Paris Ile de France

Even if you cannot get to Paris for New Year’s Eve 2009, you can still watch the special light show which illuminates the Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel) as the New Year arrives.

Starting at 11PM, and lasting more that an hour, the Tower will offer a special show: an exceptional and one-of-a-kind lightshow that will disappear with the start of the New Year. After the last regular session, at 11:05PM, the Tower will repeat its light show at 11:30PM,followed by a totally new 20-minute creation using the technical possibilities offered by the new LED lighting to mark the symbolic countdown to 2010.
At midnight the lightshow, a popular highlight of Parisian nights, will provide a sparkling backdrop to the first minutes of the 2010.

Visible only from the Trocadero (Seine) side you can participate in the celebrations from the comfort of your computer by going to
http://31decembreaparis.com

4-5 December 2009 in the heart of Paris offers an opportunity to taste and learn about wines from many well-known names and most wine regions of France.

Over the 2 days you can taste wines direct from the producer and attend numerous masterclasses to enhance your appreciaton of wine. Unusually there is also a selection of Italian wines available to try. Bordeaux Chateau such as Chateau Laroze (St Emilion) will be there as well as producers from Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Corsica, Loire and Rhône etc.

Carrousel du Louvre , 99 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris – see www.grandtasting.com

To celebrate the 75th birthday of Brigitte Bardot (born 28 September 1934) there is an exhibition about her years of innocence (carefreeness) “les années insouciance” at the Musée des Années 30 (Museum of the 30s) at Boulogne-Billancourt (01 Essonne, Ile de France) in northern Paris.

Running until 31 January 2010  the exhibition retraces the life of the sex icon who was photographed and immortalised by the greats of film and still photography at a time when she came across as young, fresh, innocent and natural – especially after the post-war years of austerity.

The exhibition is divided into three sections and leads you through her life, (1)from her early days at home, through (2) the fun and excesses of the  life of St Tropez (83 Var, Provence) and the film star years and (3) since  the 70s she has been a passionate advocate for animal right issues.

In many ways she was responsible for the fame of St Tropez, which was previously a pretty but unknown small port on the Mediterranean. Today it is a magnet for rich, wealthy celebrities which becomes impossibly busy in high season – but in Spring and Autumn it is worth a visit, with great views across to Ste Maxime.

For more info see www.boulognebillancourt.fr (in French)
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Musée des Années 30 (MA30)

28 avenue André Morizet

92100 Boulogne-Billancourt

The route for the 2010 version of the Tour de France has been announced. The race starts in Rotterdam on 3 July 2010 and after a few days in Holland and Belgium the route takes in Champagne and Burgundy before heading for the Alps. Then southwest through the Côtes du Rhone before skirting the southern edge of the Massif Central, down through Languedoc-Roussillon before several gruelling days on the Pyrenees. One of the highlights will be on Saturday 24 July 2010 when there is an individual time trial from Place des Quinconces in Bordeaux up to Pauillac along the Route des Chateaux. In racing terms this is an important day as its is the penultimate day after 3 weeks on the road immediately before the Grand Finish in Paris on the Sunday 25 July 2010

From a spectator point of view it promises a good day out in the Medoc – as although you miss the momentary flash of 100+ professional cyclists zooming past, you get to see ech rider individually and can make a whole day of it with the race taking 2 hours or so to pass.

For more info see www.letour.fr

The city of Paris flings open the doors to celebrate contemmporary art throughout the night for its Nuit Blanche (White Night) on Saturday 3 October 2009.

Paris plays host to Nuit Blanche with trails starting in the North of the City, with the artistic installations at the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. These works will cast new light on the Jean Jaurès Gymnasium, the Pailleron Swimming Pool and the CENTQUATRE artist hub. The courtyards located in the Marais and the Châtelet district will form the centre of the event. From Notre-Dame, a beautiful pedestrian trail will take you towards numerous places located between Luxembourg and the Quartier Latin on the left bank, normally closed to the public.

The three trails (Buttes-Chaumont, the centre of Paris and the Latin Quarter) are all connected throughout the night – e.g. metro lines 11 and 14 will run a frequent service all night – free between 2.00am and 5.30am.

For more info see www.paris.fr
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Paris celebrates with a summer festival (Quartier d’Été) of music and dance between 15 July and 9 August 2009.

For four weeks the streets of Paris are transformed into a huge open-air performing arts space for the Summer Arts Festival . The event includes opera, jazz, theatre, classical music, circus, film and dance in avariety of venues which include m cinemas, the Latin Quarter and the Jardin des Tuileries.
For more info see www.quartierdete.com