Month: June 2018

paris by night

Top 3 Things to Do in Paris in July

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, a food tour – there are certain Paris must-sees that never change. But the French capital is also home to a thriving, ever-changing scene of exhibits, concerts, and more! Here are the three things we’re most excited about for this month.

1. Watching Le Foot

Even if you’re not a soccer fan, it’s hard to ignore the World Cup! This year, the Cup is being held in Russia, but you’ll still be able to catch it pretty much anywhere in Paris. Choose from among some of our favorite sports bars (or literally any bar in Paris, at least when France is playing!)

2. Outdoor CinEma at La Villette

Paris doesn’t boast tons of air conditioned spaces, which means often in summertime, the best place to spend the evening is outdoors. That’s why you’ll find us at nearly every outdoor screening at the La Villette park.

The schedule for this summer boasts both French and American films, from La La Land to Les Chansons d’Amour. Pack your favorite bottle of rosé to sip while you watch!

3. Have a Dip at La Villette

While Paris is far from the beach, Paris Plage, the artificial beach that appears on the Seine every summer, is back with a vengeance.

But aside from tanning on the quais de Seine, you can also swim in the city center: for the second year in a row, the Bassin de la Villette is open to the public from 11am to 9pm. Access to the bassin is free to all – just don’t forget your swim cap!

sidewalk café

How to Find the Best Sidewalk Cafés in Paris (Plus 3 of Our Faves)

The second the sun comes out in Paris, you can bet that the locals will be heading for a sidewalk café, better known as a terrasse in Paris. But how can you find the best ones? We spill our secrets below.

The 3-Step Sidewalk Café Method

Step 1: Check Out the Sunshine

Sidewalk café sitting is a marathon, not a sprint. Seeing as in Paris, you don’t have to “pay rent” on your spot in a café or restaurant (and can stay there, undisturbed, for hours on end), you don’t necessarily want to find a spot in the sun right now, but a spot that will stay in the sun for as long as possible. You don’t need a compass to figure this out (just trust the Google Maps indications for where east and west are).

Step 2: Consider Your Drink (and Food!) Options

Some sidewalk cafés will have a selection of drinks but slim pickings on food – and that might be fine if you’re not planning on sticking around that long. But if you think you might get peckish later on, take a look at what’s on offer for lunch or dinner.

Step 3: Check Out Your Neighbors

Cigarette smoking is alive and well in Paris, so if you think you’ll be annoyed by this, make sure the people sitting near you don’t have their packs out. Alternatively, you could choose a seat on the edge of the terrace, thus ensuring that you won’t be engulfed in clouds of smoke should some well-meaning smokers appear.

Our 3 Fave Sidewalk Cafés in Paris

While pretty much any terrasse will do on a particularly nice day, we do have a few favorites:

1. Martin

Martin, shall we count the ways in which we love thee? Martin is a wine bar serving up natural wines and market-driven small plates, and nearly the entirety of this diminutive dining room is at least partially outside.

Martin – 24 Boulevard du Temple, 75011

2. Le Comptoir du Relais

Le Comptoir du Relais is the brainchild of culinary mastermind Yves Camdeborde, touted by some as the founder of the neo-bistro movement. His Comptoir is nearly impossible to get into at dinnertime, but at lunch, snag one of the coveted café tables for a drink, a delicious meal, and  prime 6th arrondissement people-watching.

Le Comptoir du Relais – 9 Carrefour de l’Odéon, 75006

3. La Mascotte

Perfectly positioned on the rue des Abbesses in picturesque Montmartre sit the two restaurants of La Mascotte: the brasserie and the écaille or seafood restaurant. Two restaurants means two terrasses, thus giving you twice the chance of finding a spot to people-watch in one of our all-time favorite neighborhoods.

La Mascotte – 52 Rue des Abbesses, 75018 

Image care of Moyann Brenn

Top 5 Spots in Paris for a Picnic

A top Parisian activity in the summertime is picnicking – and we at Paris Uncovered have become picnic experts over the years. Be sure your picnic bag or basket is filled with bread, at least on good knife (for cutting your saucisson, bien sûr), paper plates, napkins, cheese, and fresh, seasonal fruit. Grab a bottle of wine (and don’t forget your corkscrew!) and you’re ready to go!

As for where to go, nearly every park in Paris is prime picnicking ground, but we do have a handful of favorites to suggest.

Champ de Mars (Image care of Flickr/JPC24M)

1. Champ de Mars

Could anything be more classically Paris than a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower? Choose this picnic ground in the evenings, when you can see the Eiffel Tower shimmer every hour on the hour with a beautiful light show.

 

Sitting along the Seine (Image care of Pixabay)

2. Berges de Seine

All along the riverbanks, people assemble for regular picnicking. Popular spots include the banks near Pont-Neuf and Pont-Marie and those near Notre Dame, although as long as the river is low enough, you can picnic nearly anywhere along the river and watch the Bateaux Mouches float by.

But one of our favorites is definitely the Berges de Seine, running along the Left Bank quai d’Orsay. Here, not only is there seating available for picnicking, but the city has prepared a host of fun activities like hopscotch and even some climbing apparatuses for kids.

 

Canal St Martin (image care of Wikimedia/Geoffrey)

3. Canal Saint-Martin

This trendier neighborhood to the north of Paris welcomes tons of picnickers every evening once the weather turns warmer. The quartier boasts quite a few great food and wine shops to source your picnic from, and many of the bars overlooking the canal even sell beer in to go cups, for something cool to sip on.

 

Basilica Sacre Coeur (Image care of Wikimedia/Sebastian Bergmann)

4. The Steps of Sacré Coeur

If ambiance is what you seek, look no further than the steps leading towards Sacré Coeur basilica, at the top of Montmartre. While space is in low supply here, the views over Paris and frequent musical stylings make this spot worth it.

 

Luxembourg Gardens (Image care of Pixabay/Mariamichelle)

5. Luxembourg Gardens

Daytime picnics can be enjoyed in any one of several parks, from Montsouris and Buttes Chaumont with their grassy knolls to the Tuileries with its lovely views of the Louvre. We especially love the Luxembourg, not only for its gorgeous flower patches, but as the perfect option for folks who aren’t too keen on sitting on the ground, as the city puts two types of chairs – upright and reclining – perfect for an afternoon of munching and enjoying the sunshine.

Main image care of Dirk Haun

claude monet

Top 3 Things to Do in Paris in June

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, a food tour – there are certain Paris must-sees that never change. But the French capital is also home to a thriving, ever-changing scene of exhibits, concerts, and more! Here are the three things we’re most excited about for this month.

1. See the Last Monet

The Orangerie museum has long played host to eight large-format water lily paintings created by Impressionist master Claude Monet. But for a limited time, the museum has welcomed a temporary exhibit of American abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler, and Ellsworth Kelly. Alongside these works are displayed a handful of rarely seen Monet works that will captivate lovers of the Impressionists.

2. Enjoy the New Jardin d’Acclimatation

As of the 1st of June, the Jardin d’acclimatation has reopened its doors, with 17 new attractions joining the original 23. The theme? Steampunk Paris. Go back in time and enjoy rides, animals, and a wander through nature on the outskirts of the city center.

3. Climb the Saint-Jacques Tower

The time has once again come for the Gothic Saint-Jacques Tower to open to the public. In the last few years, after extensive renovations, visitors have been welcomed to climb to the very top of this imposing structure in the Marais. Its central location is the ideal place to enjoy birds’-eye views of the entire city. Be sure to reserve your ticket in advance – this popular Paris attraction sells out!