Sales, sales……..AT PARIS!!

It’s started, they’ve arrived……the famous Paris sales are here.

All the major brand stores are ready and there’s an incredible amount to so. Good deals….all the little things that you’ve had your eyes on for months…..that incredible handbag and those beautiful shoes from the shop window, they’re all worth taking your time and making the most of the sales. If you don’t live in the centre, its worth staying in a little Paris apartment in order to make the most of this once a year event.

The radio stations are talking about them, the television is showing adverts, and all the shop windows are dressed in vivid decoration with fantastic yellows, greens and fluorescents, displayed in a way that’ll make you want to throw yourselves at them. The bags have changed to have SALES written all over them, the walls are mounted with advertisements of the magic word….there are even information points with the best routes and SALE guides!! It’s incredible…there’s advice on where to go and what to buy. Addicts….shoppaholics… get ready, go!

For those of you who don’t know Paris very well, an artistic, cultural touristic and romantic city, the sales are a great time to go. The main attractions include the Arc de Triomphe, the beautiful Eiffel Tower, and Napoleon’s tomb (only to be seen while walking from one shop to the other and in-between glasses of wine on the terrace). The region of Ile de France remains one of the most visited in France.

The endless boutiques, the beautiful districts, the churches, the monuments, the gardens and the numerous museums (the Louvre, Orsay, Picasso, Rodin and more) represent the architectural and artistic diversity of this world famous city. It’s time to experience it for yourself and make our own blog. Go on; a train, a low cost flight…you’re only a short hop away from Paris (or 23hours at the most ;) ). Get going and reserve your Paris hotel; this city waits for no one.

Paris nightlife! I won’t even begin to talk about this theme as I’d literally be here all night, and I have bars, restaurants and clubs to go to! Just to get you going, there are cabarets such as the Moulin Rouge, The can-can and the boat rides along the Seine. This is all without mentioning Versailles and its splendid castle, sumptuously decorated and Chantilly, Vincennes and a multitude of other fantastic areas.

Going to the sales is a real sport, so kit yourself out with comfortable shoes, stock up on food and get ready to cue for the changing rooms with dozens of other people, all trying on the same thing. You’ll have to get up really early to get the best buys of the day. Eat well and come armed with a bottle of water and a snack in one hand and your money in the other and your set to go. Make sure to plan your Paris accommodation well ahead and remember to take advantage of the lovely Parisian cafes and patisseries and take a coffee break between every three shops.

Have fun!

Destination Paris

This summer is all about culture. Forget the beach, the package holidays and the sangria; this summer is all about city destinations. Paris is the ideal location to spend your summer; jam packed with culture and even a beach (yes I did say beach, check it out on my blog), Paris can offer you much more than most destinations. Forget the typical holiday accommodation you usually find, Paris accommodation is different. Most Paris hotels will ensure that your visit to the French capital is unforgettable; this is your chance to really be spoilt. If you prefer a more traditional, homely feeling, a Paris apartment will give you the experience of actually living in this wonderful city for the duration of your stay. As a back up to this incredibly enthusiastic appraisal of Paris, I’ve chosen three activities that I will most certainly be attending and think you should to (you could call them three very good reasons if you like).

At Paris’s Salle Saint-Jean de Hôtel de Ville, you will get the exciting opportunity to visit the Grace Kelly exhibition. Understandably, the exhibition is only exiting if you actually like Grace Kelly but in all seriousness, who doesn’t? The exhibition is only on for a limited time and will be showcasing on its way back from Monaco on the 10th of June to the 16th of August. Here, you will learn about the star’s history through anecdotes, photos and movie memorabilia. Furthermore, for any fashion fanatics, her wedding gown and other dresses that she wore on the red carpet and in the films will be on display. I for one can’t wait.

The ‘Cinéma au clair de lune' festival returns this year and promises to be as special as ever. Different ‘quartieres’ show open air screenings of specially selected films during the whole event. The main screenings will be shown at the ‘Parc André-Citroën’, with further projections being held at the ‘Butte de Montmartre’ and the ‘Parc de Choisy’, therefore stretching to every corner of the city. Every year, the festival celebrates a different theme, and this year will be the year of European cinema. Around 300-500 people can come along and watch some of the highly acclaimed films such as Woody Allen’s ‘Match Point’ and Pedro Almodovar’s ‘High Heels’. The atmosphere in these open air screenings really is electric; you can bring rugs and picnics and enjoy the night relaxing with friends.

My final must see event is the Arènes de Montmartre Festival. This travelling theatre will be coming to Paris on the 13th of August for three weeks and will be showcasing the comical work of the Italian masters of comedy and street performance. This year’s performances will be coming from the Mystère Bouffe Theatre Company who are said to be amongst the best in Europe and are very strong competitors amongst world wide talent.

Paris Carnival

February 2009 sees the return of the Paris Carnaval, or the ‘Promenade du Boeuf Gras’, literally translated into ‘fat cow parade’. If only it was actually called ‘the fat cow parade’; maybe we should all use this name from now on as it refers to the origins of the event, something which is almost always forgotten about with most festivals and traditions. The name is quite suited to a carnival as well. The carnival has a long and interesting history that dates back to the XVI century. If you read on, you can learn more about the fascinating event.

At the beginning of the XI century until the end of the XV century, Paris’s carnival was named ‘la Fête des Fous’, or the crazy people’s festival. However, due to the unreligious nature of the event that contradicted its location, set at the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the festival was banned by the state. After years of disappearance of the Fête des Fous, the XVI century welcomed the new Paris Carnaval. The carnival was still held in the same place but due to the evolution of ideologies was no longer frowned upon. Once again, in 1790 the carnival was banned due to various reasons, but was reintroduced 9 years later. The carnival was never rejected by the Parisians themselves but did however cause many a political problem. Over the years, this carnival has seen its fair share of turbulent times but is still enjoyed every year. To this day, a cow is marched through the parade, keeping the authenticity of the event.

Parisians come out of the woodwork for this special event and is therefore the perfect way to enjoy an authentic Paris get-away. Parades march through the streets, followed by hundreds of people, musicians and street performers, making their way through the city to the City Hall (all of course lead by a cow). When reaching the city hall, a whole host of events awaits you. There are numerous credible musicians, bands, comedians, dancers and all sorts of performers waiting to entertain. Make sure to pack your costume as the event is full of vivid colours and creativity; absolutely nobody goes without dressing up! This event is a great opportunity to get a free, well informed guide through the city, and all by locals. You’ll get the chance to walk the entire distance of the city, past the quaint Paris accommodation and the many Paris hotels and Paris apartments; looking especially beautiful on this night as all of the locals, and most hotel owners will decorate their balconies, windows and front doors. This carnival takes place in February each year, so make sure to pack your costume (and maybe you cow) and make your way to gay Paris.

Asterix Theme Park Paris

If you’re going to France with the family this summer and are worried about entertaining the younger ones, without any real reason I assure you as Paris is very welcoming towards families, then The Asterix Theme Park is calling you! This park offers a much cheaper alternative to the more commercialized Disneyland, but still manages to provide all the excitement and attractions of any major theme park. Entrance is 39 euros in the summer months for visitors over 12, 27 euros for visitors between 3 and 11 and free for children under 3.

Everyday, Asterix and Obelix, along with all of the other heroes will welcome you in person. Not only an opportunity to have your photo taken with some of the heroes of the series, but also a chance to join in the fun and games that take place during various times of the day. Comedians, performers, magicians and acrobats are all waiting on hand to entertain the young and mature visitors alike; perfect for when you take a little break from all of the rides.

The new addition to the white knuckle rides of the park this summer is ‘La Trace Du Hourra’; a toboggan style rollercoaster that will let you experience the swift moving, liberating glide of a real toboggan. Said to be the most realistic portrayal of an icy bobsleigh track, the rollercoaster will set you off to another land, an icy toboggan wonderland. So don’t forget to put your hands up and scream!

An event for all the family that should most certainly not be missed is the Dolphin show, held everyday at the park’s ‘Théâtre de Poséidon’. For twenty minutes each day you can be taken in by the charm of the dolphins and their seal companions while they perform an ‘aquatic ballet’. The Asterix Theme Park prides itself on its animal welfare scheme; the dolphins are taken care of by well informed individuals who see the animals as their number one priority. Furthermore nothing is forced upon them; they enjoy playing with the instructors and live a life that due to various circumstances was no longer possible for them in the wild. These intelligent animals really do put on a spectacular performance! Make sure to sit in the front row on the hot days in order to get a refreshing splash.

The theme park has an on site three star hotel. The ‘Trois Hiboux’, or The Three Owls, which is the perfect place to stay if travelling back to Paris seems like too much effort after a jam packed day of activity. However, the park is situated only 30km from Paris city centre and travel there is easy. You could therefore stay in a more cultured Paris accommodation, like a hotel in Paris or one of the many quaint Paris apartments. A shuttle bus leaves from outside the Louvre every morning at 8.45 and returns at 6.30 in the evening. Alternatively, you could take the train which leaves every 30minutes from Roissy; this also takes you directly to the park.

Classical Buzz in Le Marais Paris

For all lovers of classical music, Le Marais district in Paris is the best place to go! A scene set far away from the opera houses; although in the centre of Paris, Le Marais district offers the best selection of unseen talent, ranging from local soloists to regional orchestras. Furthermore, for lovers of jazz, you will find the opportunity to listen to street performances almost every weekend. Le Marais really does have the best in raw talent when it comes to classical and jazz music.

For the classical section of the district, you can go along to almost every church in Le Marais, for only a few euros, or sometimes even for free, and sit in on one of the weekly concerts held on the weekends. These churches are usually small local parishes and are very welcoming to tourists and anyone wishing to visit. They’re very proud of what they do and are therefore extremely happy to show off their talent. These Churches boast some amazing architecture and are therefore worth a visit even if the music is not to your taste; coble stoned courtyards and beautifully carved statues all await. During these events you can be lucky enough to hear the masterpieces of Marc Antoine Charpentier, Mozart, Chopin, Rameau, Lully and the musician of King Sun Louis XIV; who were all at one time, residents of this area. You can also attend some of the more formal concerts held in the many opera houses, not too far from Le Marais. There are thee main opera houses in Paris and are well worth a visit. Whether or not you are a true lover of opera, a visit to one of the open air performances is essential; the atmosphere is unforgettable. However, be aware that you will need to book your tickets well in advance as they do sell out months before hand. Alternatively, you can purchase ‘on the day tickets’ at quite a low price, but this does involve queuing quite early in the morning and for a few hours.

Jazz street performances are quite a regular event in Le Marais; on most weekends the performers hit the streets for no other reason than to have fun and to entertain. You’ll be able to hear some real classics from Louis Armstrong to Dina Washington. Locals throw coins out of their windows in praise of the artistes and the streets fill up with appreciation. Walking down Rue Charlot and Rue de Bretagne you can see the various performers and even take a seat on the pavement or in one of the café terraces; make sure to tip the musicians if you like what you hear. Paris is renowned for its culture and the Marais district is no exception. You should really consider booking your Paris accommodation in this area; the best way to experience the real Le Marais area is to rent a Paris apartment as they give you a true feeling of Parisian life. Paris hotels are best reserved for the very centre and are a more luxurious option.