The Journées du Patrimoine: My Suggestions

One of the highlights of September in Paris is the annual Journées du Patrimoine (heritage days) weekend, where access is given to a wide range of normally closed to the public locations. Popular opinion will tell you that the event can involve nightmare 2-hour queues to visit some places (the Palais de l'Elysée, or President's residence for example), but my recommendations are a little more out of the ordinary, and I can promise you that you won't queue at all!




(Re)Discover the Train Stations of Paris
The theme of this year's event is 'le voyage', so what better place to start than at one of the city's train stations? Amongst other discoveries, you'll get a view of the city from the balcony of the Gare de l'Est, and at the Gare de Lyon you'll be able to climb the famous clock tower.

Full details of events can be found here: http://www.gares-connexions.com/fr/gares-du-futur/journees-du-patrimoine-2011

Our Daily Bread
The 'Du Pain et des Idees' boulangerie near the Canal Saint Martin is not only a superb example of a 19th century establishment with its ceramics and painted glass, but also one of the best in the city today. To celebrate the fact that the shop is listed as a historic monument, and also the fact that baker Christophe Vasseur also uses 19th century techniques, the boulangerie will be open for the weekend for a series of events, including the chance to make your own dough!

34 rue Yves-Toudic, 75010

Mémorial du Bazar de la Charité
Built on the spot of a terrible fire that cost the lives of over 150 members of the aristocracy (with around 95% of the victims being female), this chapel is always open to the public daily. What is more rarely seen though is the memorial section at the rear which explains the tragedy in more detail and celebrates the lives of the victims.

Rue Jean-Goujon, 75008 Saturday - Sunday 14:00 to 17:30

The Musée des Moulages
The Musée des Moulages Dermatologiques (museum of dermatological casts) within the walls of the Hôpital St Louis is a very private museum and generally open only to students and those working in the medical profession. Featuring casts of real examples of terrible skin diseases, it is rather gruesome, but for historical and artistic reasons, it is also strangely fascinating!

Hopital Saint Louis
1 Avenue Claude-Vellefaux, 75010

Palais d'Iena
The Palais d’Iena is perhaps the most well-known and well-respected building of the architect Auguste Perret. In wonderful simplicity it manages to combine classical, academical principles with modernist design and materials.

The building was erected between 1937 and 1946, initially to serve as a museum of public works. This initiative was however not very successful, and since 1959 it has hosted the Conseil économique, social et environnemental (French Economic and Social Council). The public is not generally admitted inside the building so the patrimoine weekend offers you the opportunity to view the fantastic interiors, which include an auditorium for 300 people and a monumental staircase.

Palais d’Iena
9, Place d'Iéna - 75016

Maison dite de Marie Touchet
This house, invisible from the street, is a rare exemple of renaissance architecture in Paris. Built at the beginning of the 16th century, it is a mixture of stone and coloured bricks, and divided into two parts. As it is generally only open to the public once a year during this weekend, it is the ideal opportunity to discover this little known building.

22 bis rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 75004

These are just a few of my suggestions, but I'm sure there is something for everyone in the full list of Paris events!

Something for the Weekend (9th - 11th September)

Back to school, back to reality. Paris now begins its Autumn cycle, with a whole series of events planned before the end of the year, so although the temperatures may be dropping and the days getting shorter, there's still a lot to look forward to!

Activities

We Love Green
A music festival cannot simply be a music festival anymore, but now must also be responsible and leave as small a carbon footprint as possible. Being held on Saturday and Sunday at the Parc de Bagatelle in the west of Paris, the We Love Green festival combines an interesting line-up (a mix of folk/pop and chilled dance) with an ecological spirit. There may be one small problem to put a dampner on the party - rain is predicted this weekend!

See the official website for more details on the full line-up: http://www.welovegreen.fr/


KIOSQUORAMA
Another 'responsible' and 'eco-friendly' musical event, but this time completely free. Being held in a selection of bandstands around the city over a three-week period, it matches up a series of up and coming bands and musicians with additional stands promoting local actors in sustainable development activities.

This weekend you'll find the roadshow at the Square du Commerce in the 15th on Saturday 10th, and at the Place des Fêtes in the 19th on Sunday 11th.
Full details of events can be found here: http://www.kiosquorama.org/.


Tours Circus in La Défense
The skyscrapers of La Defense will provide a spectacular backdrop to the first edition of a new street circus festival. Featuring a number of internationally renowned companies, it will include fanfares, dancers, acrobats and highrise performers.

In the evening, a show mixing the opera and the circus will provide a spectacular end to the day's events.

Saturday 10th and Sunday 11thFind out more here: http://www.ladefense.fr/n/la-defense-tours-circus/


Hangawi Grand Festival
The celebrations of the Chinese and Hindi communities in Paris are now well known, but the festivals of the Korean community are more secret. This Saturday at the Jardin d'Acclimatation, the Hangwai grand festival will give you the chance to celebrate a Korean harvest festival. Although there is unlikely to be any Korean crops on display, you will discover some of the community's arts, traditions and cuisine!

Saturday 10th, 11am - 4pm
Jardin d'Acclimatation
Bois de Boulogne - 75116

Restaurant/Bar of the Week

Le Pearl

Lindsey from the Lost in Cheeseland blog is hosting 'Paris's first foodspotting event' this Friday at her friendly neighbourhood restaurant Le Pearl. I'm not sure what foodspotting entails, although it seems to involve taking photos of your lunch with an iPhone and sharing it on social networks. Whatever the logic is behind the service, Lindsey's event is a great way to discover a new venue and meet a few people. From one of her previous visits, it does seem to be a place worth checking out too.

Le Pearl
46 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud, 75011, M°Parmentier/Oberkampf

Take a Break from Paris

A Sunday tour of the Vexin

The Vexin is a verdant plateau to the north-west of Paris that stretches out towards the Picardy and Normandy regions. Although not geographically far from Paris, it can be tricky to explore, particularly using public transport, which is why the Baladobus scheme is such a good idea.

Throughout the summer and until the end of September, the (balado)bus picks up passangers from the Pontoise and Cergy train stations on Sunday mornings and takes them on a tour of the Vexin region, taking in castles, museums and quaint villages, before dropping them back off at the station at the end of the day.

Download the PDF for full details of times and the sites to visit: http://www.parc-naturel-vexin.fr/uploadfile/BALADOBUS.pdf

Something for the Summer

Paris Weekends is taking a holiday for the summer, so rather than the weekly recommendations, you will find here a list of the principal activities on offer in Paris this July and August.


Paris Plages

The original Paris Plage celebrates its 10th birthday this year. In the last couple of years it has also spread out to the Basin de la Villette which offers a more laid back atmosphere and more emphasis on water sports. The event runs from July 21st to August 21st, and you'll find full details on all activities here.


Of course, this initiative has also lead to imitators around the world, some of which can be found in the neighbouring towns of Paris. Two examples this summer:


Puteaux Plage from July 2nd - August 15th
Lutece Plage at the Parc Asterix!


A 'plage' is not just somewhere to go when the sun shines though, but also at night. La Plage at the Glaz'art bar near La Villette offers concerts, DJ sets and petanque throughout the summer.


Cinema under the stars

The main outdoor cinema festival is held each year in the La Villette park. This year's theme is 'D'une rue à l'autre' (from one street to another), and runs from 19th July to August 21st. The full programme can be found here.

The Cinema au Clair de lune festival organised by the Forum des Images also aims to get people out watching films under the stars (or streetlights) from August 3rd - 21st. The full programme can be found here.


The 11th arrondissement will also host some outdoor film shows, but you'll need to bring your own chair!


If you're outside Paris, chances are you might find a temporary open air cinema on your route. The Cinesites organisation tries to couple heritage sites with suitable films, and there are plenty of interesting combinations planned this summer!

Summer bars and venues
Several places in and around Paris dress themselves up (or down) for summer, putting on a series of special events. Here is a selection of some of the most interesting:

La Bellevilloise: La Grande Prairie is a 500m2 loft with artificial grass, fake flowers and deckchairs, but also a cool venue with cocktail bars, massages and events scheduled throughout the summer.

Le Petit Bain: The newest arrival alongside the Seine, a floating wooden box offering a casual restaurant and Latino themed music throughout the summer.

Les vendredis de Longchamp: Each Friday evening, the Longchamp racecourse turns into a spectacular outdoor nightclub!

Culture
Several cultural festivals are organised in Paris during the summer.

Paris Quartier d'Ete: The biggest festival of the summer, offering hundreds of events in a wide variety of locations in and around Paris, from July 14th to August 9th.

BitterSweet (Paradise): Six venues, ten days, fifty artists. A celebration of indypop music from July 14th - 23rd. One of the planned events will also combine music with knitting!

Music in the park: The Parc Floral remains one of the best places to chill out at weekends throughout the summer. The jazz festival runs until July 31st, when the Classique au Vert classical music festival takes over (until September 25th)

Something for the Weekend (8th - 10th July)

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

Activities

Haute Cuisine
Surely the most pretentious event of the weekend, if not the year, ('an emotional and aesthetic journey'!) but it may be of interest to some. The idea behind the event - held in the Palais Royal gardens - is to couple cuisine with the current ongoing Haute Couture shows in Paris, attempting to find links between the worlds of food and fashion. What is perhaps most irritating of all about the event - and perhaps something that outlines clearly the objectives of the organisers - is how they have transformed 'haute cuisine Paris' into a registered trade mark (visible on this page)!

See here for more information: http://www.hautecuisineparis.com/site/GB/

Fête des Tuileries
For something much less pretentious, with food that is anything but haute cuisine, try the funfair in the Tuileries. Although it is dressed up as being something with historic roots, it is in fact just a strip of fun rides and activities, some of which are reserved for only the most daring (or those with the strongest stomachs, especially if they have also just eaten some chichis).

Full details can be found here: http://www.feteforaine-jardindestuileries.com/index.html

Un Petit Bain
The newest venue on the Seine is a floating barge called Le Petit Bain. Designed specially by a collective of architects called Encore Heureux, it combines a concert venue of 450 places, a rooftop terrace and a restaurant all inside something that looks like a wooden box. Concerts are generally on a Latino theme, and it should be the hottest location of the summer!

Find out more here: http://www.petitbain.org/.

The Triathlon de Paris
Staying alongside the Seine, the Triathlon de Paris is taking place this weekend, starting with a 1.5km swim in the river by the Eiffel tower. Although it is of course too late to sign up now, it should be spectacular to watch and very photogenic, and a temporary village has been set up on the Champ de Mars with stands that may tempt you into trying the discipline next year!

http://www.triathlondeparis.fr/

Restaurant and Bar of the Week

Le Cafe des Musees
Not a recent opening or a venue that has suddenly become fashionable, but one that has remained simple, reasonable and of good quality over a number of years. Amateur food critic John Talbott reminded us of its qualities with a post on his blog this week, describing "food that is fine and as well-priced as one can find in Paris".

49 Rue Turenne, 75003

Take a Break from Paris

Enghien

Just 15 minutes from the centre of Paris, Enghien is nevertheless a world apart. The town is based around a lake and spa at its centre which gives it the second part of its name - les bains. This water feature also gave it a second advantage as - given the obscure licencing laws in France - it was able to install a casino.

However, this summer it is at one of the town's other attractions that most of the action will be taking place - the Hippodrome d'Enghien. As well as the standard racing, a whole series of other events are being organised, two or three days a week, throughout the summer.

Full details can be found here: http://www.cheval-francais.eu/fr/les-actualites/evenement-et-manifestation/enghien-invitation.html

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

Something for the Weekend (24th - 26th June)

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

Activities

Happy birthday Quai Branly
The Quai Branly museum celebrates its 5th birthday this weekend with a series of events and visits, both indoors and outdoors. The highlight will arguably be a conference on Sunday afternoon with Gilles Clément, designer of the fantastic gardens.

For more details, see the official website: http://www.quaibranly.fr/fr/programmation/les-fetes/5-ans.html

A 3D garden at the Hotel de Ville
Remaining on a garden theme, this weekend sees the installation of a temporary garden (until July 15th) in front of the Hotel de Ville. What does a 3D garden entail though? According to the city of Paris, it combines architecture, decoration and land art, and is an investigation of angles and optical illusions.

Full details, including photos, can be found here.

Magnum Days
Famous photographer agency Magnum is hosting a series of events around their offices in the 18th arrondissement until June 26th. Alongside exhibitions and workshops, you can even have your portrait taken by Martin Parr or Bruce Gilden!

Full details can be found here: http://events.magnumphotos.com/magnum-days-june-2011

Summer cinema
Summer has arrived, and that means the beginning of several cinema festivals, both indoors and outdoors. The nationwide Fête du Cinema begins Saturday and runs until July 1st. The principle? Buy one full-priced ticket, then all other tickets for the rest of the week will cost you just 3 Euros each.

This weekend promises to be warm and sunny, so why not watch some films outside? In the Domaine de Saint Cloud to the West of the city, a series of films will be shown from 10.30pm, including Sean Penn's 'Into the Wild' from 3am on Sunday morning! See the full programme here: http://www.saintcloud.fr/ville/index.php?p=actus&type=alaune&article=5451

Visits with Architects
A second weekend for the 'A Vivre' organised visits to private houses and apartments with both the property owners and the architects who redesigned the spaces.

The full list of places to visit in Paris can be found here: http://www.journeesavivre.fr/JAV11/TC_GeneRegion.asp?T=visit&ST=visit&R=PARIS-75

Futur en Seine
The Futur en Seine festival, an investigation of innovation in the Paris region, comes to an end this weekend. The 104 Arts centre will welcome the 'Village des Innovations' with robots, augmented reality and artistic performances, and the closing party at Enghein les Bains (free bus service from Paris) will be centred on a giant floating 'ghetto blaster' installed on the town's lake!

Full details of the festival can be found here: http://www.futur-en-seine.fr/

Wake in Progress
In honour of Bloomsday, the Shakespeare and Company bookstore will be displaying a selection of pieces from Wake in Progress, Stephen Crowe’s ongoing project to illustrate every page of Finnegans Wake, until June 30th. Variously described as 'ambitious', 'mad' and 'one of the most incredible and beautiful things I have ever seen.

Shakespeare and Company,
37 rue de la Bûcherie, 75005

Restaurant and Bar of the Week

Frenchie
Much hyped restaurant 'Frenchie' opened a wine bar annex just opposite the venue this week, which makes it most talked about location of the week. Given the waiting lists at the restaurant though, I'm not sure if it's even worth mentioning this new addition or not. Anyway, it should be a little more casual, so you can always wander by and have a look.

Le Frenchie and Frenchie 'Bar à Vin'
5-6, rue du Nil, 75002
01 40 39 96 19, http://www.frenchie-restaurant.com

Take a Break from Paris

The Paris Air Show at Le Bourget
Taking a break from Paris usually means getting away from the crowds, but that certainly won't be the case at Le Bourget. Nevertheless, it's the only opportunity you'll have in the next two years to see the latest developments in aviation and some truly spectacular flight displays.

Full details here: http://www.paris-air-show.com/en

Something for the Weekend (17th – 19th June)

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

Activities

Skateboard Culture
For its first major summer theme, the new Gaité Lyrique centre has chosen skateboard culture. Although the links between a 'sport' and a place with a mission to explore digital culture may not be immediately obvious, organisers point out the many artistic spheres skateboarding has influenced, including music, graphics, cinema, photography, fashion and video games. All of these will be featured in one way or another over the summer, and there will even be a mini-ramp in the park opposite for those who want to learn or practice their skills!

For more details on the exhibition (which begins this Saturday), see the official website: http://www.gaite-lyrique.net/en/programmation/theme/public-domaine

Salon Emmaus
Emmaus is a charity that seeks to help the poorest and most vunerable members of society. As a means of fundraising it often organises auctions and sales. The biggest of all is held this weekend at the Porte de Versailles where thousands of bargains (and no doubt thousands of bargain hunters too) will be ready to be snapped up.

Full details can be found here.

More Jazz
Following the launch of the Paris Jazz festival (mentioned last week), two more jazz festivals begin this weekend. At La Defense, the term 'jazz' is used loosely, but the large-scale free events are desgined to attract the largest number of people possible (up to 20,000 people at each concert). The festival begins this weekend with a show by drummer Manu Katché, with guests including Sly Johnson and Finlay Quaye.

Full details here: http://www.ladefense.fr/agenda/concert/la-defense-jazz-festival-2011/

At Saint Ouen the jazz is 'manouche' and on a smaller scale, but can be found across the town in the 'puce' markets, in bars and on street corners.

Full details here: http://www.festivaldespuces.com/

Visits with Architects
Each year, A Vivre, an architecture magazine, organises a series of visits to private houses and apartments that have been redesigned by architects. The visits are run by both the property owner and the architect concerned, giving an insight into the reasons behind the design and how it works in practice. Around 20 properties can be visited in Paris (both this weekend and the following weekend), but the reservation system does seem to be a little complicated. Good luck!

The full list of places to visit in Paris can be found here: http://www.journeesavivre.fr/JAV11/TC_GeneRegion.asp?T=visit&ST=visit&R=PARIS-75

Bar of the Week

Curio Parlor
This week I discovered a new bar in the city thanks to an invite to an evening organised by Kim at I Heart Paris. A good time was had by all in a nice (but hot!) space just slightly off the main tourist trails. The Curio Parlor claims to be a modern-day speakeasy, but it actually looks more like the kind of place that was probably a swingers club not so long ago, but that's cool!

Curio Parlor, 16 Rue des Bernardins 75005

Restaurant of the Week

Pink Flamingo Pizza
The Pink Flamingo is more a take-away joint than a restaurant, but that's perfect because this Sunday it is being used as the feeding station for a 'Pizza picnic' by the Canal Saint Martin to celebrate the first year of the Paris by Mouth website. Get yourself a slice and join in the fun!

Full details here: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136255876450745

Take a Break from Paris

Provins – Les medievales
Although just an hour from Paris, a trip to Provins is like a voyage back to the middle ages. At no time is this truer than during the 'Medievales' festival, where the whole town is taken over by minstrels, jousters and hog roasts. Balls and banquets are also organised, as well as presentations and displays of medieval arts and crafts.

Full details here: http://www.provins-medieval.com/