I Love Paris in the Summer: Music and Dance

Dancing on the Seine View on Notre Dame

Dancing on the Seine, Paris 1950

Source: transparentvignettes.tumblr.com

The most romantic spot to dance outdoors in Paris has to be in the Left Bank’s Jardin Tino Rossi right on the quai with a view on Notre Dame. In several small arenas, you can join in the dancing, Tango, Rock-n-Roll or Salsa, depending on the evening, beginning around 7pm with lessons for beginners and continuing until around midnight. The Port Saint Bernard embankment is between the Pont de Sully (Sully Bridge) and the Pont d’Austerlitz across from the Institut du Monde Arabe. The closest metro is Jussieu, although it is a nice walk from Notre Dame and the Ile Saint Louis. If you’re too shy to dance, it’s still a fabulous ambiance, strolling along the river on a summer’s eve listening to music and admiring the dancers.

Exhibit: Paris en Chansons/Paris in Song

The Galerie de la Bibliothèque Historique is a fairly small space next door to the Paris City History Library, itself housed in a 17^th century hôtel particulier, or private mansion. Past exhibits have included one on Paris maps and another on bicycles in Paris. The current exhibit, Paris en Chansons, or Paris in Song, runs until July 29^th. George Gershwin is purported to have said, « Il n’y a que deux sujets de chansons possibles: Paris et l’amour » (There are but two possible song themes: Paris and love.). This exhibit presents Paris through song from the last two centuries. The visitor can listen to songs by theme, by arrondissement, by artist and composer. Bob Hughes gives a thorough review of the exhibit here. 

Galerie des Bibliothèques de la Ville de Paris, 22 rue Malher/Pavée, 4^th, M: Saint Paul.

Note : the rue Malher turns joins with the rue Pavée at #22 so the address can be found with both names.

Opening Times : Tuesday – Sunday, 1pm-7pm; Open Thursdays until 9pm; 

Closed Mondays.

Entrée/Entry 6€ ; Tarif réduit/Reduced Rate 4€ ; Demi-tarif/Half price 3€
Gratuit pour les jeunes de moins de 14 ans/Free for youths under 14.

Paris en Chansons

As long as you’re in the neighborhood, spend some time wandering the streets. This is the heart of the pre-WWII Jewish ‘pletzl’ and there are still many Jewish restaurants serving Israeli-inspired falafel such as L’As du Falafel, (34 rue des Rosiers) or Eastern European chopped liver at Sacha Finkelsztajn’s Boutique Jaune, 27 rue des Rosiers. The synagogue at 10 rue Pavée was designed by Hector Guimard, the architect of the classic metro entrance.

The Musée Carnavalet, the Museum of the History of Paris, at the corner of rue des Francs-Bourgeois and rue de Sévigné, like all of the museums of the city of Paris, offers free entry and is worth a visit for an overview of the history of Paris as well as a visit of the interior of a grand 17^th century Parisian hôtel particulier. The Eugene Atget photography show continues until July 29^th.

Continue east on the rue des Francs-Bourgeois and you’ll end up at one of the prettiest squares in Paris, the Place des Vosges, with its stone and brickwork houses, arcades and grassy square. On Sundays and throughout the summer, you’ll hear musicians taking advantage of the arcade acoustics to sing opera areas or well-known classical numbers. The square is a popular spot for picnics among the fountains and there is a children’s playground in the corner near the Maison Victor Hugo (also free admission).

Fête de la Musique, June 21^st

The Fête de la Musique began in Paris 30 years ago and has evolved into a world music festival marking the summer solstice. Although there are many professional concerts to be found, the original idea behind the festival was to provide a forum for amateur musicians. Beginning in the afternoon, you’ll begin to hear music in the streets as musicians fill cafés and corners for the evening. 

My favorite venues for music are the Place Furstenberg in the 6^th (M: Saint-Germain-des-Prés), a small square (or circle) which provides the perfect stage for musicians, and the rue de Seine, near the tiny Square Gabriel Pierné at the intersection of 12 rue de Seine and rue Mazarine where every year a public sing-along is held with Joël Dalle from 8pm -12:30am. The crowds share the song sheets that are passed around and sing together the most beloved of French chansons, including those of Edith Piaf, Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel, and Renaud. Cross the Pont des Arts, the wooden pedestrian bridge that connects the Louvre and the Academie de France, where you may encounter the boisterous fanfare of the Beaux-Arts, a sort of marching band of architecture students.

On the Right Bank, there will be music in the Cour Carré of the Louvre, across the street in the gardens of the Palais Royal and in the covered passages of the Galerie Vivienne just to the north, as well as jazz in cafés around the rue Saint Honoré.

In the Marais, and in conjunction with the Paris en Chansons exhibit, Paris Combo will give a concert at 6:30pm in the beautiful courtyard of the Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, 24 rue Pavée, 4^th , M: Saint Paul. (On the Left Bank, another Paris en Chansons event is a concert by Noir de Seine at Bilipo, 48/50 rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 5^th M : Cardinal Lemoine).

The morning of June 21^st, pick up a copy of the French newspaper Libération for a detailed program of the day’s concerts, see highlights in one of the free newspapers, such as 20 Minutes, or Métro, or purchase a Pariscope for 40 centimes, published every Wednesday, which will also provide listings.

Paris Jazz Festival Parc Floral – July 9-29, 2012

Nidal Joseph & No Water Please

The Parc Floral is located within the enormous Parc de Vincennes, the eastern ‘lung’ of Paris (the Bois de Boulogne being the western ‘lung’, the two large parks making of the oxygenating poumons de Paris). A list of concerts held at the outdoor stages can be found HERE.

Entrance to the park is at the Esplanade Saint Louis in front of the Château de Vincennes – Bois de Vincennes or at the Avenue de la Pyramide - RER A Vincennes / Métro Château de Vincennes (Line 1) or Bus N°112. The park is open from 9:30am to 8pm. Entry is 5 € ; Reduced rate for 7-25 years: 2,75 €; Free for under 7. A Festival pass is 20 €/ 10 € for under 25.

There are free events and concerts every Saturday and Sunday from June 9 to July 29.

Le Quatorze Juillet – Bastille Day Balls, Picnic and Parade – July 13-14

The annual Bals des Pompiers, public balls hosted by Paris Fire Brigades, are held on the evenings of July 13^th and 14^th. They get going around 10pm and last into the wee hours. There are long lines at the more popular venues and often a donation is requested. Usually there is a big public ball at the Place de la Bastille as well on the 13^th.

The Military Parade will begin at 9am on the 14^th at the Arc de Triomphe at the  Place de l’Etoile and the troops march down the Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde where they will be greeted by President François Hollande in his first Bastille Day appearance.

The Picnic de la Republique is held in the Versailles gardens along the canal. The tradition is to dress in white, the color of the monarchy (blue and red are the traditional colors of Paris).

Fireworks begin at 10pm at the Eiffel Tower with viewing on the Champs de Mars.

Check back at the beginning of July for addresses and times for all of the festivities.