Nuit Blanche Paris

The "Night of the Arts" thing, aka Nuit Blanche, originated in Helsinki in 1990 and spread, through Nantes, to Paris, and then most of Europe's capitals, Canada, Australia, and now South America. It is a night-time carnival of the arts, many museums and galleries open and free, performances, happenings, and all the rest. Paris' version this year was June 3rd, and we were there, at least for events at the Hotel de Ville. There were Nuit Blanche events in all the 20 arrondisements, but we figured one would be enough for us.

On our walk to the Hotel de Ville

Among the events, at the Quai Hotel de Ville, the Green Line
Marching Band, a rock group

Now in the forecourt of the Hotel de Ville, colorful feathered bipeds
on roller skates enter and skate around

In case anyone is interested, the Hotel de Ville is announcing
the summer Olympics here next year

Program at the Hotel de Ville, some of which we saw

Police special roller skate forces

There for the torchlight roller skate/bicycle/skateboard parade along
the river, which has just begun (we did a video, of course)

Thus

Many participants in white

"So if you're out tonight, don't forget, if you're on your bike, wear
white..." (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, "Something Happened to Me
Yesterday," Let It Bleed)

The parade continues, including at least one unicycle (not pictured)

It was the night of the full moon, a strawberry moon, so we walked
over to the the Hotel de Ville bridge (ask us about the incident of
the light-running Smart car that became engulfed in the sea of derision
and humanity crossing the street (not pictured))   

Us there

Hotel de Ville all lit up

And Saint-Severin on the way back home