April 1st is Easter, but many shops, restaurants and museums will remain open. Some smaller restaurants and shops may be closed on Monday the 2nd, as well museums which have usual weekly closure on Mondays.
April 3-8
The Journées Européennes des Métiers d’Art is a European-wide festival of artisans who open their workshops to the public. The website is all in French, but a little auto-translate help is all you need to find the artists, jewelry makers, designers, furniture makers, ironsmiths, and more wherever you are in France (use the “near me” function to find the open studios). Free entry.
April 5-8
Art Paris Art Fair at the Grand Palais brings together 142 galleries from 23 countries to show modern art from the last few decades with a particular focus on emerging scenes and artists. The guest of honor this year is Switzerland. Entry €25.
April 5-29
The Elephant de Paname, the dance center near the Place VEndôme, is hosting a free new exhibition under the dome called Condizione, a whimsical pet project by Italian architecte Roberto Baciocchi “An antechamber, a place of relaxation, a space of socialization and an ideal garden form the fertile setting of a complete sensory journey dedicated to art and design where images, sounds and smells interact with the public. Surrounded by a corridor whose walls are saturated by the works of 40 independent international artists, the place moves, under the hand of Roberto Baciocchi, into a nomadic laboratory that stages the emotion.” ANd afterwards you can pop upstairs to the new café for afternoon tea. Open daily 11am-7pm.
April 6-7
Les Grands Voisins re-opens for the season today with an open-house for the public from 4pm-midnight on Saturday and 11am-midnight on Saturday, free entry. On the program, live music, art expositions, crafts market, workshops, yoga, gardening, games for kids, and other activities in this former hospital in transition to an inclusive “neighborhood” with solidarity at its heart. For the full program: https://www.facebook.com/events/413174359127782/
April 13-14
Blending culture with social in their excellent ‘Music by the Glass’ chamber series, Sinfonietta Paris presents an emotionally charged series of concerts. For April, they bring back the the Trio Karénine, with two works by Johannes Brahms and Arnold Schönberg. Also on the program, a luminous work composed in 1917 by Germaine Tailleferre, who was part of the new generation of French composers «Les Six» along with Darius Milhaud and Francis Poulenc. Friday’s concert takes place at a private residence just off the rue de la Tombe d’Issoire in the 14th, and Saturday at historic Reid Hall in the 6th arrondissement. Tickets €25 (wine and snacks included after the concert). REgister on the website, spaces limited.
April 13-May 1
Regress to your childhood…with a better view! The rooftop deck of the Tour de Montparnasse has a ball pit where anyone with a ticket to the Observation Deck can enjoy the views of Paris from a 40m² pool full of ten thousand plastic balls. For more info visit their website.
April 21
Attention vinyl fans, the fifth annual Disquaire Day (Record Shop Day) takes place at over 40 record shops in Paris as well as in shops around France, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Check out the website for participating shops and events.
April 27-May 8
The annual Foire de Paris (Paris Fair) is one of the biggest events of the year, occupying the entire Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (15th arr.) with hall after hall of food and wine, home and garden, fashion and accessories, travel and world cultures, arts and crafts, the famous Inventions Contest, and a ‘Makers Fair’. It’s chaos, it’s fascinating, and there’s always something interesting to learn (or buy, or eat). Just don’t go on the weekend unless you like being trampled!
May 5-6
The largest gardening festival in Versailles takes place this weekend at the 10th annual Esprit Jardin: L’Art du Jardin, with free entrance exceptionally to the Potager du Roi. With more than 80 exhibitors, the festival runs from 10am-7pm in the Quartier St-Louis: rue du Maréchal Joffre, rue d’Anjou, Carré à l’Avoine, Potager du Roi et Parc Balbi. Free entry.
Other Paris calendar links
▪ For French Theatre with English surtitles: Theatre in Paris
▪ For general events around Paris (including sports): Que Faire à Paris?
▪ For literary events, readings, and classes: Monthly Paris Listing
▪ For mainstream events visit the Paris Office of Tourism
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