Fete da la Musique

Did France have pagans? Whether they did or not, the spirit of tree worship continues today with the Fete de la Musique, the annual solstice festival, which was last night. All over France, bands and DJ's set up on street corners and play all evening, while the crowds wandered around, dancing, and buying crepes, gaufres, or ice cream, or sometimes swigging wine from the bottle.

I was at home last night packing for my trip to Rome today but did walk around the neighborhood to check it out.

Outside my window was a guitar player doing a classic rock set-- in the pic below you can see his guitar peeking out from beneath the awning.
Down the block, there was a group line dancing to some kind of polka music, while a guy shouted out the steps. A gauche! A droite!
More dancing...
On one end of place St. Jean this guy was doing a long drum set....
... and on the other end some brass band was playing.And the sun set behind Cathedral St. Paul on the longest day of the year. Time: 10:18 PM.