This week, Paris dazzles with cinema under the stars, a spectacular historical sound-and-light show and a summertime festival mixing music, food, and sports.
Stars under the stars
Cinephiles, don’t miss the opening of the popular Cinema en Plein Air at the Parc de la Villette. This year’s theme, “In the kitchen,” is sure to make your mouth water, so bring a picnic and stretch out on the giant lawn to watch films like “Babette’s Feast”, “Tampopo,” and “Ratatouille.” On the weekends, take a gourmet river cruise in conjunction with the Eté du Canal festival and enjoy a trip down the waterways with a themed meal connected to that evening’s screening. Movies begin at nightfall and are shown in their original language with French subtitles. Get to la Villette early and you can test out the brand-new swimming area created for Paris Plages, which features 1600m2 of pools for the whole family to cool off and splash around.
When: Cinema en Plein Air: July 20 – August 20, 2017, check WEBSITE for details
Where: Parc de la Villette, 75019 Paris
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A Monumental Night at Les Invalides
Don’t miss La Nuit aux Invalides, the annual monumental sound and light show under the stars that never fails to astound! All summer long, watch French history unfold before your eyes on the 4000 meter-long façade of the magnificent Hôtel des Invalides. After the 50-minute long audio-visual journey tracing the story of France from the founding of Gaul to the 20th century (with simultaneous translation into English), you can prolong the adventure with a night-time promenade lit by 1000 candles in The Church of the Dôme where the tomb of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte rests.
When: July 6 – September 2, 2017, Wed-Sat, 10:30pm, see WEBSITE for details
Where: Hôtel des Invalides, 129 rue de Grenelle, 75007 PARIS
Summer Storm at the Carreau du Temple
If an indoor party is more your style, the Carreau du Temple is heating up with Agitations Tropicales, a lively week of music, food, dancing, and sports. Take a yoga or swing class and follow it up with cocktails and bites from a gourmet “street market”, curated by Time Out magazine. From artisanal hot dogs to authentic empanadas, there’ll be plenty to tempt the taste buds. Finish the evening by grooving to a DJ set or a concert, or chill out in the MobilaSon, an auditory and visual installation designed to help you to escape and relax. Best of all, entry is free!
When: Through July 27, see WEBSITE for details
Where: Carreau du Temple, 4 rue Eugène Spuller 75003, Paris
