I really had not planned to attend Marche de Fiertés, the Paris Pride Parade. I absolutely hate big crowds and this is one of the largest anywhere. Estimates ranged from 700,000 to a million participants. I had been wandering around the area near my apartment, trying to dodge the rain and looking for something interesting to photograph in a protected area. Hah! That plan went right out the window. I’d found a 20 piece string ensemble playing under the arcades of Place des Vosges, but they soon packed up like they had someplace else to go. Maybe a parade?

So I continued my wandering in the direction of the Bastille and the parade route, thinking I might as well see if I could get close. Reaching Place de la Bastille I found the whole area closed to traffic with police everywhere blocking pedestrians from the roadway. Looking up Boulevard Henri IV towards Île Saint-Louis I could see the parade was headed my way. I got into position to take some photos and from that moment on I was hooked. I’ve never seen so many people in one place ever, and they all looked to be having a great time despite the rain.

Since there were sometimes gaps in the parade I took the opportunity to change my location, walking backwards towards the rear until I finally reached the left bank and the parade’s end. Enjoy the rain splattered photos. Clicking on any will give you a larger photo and allow you to view all in a scrolling carousel.