Mattie and I just finished our second session of French classes here in Massy, so we decided to have a little celebration. We took a trip up to Paris to enjoy the Christmas sights.

Our first stop was at a diner called Breakfast-in-America. While the name explains itself, it is important for me to emphasize a few key things. First, endless syrup! Big deal, right? Well, syrup is not French commodity. Syrup is very expensive here; when we use it, we use it sparingly. So to enjoy endless syrup on pancakes is quite the treat! Second, bottomless American coffee! An American cup of coffee brewed in a “Bunn” restaurant brewer in France is hard to find. You get the idea. While we don’t necessarily miss these things from the States, it is always a nice treat to enjoy them when we can.

 

After a quick stop at La Maison de la Bible (“The House of the Bible”), a Christian bookstore in Paris, we passed through the busiest underground railway station in the world, Châtelet-Les Halles. Approximately 750,000 passengers pass through the station each day. Ironically, I had given an Italian couple on an earlier traindirections that passed through this station earlier in the day…after passing through it myself, I realized that there is no possible way they made it through without additional help!

We arrived at the Galeries Lafayette department store. The building is 10 stories and is known for their over-the-top Christmas displays. Unfortunately, they chose a rock-in-roll theme this year that just didn’t do much to impress us. We did notice a jacket that was priced at 675€ ($900). Mattie pitched a fit in the store, but I didn’t give in! Just kidding. We did leave empty handed though.

Our final stop was at the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées. It would be comparable to New York’s Fifth Avenue. It begins at Place de la Concorde, the location of the infamous guillotine where notables such as Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were executed (along with thousands of others during the French Revolution). Today, there is a ferris wheel in the square. As the sun set on Paris, we also found a beautiful silhouette of the Eiffel Tower.

Along the road this time of year are beautiful Christmas decorations and a Christmas market. If you want it…they have it. Mattie found a chocolate covered marshmallow. After about 1.5 miles walk we reached the Arc de Triomphe, erected by Napoleon to honor those who died in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. Below the Arc is the French equivalent of the tomb of the unknown soldier. It is quite a site at night with all the lights and the overwhelming traffic.

 

Christmas adds splendor to an already beautiful Paris. The lights, markets, and special treats are fun. Yet God is nowhere in Christmas here in Paris. Christmas in Paris is an empty, hopeless celebration of food and family. There are no court battles over nativity scenes in public places. There is no national debate over “Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays.” The French society excluded God long ago, and now they celebrate His birth without Him. The need for laborers to share the Gospel in France is so great. This Christmas will you pray specifically for God to send more missionaries into the harvest fields of France?

We wish each of you a Joyeux Noël!