Fête de la Musique in the Marais

Midsummer's Eve is celebrated throughout France with music! The Fête de la Musique consists of free concerts and events, but most popularly music in the streets. We wandered around St Paul and the Marais after dinner, catching the last rays of sunshine, and some joyful vibrant music.

There was cool jazz in Village St Paul, with a choir in the next courtyard …

singing sweetly to those gathered around, and diners at their tables nearby.

St Antoine was crowded with young and old, many carrying drinks, strolling from one music group to the next. We crossed over and dived deeper into the Marais.

People danced in this little square, to songs like Rolling down the River, and Back in the USSR,

everyone cheering, calling, singing along, and having a great time! Around the next corner we could hear a brass band …

and another lively crowd, phones in air filming it all …

So much energy and fun, we walked on, with others filling the streets so that the occasional vehicle had to creep along and hope eventually to get by …

diners made the most of the music festival …

happy faces where everywhere!

This was one of several crowd singalongs we enjoyed … where someone handed out music and words to willing singers, and someone else conducted!

A French Madrigal group needed specialist listeners, it was almost comical, but just a little strange for us ….

so we continued into Place des Vosges where the arched building fronts created inviting spaces for groups of all kinds….

while others like these drummers sat on the pavement against the park in the centre of the Place.

Now we were tired and turned for home, a B&B in St Paul. It was a long day, with breakfast on a beach in Brittany, two trains back to Paris, then via the Metro to the Marais, dinner with our son, all before going out to enjoy the music. I hope you have also enjoyed the Solstice, whether it is Winter or Summer, it is a turning point in the year and worth celebrating.