The ParisSharing Blog

Posts Tagged ‘la Seine’

Many people believe that Paris changes in the summer (and not in a good way) as the Parisians leave the city and it is left to the tourists.  But that’s not altogether true.  Paris is host to many exiting summer events that delight both locals and tourists.

18 June – 3 September (Saturday nights only) Grandes Eaux Nocturnes/Fountains Night Show – Chateau de Versailles

A spectacular light and fountain show is performed every Saturday night throughout the summer in the royal gardens of Louis XIV.  The show features thousands of lights, laser beams and a fireworks display set against the magnificent fountains and canals that surround the Chateau. As a backdrop, French baroque music played by a live orchestra accompanies the light and water installations throughout the park.  Ticket prices are €22 for adults, 18€ ages 6 to 17 and children under 6 are free, book on line or tickets are available at the entrance to the gardens.

22 June – Paris Soldes (Summer Sales)

Traditionally, France has bi-annual sales for 6 weeks in Summer and Winter.  This year, the summer sales begin on June 22 and last until July 26.  From the first day, you can find prices reduced from 30 – 60% , with discounts increasing as the weeks of the sales go on.  Some tips to follow for a successful Paris Soldes are to avoid shopping on the weekends and try to shop midday when Parisians are working.  You need to approach the sales with patience, you’ll be waiting in lines for the dressing rooms, at the cash register and in some cases outside the boutique just to get in.  Also, know that usually after the first week, most of the popular sizes and styles are already gone.  If you can’t make it to Paris for the sales then you can also take advantage of  the same deals online at some of France’s leading retailers like www.lebonmarche.com, Galleries Lafayette, Gerard Darel (delivery only to the UK)  or Petit Bateau.

14 July – Bastille Day

France’s national holiday celebrates the storming of the Bastille prison and the beginning of the French Revolution.  The day begins with a military parade down the Champs Ellysee and features military bands, tanks and horses all marching from the Arc de Triomphe down to Place de la Concorde.  The parade ends with the French Air Force flying over the city.  Afterwards, much of the military equipment is on display at well-known locations throughout the city.  The night features a concert at the foot of the Eiffel Tower with a famous headliner band and then a spectacular fireworks display also shot from the Eiffel Tower.

21 July – 21 August – Paris Plage (Paris Beaches)

The 10^th annual Paris Plage takes place from July 21 to August 21, where the banks of the Seine will once again be transformed into a summer beach scene with palm trees, sandy “beaches”, volleyball courts and lounge chairs.  The streets running next to the Seine will become a pedestrian zone featuring concerts, a swimming pool, outside games and activities and lots of food and refreshments.  Paris Plage runs the length of the Right Bank just across from the Louvre to Pont Sully and also around the Basin de la Villette and is open everyday from 8 am – midnight.  Also during Paris Plage is the FNAC Live Festival from July 21-24 located outside the Hotel de Ville featuring 4 days of live open-air concerts from France’s up and coming bands.

It’s not too late to book your trip to Paris to experience some of these exciting Parisian events!  In addition, we have some wonderful apartments still available for your summer stay.  Know of an upcoming event in Paris?  Tell us about it.

Swimming on the Seine - Piscine Josephine Baker

Up until 1913, Paris was actually classified as a thermal site. Parisians bathed in the Seine until 1923. Those days are long gone, but maybe they will return. In the mean time, Paris offers some alternatives that will serve as surrogates.

Did you know you can swim “on the Seine” all year round in the Josephine Baker pool that actually floats on the river? If you are not accustomed to French swimming pools, here are a few things you need to know before jumping in.

For French pools in general, you must wear a bathing cap (regardless of how much hair you have!) and you must (if you are man) wear a “real” bathing suite. Beach shorts or any other kind of shorts are not allowed. At the Josephine Baker pool, you will most likely have to wait 30 min in line (in the summer). The entry fee is about 5€ for two hours. The most up-to-date information can be found on the city of Paris website.

During the summer period, you can also swim in the make-shift pool offered by Paris-Plage. Or, simply enjoy your sunbathing on the banks of the Seine. You won’t be alone, of course!

Paris plage - Pool side

Paris-Plage sunbathing

Outside of the summer months, there are other pools in Paris worth discovering if only for their architectural originality. Among these, you might consider the piscine Pontoise located in the 5th arrondissement just off the Boulevard St. Germain, as well as the piscine des Buttes aux Cailles, a historical monument located in the 13th arrondissement.

You’ve certainly heard of visiting Paris by boat, by bus, by bike….but what about by BUBBLE ? This extraordinarily modern means of transportation is available for a limited time only (1963 was the last and only trip!) for fashion models only. Well, the rest of us can marvel over the entire bubble series by Melvin Sokolsky for Harper’s Magazine. There is something astonishingly contemporary about them.

I would even venture to say that bubbles have, of late, been appearing in the most unusual ways. Take, for examples, this recent photo of bubble-mobiles at the Hôtel de Ville,  the mysterious Beaubourg bubble, and the unique bubble event in the Grand Palais.

Sign of the times?

For those of you keen on bubble-like transportation in Paris, you might consider these bubble mobiles (in French, cyclobulles).

The title may sound alarming, but the news is good as far as I’m concerned.

Over the next few years, there are several major public works projects that are likely to leave as much of a mark on the city as those that have already attracted millions over the centuries.  The most significant of these projects include the complete replacement of Les Halles, the transformation of the banks of the Seine into a pedestrian zone, a new urbanism for the place de la République, and another pyramide to be erected on the south-west border of the city. The city’s business district (La Défense) will also feature a new series of innovative skyscrapers, while the the city’s forsaken northeast fringe will undergo massive renovations.

La Samaritaine, the famous department store in the heart of the city, will also be renovated and re-opened by 2013.

As has always been the case, these projects will come into being with great difficulty. There are always just as many people against them as in favor of them.  Time will tell their worth. What is for sure is that the city’s daring projects of the past have made for its current reknown.

For me, the fascination and excitement of the Paris comes from the ever-present juxtaposition of the past and the future: an architectural repertoire spanning more than a millenium.

Seize your last chance to visit Paris before it all happens! Or, in case you needed one more reason to come back to Paris, plan a stay soon after one of the future inaugurations and be one of the first to take photos !