Paris Ile de France

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

Medcins du Monde UK  (World Doctors) runs an annual London to Paris Bike ride to raise funds (10-13 July 2009).

Day 1

Cycling from London to Dover.

Board the ferry at Dover, arrive in Dieppe in the evening.

Day 2

Set off 10.00 am through the lovely French countryside.

Finish cycling early evening and stay overnight in a French country inn.

Day 3

Leave the hotel at 9.00 am.
Let’s go!

Finish cycling mid-late afternoon in Paris.

Day 4

Free morning with suggested options.

Transfer from hotel to Gare du Nord for Eurostar, arrive in St Pancras

Although it may be too late to register to take part in this 300km ride, you can watch and support them as they cycle through the English and French countryside - and it is easier to get to watch this  than the Tour de France,
For more info see: www.medecinsdumonde.org.uk

A favourite treat for our visits to Paris has for many years been the Fontaine de Mars brasserie in the 7th Arrondisement. The main attraction has always been the informal atmosphere and the menu of South West France specialities - especially duck, foie gras and the use of Madiran and other Southwest Wines for sauces (eggs in Madiran?, Foie Gras with Pacherenc du Vic Bilh?) and an impressive list of wines from the South West France and Bordeaux.

Situated within easy walking distance of the Eiffel Tower and the fabulous market in Rue Cler this area is always the highlight of a Paris visit.
Recommended Reading: Markets of Paris also: The Authentic Bistros of Paris

However, now I hear that during his recent short visit to France, President Obama chose the Fontaine de Mars as the venue for supper. Will it ever be the same again? Will prices now be hiked? Will the clientele be dominated by Americans??Will the menu retain its authenticity?

Restaurant la Fontaine de Mars
129, Rue Saint-Dominique 75007 PARIS  T: 01 47 05 46 44

Paris Tourist Office

See map

Now that does sound like fun - although maybe a little scary until you are confident on the machine - hire a Segway for a tour of the parts of the Loire Valley

“The Segway PT (Personal Transporter) is unique! Each machine is a self-balancing electric transportation device. Teamed up with two computers, gyroscopes automatically respond to your body’s movements, «sensing» when it should speed up and slow down in order to keep you in balance while moving up to 12mph!
Only 5 minutes to master - Learning to use a segway is a magical experience and comes naturaly. It is the first time we get carried by a machine which seems to move by itself.

Currently on offer in the towns of Loches  (the royal housing, trave around the Bachelet park at the bottom of the majestic donjon and meander around the paved alleyways of the citadel. ), Amboise (from Amboise castle to the famous Clos Luce manor house, where Leonardo Da Vinci once lived …the heights of the city to the panoramic view of the Loire) and Tours ( the majestic cathedral, the royal castle and the old Wilson bridge.)-

For more info Tel: 02 47 30 95 35 (in France) see  www.freemove.fr

There are also Segway Tours in Paris - see  http://citysegwaytours.com

There is an annual classic car show in Paris called Retromobile, which features many of the stylish and iconic vehicle designs for which France has been famous.
The 2009 Retromobile show runs from 6-15 February 2009 at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre on the Peripherique.
One highlight was expected to be Citroen’s launch of a new model DS to replace one of the most famous and successful designs in their range. However, the new design looks to have lost the elegance and originality of the original.

As a great fan of Paris, I’m always on the look-out for new suggestions to help discover the essential heart of the city - I tend to avoid the crowds of tourists and despite many visits to the city, there are still some top landmarks which I have yet to visit! It is a great city for walking, and that is what I find most interesting, especially in some of the less overtly glamorous parts of the city.
So I was delighted to find another guidebook which will inspire further discovery of the nooks and crannies of Paris - Quiet Corners of Paris: Unexpected Hideaways, Secret Courtyards, Hidden Gardens

“Yes, noisy, bustling Paris has its quiet corners, and this attractive book describes them in loving detail. Most of the places mentioned here are out of doors and open to the public. The places range from museum courtyards and royal gardens to 15th Century cloisters and tiny passageways to the back streets and lanes of the various neighborhoods. Some famous sites are here (Luxembourg Gardens) but so are unknown treasures such as the Irish Cultural Center, housed in a townhouse used by the Irish Catholic collegiate community since 1775, or Paris’ lesser-known islands. And few places are as quiet as the city’s evocative cemeteries.” -The Chicago Tribune

Even if you can’t get there in the near future, it represents an interesting read which will doubtless set you planning your next trip.