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Summer days in Paris
The City of Light will be buzzing with artistic flair this summer, as its annual arts festival gets underway. With public performances filling Paris' outdoor spaces, it makes for a perfect weekend visit, says Nicola Iseard
Forget the Louvre - Paris' glorious open parks, gardens and squares are where you want to be this time of year.
From July 15 to August 16, the City of Light will host its fantastic summer arts festival - the Paris Quartier d'été. It is the best time to appreciate the vibrancy of the capital, as the city is transformed into a huge open-air performing arts space, with public performances of opera, jazz, classical music, theatre, circus and film taking place.
Following Bastille Day - France's most important national holiday on July 14, which saw a huge military parade wind its way down the Champs-Elysées - the city unravels its month-long programme of events.
More than 200 events are lined up, many of which are free and make the most of Paris' balmy summer temperatures by taking to the city's open spaces, from the Arènes de Lutéce - a magnificent Roman arena in Paris' Latin Quarter - to the elegant 16th century Jardin des Tuileries and the edge of the Canal Saint-Martin.
Local favourites and celebrities will perform alongside many widely acclaimed international performers. In a wonderful courtyard of the Palais Royal you can watch a stunning ballet performance from the Opera National du Rhin in Strasbourg - one of the most prestigious of its kind in Europe. Meanwhile, in the Jardin du Luxembourg - filled with sculptures and apple orchards - you can be serenaded by Lo Cor de la Plana, a men's choir from Marseille, where you can expect plenty of tambourine shaking and foot stomping. Should jazz be more your style, head to the Parc de Belleville to listen to the sounds of the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra - a New York based group that mixes flavours of latin, jazz, classical and soul into their music.
If, in between all the concerts, you feel a little sightseeing is in order, take the hop on, hop off boat-bus that connects major tourist attractions along the Seine. Look out for the Notre Dame's magnificent flying buttresses as you approach the Ile de la Cité, one of two natural islands in the Seine. Disembark for a visit inside the cathedral, filled with lofty vaults and a beautiful 13th century stained glass window. Further along the river, stop at the Champs-Elysées, the most famous avenue in Paris. Make your way towards the iconic Arc de Triomphe, which stands proudly at the western end.
Legs in need of a rest? You need a beach break. From July 21 to August 20, a two-mile stretch of sand will run along the Seine. Flop on a deck chair under a shady palm, order a cocktail and watch the world go by.
Summer in the city really doesn't get much better than this.
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