Something for the Weekend (1st - 3rd July)

A few suggestions for things to do and places to go in and around Paris for this first weekend of July.

Activities

First Sunday of the month = free museums
Many of Paris's national and municipal museums offer free entry the first Sunday of the month.

Click here for a full list of those that are included in this initiative.

A Treasure Hunt
"Dive into a real treasure hunt in the Parisian street maze" says the official website, but what does this mean exactly? Basically it's a fun way to explore the backstreets and courtyards of Paris, meeting artisans and artists, looking for the solutions to a series of enigmas. You can follow the treasure hunt or as a team, and all clues and questions are available in both French and English.

The treasure hunt takes place on Saturday 2nd, and you just need to register at one of several town halls across the city.

Full details can be found here: http://www.tresorsdeparis.fr/en/

Trésors de dinosaures
The Institut de Paléontologie Humaine near the Jardin des Plantes will be open exceptionally throughout the summer, displaying a wide range of dinosaur fossils. The exhibition is organised in association with Sotheby's, as all of these pieces will be auctioned off in October. So, if you've always been looking for a 11 metre long Diplodocus, you now know where to go to find one!

Find out more here: http://www.fondationiph.org/spip.php?article146.

A giant leap over Montmartre
After throwing himself from the Eiffel Tower last year wearing just a pair or roller blades, skater Taïg Khris will this Saturday attempt the world's longest jump in front of the Sacré Coeur.

See a video presentation here: http://www.m6mobilemegajump.fr/

Give me a wall so I can escape
Described as a festival of urban culture, this three week event begins Friday and is based around several sites in the East of Paris. Although it features some music and dance, it is mostly a celebration of street art. Several galleries are involved, but it is also an event that is open to anyone. To join in, visit the large 40 metre long wall in the Square Karcher on the Rue des Pyrenées.

Full details can be found on the festival's Facebook page.


Restaurant and Bar of the Week

Le Petit Trianon
Closed for over 20 years, and recently opened after several months of renovations - the goal of which was seemingly to make the place look old - Le Petit Trianon alongside the concert venue of the same name in Pigalle, is perhaps the bargain of the week. In an area which specialises mostly in sex shops and tourist traps, this honest restaurant, featuing a range of classic dishes, casually plays on its history as a 19th century meeting place of the artists of Montmartre.

80 Bld Rochechouart, 75018, M°Anvers
http://www.letrianon.fr/restaurant/

Take a Break from Paris

A Sporting Weekend!

If golf is your thing, make sure you catch the Open de France taking place at the Golf National course in Saint Quentin en Yvelines to the south west of Paris. You'll get a sneak peek at the 2018 Ryder Cup venue. http://www.alstom.opendefrance.fr/index_opendefrance.aspx

If you're more of a cyclist, you will no doubt already have noted that the Tour de France begins this weekend. The race arrives in Paris on Sunday July 24th, but if you can't wait that long, head out this weekend to the Vendée. The first stage leaves from the picturesque Passage du Gois which links the island of Noirmoutier to the French mainland - at low tide! http://www.letour.fr/2011/TDF/COURSE/fr/le_parcours.html