What's On in Paris - July & August 2019 ⋆ Secrets of Paris

Check back regularly, more events are added throughout the month!

Summer festivals
Summertime is music festival time. Time Out Paris is a great place to start if you want to see the schedule of festival in and around Paris this summer, in French only: Les Festivals de Musique à Paris

July 3
Democarts Abroad is hosting two authors at The Red Wheelbarrow Bookshop (9 rue Medicis, across from Luxembourg Gardens) Nancy MacLean of The Rise of the Right and Margaret Somers of Market Fundamentalism. “Both have recently published best-selling books on the state of US politics today, and who have rocked the media world with their analyses.” From 7pm, free entry, RSVP here.

July 3-5
Choose between 31 free concerts at the Festival FNAC Live, featuring both known and up-and-coming musical talents like Aya Nakamura, Eddy de Pretto, Parcels and Etienne de Crécy Space Echo Live. Shows at the Scène du Parvis are open access. Shows at the Scène du Salon require an invitation that can be picked up for free at FNAC stores in Paris starting July 2nd. See the full program here.

July 4
SORRY, ALREADY BOOKED SOLID! To celebrate the United States’ Independence Day the newly-opened American Center for Art and Culture (formerly known as the Mona Bismarck Foundation) is hosting a Garden Party with live music by Patrick Zimmerli and the All-American Band from 6-11pm, with food trucks and a cocktail bar. Free entry within the spaces available, so get there early to avoid the crowds. Note: this same venue hosts a lot of other live music events throughout the month, check here.

July 6- 28
Since 1975, the finish line for the Tour de France has been at the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysées. Join the crowd of Parisians and tourists alike to see the winner of the race. Expected arrival time: 5:30pm.

July 6 – September 1
Paris Plage : sandy beaches, palm trees, volley balls and bikinis — on the Seine! Along the Right Bank quays at the foot of the Hôtel de Ville, and the Bassin de la Villette for water sports and the three swimming enclosures in the canal (open 11am-9pm). This year’s edition of the Paris Plages will feature many fun sporting activities in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and as usual the water misters, kids activities, ice cream stands, open-air dancing and even a little Seine-side library. Free entry, 9am-midnight.

July 7
Old-school rap and R&B fans won’t want to miss the Classics Only Carnaval at the Hippodrome d’Auteuil today starting at noon. On the program: DJ Sets, live surprise of a rap legend, free funfair attractions (think bouncy castle), free barber shaves, cotton candy, ice cream, pizza, fried chicken and many other surprises. Entry €11 before 6pm, €16 afterwards. Tickets here.

July 7
After over a year of construction work, the new and improved, greener and pedestrian-friedlier Place de la Nation (at Metro Nation, straddling the 20th and 12th arrondissements) is being inaugurated with festival open to everyone from 11am-5pm. Come picnic, check out the fresh produce from local gardeners, get one of the 4000 plants being given away, enjoy the “animations” and other fun events throughout the day.

July 7
Stock up on summer reading at the annual Bag of Books for €5 sale in support of SOS Helpline, the English-language listening line in France. The used books are in English, and are sold by the bag for €5 to help clear out the stock for the holidays. From 1130am to 2pm on the steps of the St. Joseph’s Church (50 avenue Hoche, 8th). No book donations will be accepted.

July 7
The City of Paris is hosting a Carnival Tropical de Paris and Ile de France on the Champs-Elysées starting at 1pm until 6pm, with over 2000 dancers and thirty music groups from the l’Île-de-France and French West Indies (Guadeloupe, Martinique), as well as Colombia, Bolivia and Peru. Free entry.

Sundays July 7 – August 25
If you haven’t been to the Fondation GoodPlanet in the Bois de Boulogne yet, the Clairière Acoustic open-air concert series is the best way to see this domaine tucked into the greenery of the forest created by renowned photojournalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand with the aim of raising public awareness on environmental issues and environmental protection. The concert series, free and open to all, features different acoustic musicians each week in the Clairière, drinks bar, green and gourmet brunch menu, and expositions on different aspects of green living. It’s in the Domaine de Longchamp, Bois de Boulogne, 10 minutes from Porte Maillot by Bus 244 or Bus 241.

July 12- August 30
La Nuit aux Invalides is an impressive sound and light show in the courtyard of Invalides highlighting the 3000-year-old history of the Lutèce, the Roman city that preceded Paris. Tickets €19-24 (adult price). See the teaser video.

July 13-14
“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity!” Click here to read the defintitive guide to what to see and do in Paris on July 13th and 14th, what’s open, what’s not, how to get around, where the parties will be, and insider tips on being prepared: http://bit.ly/BastilleDayParis

July 17 – August 18
The Cinéma en Plein Air (Open Air Cinema Festival) takes place again this summer at the Parc de la Villette from Wednesday though Sunday night, starting at sunset (9:30pm-10:15pm depending on the week). This year’s theme is “Tomorrow”: Blade Runner 2049, Demain, Welcome to Gattaca, Captain Fantastic, and the now classic Erin Brokovitch. Free entry. Beach chair rentals €7. Insider tip: enjoy a meal in the gardens at Glazart’s Jardin 21 each Wednesday before the open-air cinema starts: €14 includes meal, drink, and a beach lounger for the film. Get tickets here.

July 21
Les Grands Voisins (74 avenue Denfert-Rochereau,14th) is hosting their Marché des Grands Voisins et Bal Salsa today from 10am-7pm. Come browse the 130 stands, including baked good, hand-made, upcycled, and flea-market finds sold by the locals and items by resident artisans, all for a good cause. Salsa class starts at 2:30 in La Lingerie, and the Salsa Ball starts at 4pm! Free entry. You want to see what the locals really do on the weekend? Here’s a good place to find out.

Through July 22
The Paris Jazz Festival takes place every weekend at the Parc Floral in the Bois de Vincennes. “The free festival (you only pay entry to the park, €2.50) makes for a brilliant summer outing: everyone brings picnics and enjoys them in the sunshine amid coloured flowers, woodlands and lakes, while listening to some virtuoso jazz – it’s also hugely popular, so get here early.” From 3pm until 7pm, no advance ticket purchase necessary.

Through August 6
The annual summer sales take place this year for five weeks throughout France, primarily in clothing stores, but pretty much everything is on sale now. And although most bloggers still get all frothy at the news, the sales are no longer just twice annually, so it’s not the big deal it used to be (and probably not worth standing in lines and fighting the crowds).

August 7
Have you already heard of Agricool and their ingenius strawberry farm-in-a-container? (read the launch article here) You can visit them to see how it works at their August Portes Ouvertes today from 6-8pm, look for their container at 54 rue Belmondo (Bercy Park), 12th.

August 22-September 1
The Brooklyn-based performance dance company STREB Extreme Action is hosting free workshops at Paris Plage for kids 5-17 years old (first come, first allowed in, limited to 25 participants). “STREB intertwines dance, athletics, boxing, rodeo, the circus and Hollywood stuntwork.” At the Paris Plage Bassin de la Villette, 22-25 August, and at Paris Plage Right Bank Paris 27 August – 1 September, 2-6pm. Sponsored by the Châtelet Theatre.

Through August 25
The annual Fête des Tuileries funfair with carnival rides at Tuileries Gardens features over 80 rides including dodgem/bumper cars, fun house, and a few that will have you screaming for dear life. Open daily 11am-midnight, free entry, rides with individual tickets. Plenty of food stands, too! Insider tip: if you want something with a bit more greenery and water fountains to play in when it’s hot, try the Jardin d’Acclimatation instead.

August 23-25
The annual Rock-en-Seine Festival is one of the year’s best music festivals, and easily accessible by metro, at Parc de Saint-Cloud, just on the city’s western border. This year’s headliners include The Cure, Jorja Smith, Foals, Aphex Twin, and Major Lazer. Tickets are €159 for three days or €69 per day.

August 25
Today Paris commemorates the 75th anniversary of the 1944 Liberation of the city with many events all over town, notably the opening of the new Liberation of Paris Museum in the former Resistance headquarters (near the Catacombs). Musée de la Libération de Paris – Musée du Général Leclerc – Musée Jean Moulin: Place Denfert-Rochereau, 4 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 14th. Open Tues-Sun 10am-6pm. Free entry to the permanent collection. There will be a parade marking the occaision from Porte d’Orléans to the Place Denfert-Rochereau starting at 3:30pm, and the museum officially opens at 6pm (the public is exceptionally welcome to visit 6:30pm until 10pm).

August 29-30
In preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics, over 400 handisport athletes from over 40 countries will be competing in the Handisport Open Paris (HOP) 2019 for two days at the Stade Charléty (Paris 13th), from 9am-8pm. Get your free ticket online here (it’s also possible to include a donation). “The 9th stage of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix de Paris circuit, the world circuit designed by the International Paralympic Committee, is a qualifier for the upcoming 2019 World Championships in Dubai, and a foretaste of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The 2019 HOP will also mark the 1-year countdown to the Tokyo Paralympic Games.”

August 31 (then every weekend through October 27)
Most of the former railway surrounding Paris remains closed to the public, but you can visit a section on the northern end for the Fête de la Petite Ceinture hosted by Le Hasard Ludique (128 avenue de St Ouen, 18th). From noon until 10pm, the 2000m² space will have a big BBQ lunch, DJ sets, pétanque games, activities for kids, international cuisine, and bar with organic wines and local beers. The rails close at 10pm but the party continues at Hasard Ludique (in the former station), see the full program here.

Through September 8
The historic luxury jeweler Maison Chaumet (165 blvd St-Germain, 6th) is opening its 200 years of archives to the public for a free exposition on the inspiration nature has had on their collections through beautiful drawings, sketches, early photography, and the gems themselves. You need to reserve online for your free self-guided tour slot.

Through September 10
Don’t miss the unique street art collaboration La Forêt Escargot at the Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad (19th). You’ll see the giant, strange snail sculpture on the square next to the canal, and if you pay the small €5 entrance fee you’ll see the whimsical works by 26 street artists working with only found and recycled objects for their “snail forest”. Watch the trailer here. Credit cards only from €15 or more; no reservations needed. Open daily 3-10pm.

Through September 11
The open-air rooftop Bar à Bulles at the Machine de la Moulin Rouge (nightclub next to the famous cabaret) is holding weekly open-air cinema nights on Wednesdays from 9:30pm, free with reservation (includes headphones), wait-list from 8pm the night of the screening if you can’t get a spot in advance. Films are in their original versions with French subtitles (the two September films are American). See the schedule here. Reserve your spot here.

Through September 29
Check out the free open-air exhibition of archival photos commemorating the August 25th 1944 Liberation of Paris on the facade of the Napoléon Caserne (4 rue de Lobau, 4th). The photos are organized in three parts: “Insurgent Paris”, “Liberated Paris” and “Paris Returns”.

Through November 3
New in 2019, the Château Vaux-le-Vicomte (the inspiration for Louis XIV’s Versailles) presents The Styx: River of the Underworld: “An exceptional adventure on the underground river which was diverted by Le Nôtre in 1654 during the creation of the French gardens, this specially designed trip is fun and interactive, and draws on La Fontaine’s text «The love of Cupid and Psyche ». Guided along on the Styx the river of the classical underworld equipped with headlamps and wading boots, you will go through a series of tests of agility and logic… An unprecedented and intense adventure performed by professional actors!” The cost is €60 per group (with 2-6 people per group) in addition to the château fee (kids have to be at least 1.3m tall). Note: this activity is only in French for the moment. Check out the other château events here.