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Archive for the ‘Things to do in Paris’ Category

Contemporary Art Market at Bastille

It was Hemingway who first referred to Paris as a moveable feast. In another sense, life in Paris is also a repetition of moveable feasts in the form of reoccuring fairs, festivals, markets and other events. There is a hardly an official Paris calendar that can keep track of them all.

The Bastille district is particularly well-endowed, with its bi-weekly market on north side of the monument, and it’s annual events on the arsenal side. On roughly the same dates each year (end of October, beginning of November) the contemporary art market (Grand Marché d’Art Contemporain) is held along both sides the canal that feeds into the Seine.

The event is tremedously popular because it allows art enthusiasts to visit 500 exhibitors in one walk-through. Most of the exhibits are held by the artists themselves, and it is always more gratifying to buy art directly from the artist. There is art for just about every budget, and the constant flow of visitors from all horizons makes it less intimidating than the typical art gallery, not to mention more economical. There is no intermediary for in the art market, except for the market organisers, who sell entry tickets for 8€.

This year is the 37th edition, with the theme of “The Eternal Feminine”–an eternal theme in itself.

If you missed out this year, think ahead for 2012 and reserve your nearby accommodations on ParisSharing. Albeit on a much smaller scale (and with no entry fee), you can also experience the weekly Bastille art market each Saturday morning throughout the year.

See more information about the Bastille district.

Fall brings a new season of exhibitions to Paris museums.  Here is a list of the top five exhibits to see while visiting The City:

Grand Palais -  Of Toys and Men (September 14, 2011 – January 23, 2012)

Of Toys and Men is the history of toys in the western world and highlights the importance of toys in children’s education from birth.  The exhibit is possibly the largest toy exhibit ever featuring thousands of toys from Antiquity to modern day.

Centre Pompidou – Edvard Munch (September 21, 2011 – January 9, 2012)

The Centre Pompidou presents Edvard Munch, l’oeil moderne [Edvard Munch, the modern eye], a collection of eighty paintings, thirty drawings, fifty photographs and a film all shown for the first time in France.

Musee Maillol – Pompei (September 21, 2011 – February 12, 2012)

In 79AD, the city of Pompei was completely buried under lava and ash from the catastrophic eruption of the volcano Vesuvius.  However, the extremely well preserved ruins of Pompei rose from the ashes when they were discovered in the 1700’s.  The exhibit guides visitors through a typical Pompeian home, featuring over 200 artifacts including wall murals, vases and jewelry.

Musee du Louvre – La Cité Interdite – Forbidden City (September 26, 2011 – January 9, 2012)

The Louvre exhibit features 130 artifacts from China’s Forbidden City on loan from the ancient imperial palace museum.  Artifacts range from jade carvings, lacquerware, seals, porcelain and bronzes to personal items previously owned by Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors.

Les Arts Decoratifs – Goudemalion – Jean Paul Goude Retrospective (November 11, 2011 – March 18, 2012)

Les Arts Décoratifs welcomes this grand retrospective of Jean-Paul Goude, the French graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, director and art director. For over 40 years, Goude has been one of the advertising world’s leading “image makers”, who is best-known for his campaigns for such brands as Perrier, Citroën, Galeries Lafayette and Chanel.

Fall is one of the best times of the year to visit Paris, and it’s an excellent time to take advantage of some of ParisSharing’s wonderful apartments at special fall prices.

If you have visited Paris before and seen the main attractions – Notre Dame, Les Invalides, Louvre and other hotspots – you may be looking for other ways to enjoy this exciting and vibrant city.  Here are ideas for some of the more unusual things to do in Paris.

Guided Tour of L’Opéra Garnier

Be transported back to the luxury and opulence of the Second French Empire in the 19th century when you take a tour of the palatial L’Opéra Garnier. As you go around this sensational building prepare to be blown away by the sumptuousness of the interiors. At every turn, the surfaces are upholstered in velvet, decorated with gold leaf, or embellished with statues.

Highlights include the Grand Escalier (Main Staircase), the great chandelier in the auditorium, and the painted ceiling by Marc Chagall.

Perfume Making Workshop in Paris

One of the most delightful things to do in Paris is to make your own perfume during a special hands-on class! This enjoyable workshop introduces you to the perfume-maker’s skills and secrets. You will also find out about the origins of Eau de Cologne, which may surprise you. Its birthplace is actually Florence and not Paris or indeed Cologne!

Learn to smell and describe the ingredients of an Eau de Cologne and also gain an understanding of the constituents and characteristics belonging to different families of odours.

Horse and Carriage Tour

This is surely one of the most romantic things to do in Paris! Return to the pre-automobile era as you ride in an elegant carriage drawn by magnificent glossy horses. Enjoy the jangle of the harness and the envious stares of the onlookers. And there is need to worry about the weather – there is a covered top in case of rain and plenty of blankets to keep you warm in winter.

Montparnasse Tower

You may have been up the Eiffel tower, but did you know that the views from the soaring Montparnasse Tower (210-meters high) are even more spectacular? From the 56th or 59th floor of Montparnasse Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Paris, you can see for 40km (24 miles). Below you is the busy city with its famous landmarks – Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Sacré Coeur, Musée d’Orsay, the Arc de Triomphe and many more – laid out like a map. The Tower is open every day till late and there is a café on the 56^th floor, where, if the mood takes you, you can sip Champagne while gazing out at a Paris sunset.

Cooking Lesson and Wine and Cheese Tasting

Keen cooks and gourmets looking for things to do in Paris will just love this experience. In a hands-on master-class you can learn to make classic dishes and interact with people who share your passion for French food. You can also enjoy sampling the dishes you have cooked in class as well as tasting some delicious French cheese and wine.

About the author

Guest blogger Vik has been traveling around Europe since 1985, the tip he offers to first time visitors is to opt for skip the queue by booking your Versailles tours online.

While another global economic crisis is lurking, we at ParisSharing are intent on making travel to the city of lights an affordable proposition in spite of it all. During the second half of August, we are offering our guests the following freebies:

A free night’s stay in a real Parisian self-catering apartment.

This offer is valid for a stay of at least 5 nights. Otherwise, you will receive a 10% discount off the normal price. There are currently numerous choices available and you can see a list of these by making an availability search on www.paris-sharing.com.

Free lunch at a selected ParisSharing eatery

We’ve gone to some length to find great value eateries. So, if you happen to be traveling with kids, or are on a tight budget, you can still enjoy eating out as well as eating in (since your ParisSharing apartment provides you with a splendid kitchen!). You can see our list of eateries by clicking here. The free lunch is valid for a value of 12€. If you don’t think it’s possible, just check our list. In addition, if you find another eatery worth sharing, write up your experience for our website and we’ll reimburse you the 12€.

Free bottle of white wine (Domaine de Tariquet classic)

Did you know that the Uni Blanc grape used by the Domaine de Tariquet, grown in Gascogne, is the same used to produce Cognac? It’s a dry, rather acidic wine, great with seafood. Savor it with a view over the roofs of Paris from your ParisSharing apartment, such as this one.

Free drinks on the beach

The city of Paris, in an effort to better communicate on the excellent quality of the city’s tap water, is serving up syrop-based drinks, where you fill your glass in a nearby water fountain. Passion fruit, apple, and more. Drinking tap water is better for the environment. It reduces the the production and disposal of plastic bottles. The drinks are served on the Paris beach (Paris Plage) at the “Bar à eau” near the Pont Marie metro stop.

Free jazz manouche

Gypsy-style jazz at a trendy café-restaurant near Bastille. The concert is free (and worth the listen).

You just have to buy a drink at the regular price. l’Atelier Charonne 21b rue de Charonne 75011 PARIS 11EME ARRONDISSEMENT

Plan d’accès

Free moonlight cinema

For the 11th consecutive year, Paris’ Image Forum offers Parisians and visitors a taste of great French films under the moonlight and across the city. Watching such a movie while sitting outside in a famous place will give you that uncanny feeling of being both here and there.  Click here for the list of French films an a schedule of showings. Yes, the films are in French!

Free entrance to the Petit Palais and the Musée Carnavalet

As it turns out, these two museums are free for the public, except for special exhibits. But for many it is a well-kept secret that we are sharing with you! For more info on the Petit Palais, which is no less than the fine arts museum of the city of Paris, click here. The Carnavalet Museum in the Marais covers the history of Paris. More information about the museum is also available on Guide2Paris.

To benefit from those freebies offered directly by ParisSharing, you do need to do the following:

1/ register as a member on www.Paris-Sharing.com and agree to receive newsletters

2/ become a Facebook fan

3/ Reserve one of our self-catering apartments for a stay beginning on or after August 12th and by August 31st at the latest.

Even though some of these freebies are obviously available to anyone and not just ParisSharing guests, by wrapping all them into one package we demonstrate that we are dedicated to your total Paris experience.

Maybe you know of other freebies in Paris during the month of August. We’d love to hear about them on our Facebook page.

Photo courtesy of ParisSharing

Most people, when they come to Paris, want to see as many sights as possible in the shortest amount of time.  How can you possibly see 70 major museums and monuments in just 5 days?!   The Musée du Louvre is the largest museum in the world and houses 35,000 works of art displayed in over 60,000 square meters of exhibition space, you could spend days at the Louvre alone!  Here are a couple of timesaving tips when visiting Paris:

Buy Eiffel Tower Tickets in Advance

Buy your Eiffel Tower tickets in advance online .  Having your tickets in advance will save you time from waiting in the long line to go up the elevator to the top floors.

Get a Museum Pass

The museum pass provides access to 70 museums and monuments in and around Paris.  You’ll save time by not having to buy tickets at each museum. Don’t forget, kids are free at most national museums in France so don’t bother buying passes for children under 18.

Eat Breakfast at Home and Sandwiches for Lunch

One of the great things about renting an apartment from ParisSharing is that all of our properties offer a full kitchen.  You can save a considerable amount of time having breakfast at your home before heading out to visit the City.  Also, the French are known for their long lunches and, while it’s a wonderful experience, you can miss out on a lot of visiting while enjoying a 4-course meal.  Our advice is to skip the cafes or restaurants at lunch and stop off at a boulangerie (bakery).  All boulangeries now offer low-cost, fresh sandwiches that are great to take on the go.

Pass on the Bell Tower

Don’t waste time waiting in line to go up to the bell tower at Notre Dame.  Visit the inside of the church and save the walk up the stairs for another trip.

Louvre Entrance

Enter the Louvre from the “Carrousel du Louvre” entrance on Rue de Rivoli.  Go ahead and take pictures of the pyramid, but don’t wait in the line to get into the Louvre from that level.  Walk over to Rue de Rivoli and use the Carrousel du Louvre entrance,  go downstairs and follow the signs for the museum.

What about you?  Post any timesaving ideas that you learned from your visit to Paris on our Facebook page.