Chinese New Year
In February, the Chinese in Paris celebrate their New Year, the year of the Tiger. On this occasion, parades are held by Chinese organizations. The shops in the Chinese districts are decorated with red lanterns, the color of happiness. Dragons and lions perform dances and there are lots of firecrackers and other fireworks.
Where and when are the parades?
The largest Chinese quarter is in the 13th arrondissement between the avenue de Choisy and the avenue d'Ivry. Celebrations take place from 9-21 February. You can watch the parade on Sunday, February 21 at 13.30 hours. Route: avenue d'Ivry, avenue de Choisy, place d'Italie, avenue de Choisy, boulevard Massena.
In the Chinese quarter of the 3rd district celebrations take place from 8-14 February. The parade is on Sunday, February 14th at 14 hours. Start at 14 hours in front of the Hôtel de Ville. Route: rue du Temple, rue Turbigo, place des Arts et Métiers, rue Beaubourg, rue du Renard, place de l'Hôtel de Ville. 2/2010
Christmas season
Between mid-November and mid-January Paris is all Christmas and New Year festivities. The streets are illuminated, children and adults admire the Christmas decorations of the department store windows and the Christmas markets and crèches de Noël (Christmas cribs) display their seasonal products from late November or early December.
There are many good reasons to visit Paris in this period. Strolling through the city at this time of year is a special event.
In Christmas season you will find all kinds of festivities and events around Christmas and the New Year. 12/2009
Festive light show at the Eiffel Tower
As of October 22 you can watch a new sound and light show at the Eiffel Tower on the west side. The show was created to celebrate the 120 year anniversary of the Eiffel Tower. Four hundred ultra modern and energy-savisng LED projectors will be used.
You can view the show from October 22 to December 31, 2009, every evening at 20, 21, 22 and 23 hours. First the lights on the tower will flash for 5 minutes, after that the show starts, which lasts for 12 minutes. 10/2009
Watching BB and Vogue
Two great exhibitions are on show in Paris. One of Brigitte Bardot, the legendary actress and sex bomb from the 50’s and 60’s, until January 31, 2010. And until November 1 the covers of women's magazine Vogue are on display. Some are made by famous photographers.
The exhibition Brigitte Bardot, the carefree years is held at the Musée des Années 30 in Boulogne-Billancourt, southwest of Paris. Bardot in 1956 caused a scandal acting in the film 'And God created woman' by Roger Vadim. In the next twenty years she became a muse for many artists. On display are objects, film clips, photographs, posters and paintings.
The outdoor exhibition Vogue Covers 1920-2009 can be seen on the Champs-Elysées near the Place de la Concorde. The 80 covers, displayed in large format, give a good picture of the evolution of fashion and fashion photography in almost 90 years. Famous photographers like Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, Man Ray and Robert Doisneau have worked for the magazine. There is also a book on sale. 10/2009
Louvre attracts most visitors
Each year the number of visitors, both French and foreign, is calculated of France’s most important attractions. Over the year 2007 the Louvre in Paris is the winner. More than 8 million people visited this largest museum in the world. That number is already close to the museum’s maximum possible admission. Work is in progress to expand the exhibition halls and especially increase the throughput of the Pyramid, which often provides for endless queues.
Number 2 in the top 10 is, not surprisingly, the Eiffel Tower. Look here for the top-10:
no
sight
number of visitors in 2007
1
Louvre
8.3 million
2
Eiffel Tower
6.7 million
3
Centre Georges Pompidou
5.5 million
4
Musée d'Orsay
3.2 million
5
Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
3 million
6
Arc de Triomphe
1.5 million
7
Musée du Quai Branly
1.4 million
8
Musée d'Histoire Naturelle
1.3 million
9
Musée de l'Armée
1.1 million
10
Sainte-Chapelle
850 thousand
8/2009
Dining on the roof
Since July 1st 2009 the roof of the Palais de Tokyo is occupied by a restaurant called ‘Nomiya’, located in a glass box with the dimensions of a transport container. Space is available for 12 guests to lunch or dine and enjoy the view. If you are looking for a special place to eat, this is your chance. There are wonderful views of the city, but it is not easy to make a table reservation.
Nomiya is part of culinary project Art Home which is scheduled for one year. Besides the restaurant this includes a vegetable garden on the terrace of the museum and specialised cooking workshops for adults and children. The workshops are taught by chef Gilles Stassart, who also presides over the restaurant.
If you want to eat at the rooftop restaurant you can book one month in advance from 10 a.m. There is no menu, instead each day new and experimental meals are prepared. Lunch costs 60 Euros, dinner 80 Euros, wine included. To dine here on special days like Valentines Day or New Year's Eve, you can make a bid during an auction. If you cannot get a table, you can still view the Nomiya restaurant. Afternoon tours are held every half hour for free.
Art Home is an initiative of Electrolux, whose devices are made conspicuous in the restaurant. Designer of the restaurant is Laurent Grasso. 7/2009
Eiffel Tower celebrates 120th anniversary
This year (2009) the Eiffel Tower is celebrating the 120 years of its existence with two exhibitions. The first is in the Hôtel de Ville: Gustave Eiffel,le magicien du fer (Gustave Eiffel, the wizard of iron). The second is on the Eiffel Tower itself: L'EpopéeTour Eiffel (the Eiffel Tower epic).
The exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville focuses on Gustave Eiffel as a person, the creator and builder of the tower. He was famous for not only building the Eiffel Tower, but many more constructions around the world. In this exhibition the Eiffel Tower is viewed from his point of view. On display until September 30th.
On the first floor and the stairs of the Eiffel Tower itself there is an exhibit-visit of objects, photographs, books and films divided into eight themes. These include the building of the Eiffel Tower and films presenting the tower and describing the influence of the tower on contemporary art. On display until December 31st. 5/2009
Secrets below the streets Interesting secrets of the city are not only found above ground but also below the streets of Paris. Underground you will come across the history of antiquity, the 18th and the 19th century.
Under the square of Notre Dame you’ll find remains of Roman and medieval buildings. In the Catacombes, a former stone quarry, thousands of bones and skulls are stacked. In the Egouts you can take a stroll along part of the underground sewer system of the city.
Do you want to discover Paris below ground? Then take a look at the Crypte archéologique du Parvis Notre-Dame, the Catacombes (closed until eind 2009) or the musée des Egouts. 4/2009
