Subdued plans for Paris New Year

THERE will be no fireworks to mark the arrival of the New Year in Paris, but official celebrations will still be held along the Champs-Elysées.

Officials including the Mayor of Paris, the head of police and the President of France had been discussing whether celebrations should go ahead in the wake of the November 13 attacks.

While the street has long been an area for people to congregate for New Year, official celebrations were not organised until the first ones took place at the end of 2014 when more than 600,000 people attended.

There will be no fireworks at this year as the city remains in shock following the gun attacks which killed 130 people.

Instead a video will be projected onto both side of the Arc de Triomphe and on a screen along the street.

“The event will be above all symbolic. It’s aimed at sending out a message to the whole world: Paris is standing and the Parisians continue to live,” said the capital’s mayor Anne Hidalgo at a press conference to announce the plans.

The celebrations will also be short: the Champs-Elysées will not be closed to traffic until 23.15 and will reopen at 00.30
Photo:Falcon® Photography