at my brother's place
which is about 40 Km South-East of Strasbourg, 
at the other side of the river Rhine.

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Thick fog, grey on grey, drizzling, cold.....

...even so....

there is always something beautiful to discover

in the old fashion farmer's garden...

thousands of "frosty diamonds"....

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Not to forget....

....the "Güggelie"...

fluffed up because of the cold and wetness...

....waiting for their  "Din-Din"...

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Let's get in Christmas mood....

with Strasbourg's Christmas market

which is the oldest in France, dating back to 1570, 
at a time when the Alsatian capital was not even French. 
In Alsace, it is locally known as the “Christkindelsmärik”, 
and takes place in the Altstadt, the old part of Strasbourg.

 


December in Strasbourg means, above all, the immense Christmas market,
 which has been existing for 444 years. It was in fact in 1570, 
under the influence of the Strasbourg Protestants battling against the "extravagant" Catholic traditions, 
which were so attached to the names of saints, 
that the Christkindelsmärik replaced the market of Saint Nicholas.






Thus the atmosphere which reigns in Strasbourg is unique. 
It is especially in the late afternoon, just as night is falling, that the magic sets in, 
as if the city, suddenly conscious of the disappearance of the forces of the sun, 
compensates for the absence of the heat and light with new ardour: 
shop windows gleam, decorations twinkle on the facades, 
the smells of spices and cinnamon bring back childhood memories 
and Christmas carols drift out from the depths of churches......





The Christmas Market itself spreads out into many streets and squares of the city centre, 
in particular Place Broglie and the Cathedral Square. 
Several hundreds of stall holders tempt the stroller with original gifts 
 and traditional ornaments for decorating the tree and the nativity scene. 
There are also many treats to feast ourselves on : sweets, mulled wine, doughnuts...

I hope that you enjoy this little tour....

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I'm off to the Black Forest, no matter the weather!
A bientôt.....