An incredible scene captured in the centre of Paris one December evening. As we were walking back from dinner, we began to hear the roar first of several motorbikes, then of several dozen, then of hundreds all at once. More than 1,000 motorcyclists had gathered for a motorcycle parade through the centre of the city - and they were all dressed as Santa Claus.

The event is the Carabalade, a charity bike ride begun in 2002 to raise money for orphans of firefighters which is now an annual fixture for the city's motorcyclists the Thursday before Christmas. 

Recorded by Cities and Memory.