Yes, that's right -- it was last night, so most of you missed it. But please put this on your agenda if you have travel plans for October 2010.

I find it just as fascinating every year, and it really throws a different light on the different areas of Paris. It is most definitely a family event for Parisians, and I saw the kids still in hyperdrive at 2 in the morning. It just one Saturday night a year, and anything can happen.

Anyway, here is my traditional photo essay about my 'Sleepless Night' - http://tinyurl.com/ya7nnfy

Your photo essay was wonderful! Thank you for sharing it with us. I think I am going to mark this on my 2010 calendar. Hope my son (and my husband) can stay up that late!

I'd love to be in Paris during that night. I'd for sure have to take a nap during the day to stay up past my bedtime. LOL Your pictures are terrific as usual, thanks so much for sharing your evening with us.

Thanks for posting your photos.

Toronto had it's fourth Nuit Blanche last night - I lasted till 3:30 - was waiting for the swing dance class at the reference library which had a different sort of dance lesson every hour (they installed a dance floor) but hit the wall and had to get home to sleep but the dance floor was still crowded.

The streets downtown were packed and many were families. It helped that the weather cooperated.

That looks fabulous. I wish we had still been in Paris but we returned Sept. 22nd. Maybe next year we'll go later.

Morningglory, that sounds like a great idea, so I can understand why it was popular. I hope that all of the various cities will not only trade their ideas but also trade some of these installations so that they can be seen more than once.

Swing dance had it's own installation in another venue - it was supposed to be like a '30s depression-era dance competition, last couple standing type of thing.

It's odd what's popular - one of the big banking halls had a big pool of vodka and, despite having glass windows, there was a big line up to get inside and see it closer...maybe they were giving samples?

The fair rides in the financial district had big lines, too. And greasy food stalls.

I got the impression that some of the installations had been in other places previously. Here's the link to our event http://bing.search.sympatico.ca/?q=S...&setLang=en-CA - maybe some will be familiar to you.

After seeing ours for the last 2 years, it would sure be fun to be in Paris for yours.

I was at Arts et Metiers too last night, Kerouac, and was underwhelmed. Clearly I should have followed you around to Buttes Chaumont and that great soccer field, but instead I walked through the Marais and saw some rather boring installations, except for Electra in the garden of the Bibliotheque Historique. I haven't uploaded my photos anywhere yet, so here she is: http://www.nuitblanche2009.com/2-cha...-video.html#24

Thanks so much, kerouac. I really enjoyed your photos. EJ

What a cool thing! At first I was noticing how there was no continuity in any of it, then I got the hang of it- all independant installations everywhere! Once I saw something like this in singular form in San Francisco- then I heard of a kind of art "happening" that takes place then vanishes in several minutes. There was a tall African American guy on roller skates, wearing neon butterfly wings flashing on and off, pushing a huge beat box around a plaza. Other people gradually joined in a conga line- all on skates. In minutes, an officer scattered the whole thing. It took me months to realize it was a Happening.
Your essay is amazing, and greatly appreciated.

I was in Paris for Nuit Blanche in 2002. Watching the sun set from the top of the Arc d'Triomphe was fantastic. A great way to celebrate my 41st birthday!

I saw the NB last year. I remember the gigantic screens in Gare St Lazare; great pics BTW.

http://www.parisdailyphoto.com/
Check out the entry for 6 October. It's hard to know whether or not it has the same impact up close, but it seems a very cool display from a distance, n'est-ce pas? EJ

I knew they were doing something across from the Square Villemin, but I didn't know what. Now that I see the photo, I'm sorry I missed it, because it wasn't far from Stalingrad.