Paris will be buzzing with Olympic and Paralympic fervor this summer, but for those seeking a break from the sporting hustle or simply wanting to explore more of what the city has to offer, there are plenty of alternative events and attractions taking place.
Here are some of the best exhibitions, walking tours, foodie celebrations and other unique experiences in Paris you can enjoy this summer.
Visit Paris Plage, the city beach
The city’s annual Paris Plage event is back for another summer, which will see parts of the city transformed into a “beach” between July 6 and September 8. The main event is seeing the banks of the Seine lined with deckchairs, parasols and palm trees and, if the weather holds out, sunbathers making the most of it, but there are other spots to explore too.
The hip Canal St-Martin is getting in on the action this year, with activities ranging from boules and table tennis to a quayside exhibition. And despite the will they/won’t they buzz around whether Olympics athletes will be competing in the Seine, Parisians can brave the water at various spots around the city, including three open-water swimming pools set up at the Bassin de la Villette on the Canal de l'Ourcq. Different parts of the city are in action at different times, so it’s best to check the dates online.
Enjoy daily apéro evenings (Asian style)
The Hood has been a neighborhood favorite for all-day Asian food since it opened in the 11th arrondissement back in 2016. For summer, the team will be hosting daily apéro evenings (the French shortening of apéritif), serving up five plates and five wines for €5 each. Head by on weekdays from 6:30pm to 8pm and weekends from 4pm to 8pm for Asian dishes such as Singapore satay, vegan fried tofu with homemade wasabi mayonnaise, and veggie spring rolls. Saké fans should also put July 28 in the diary, when The Hood will be pairing the apéro menu with a selection of Wakaze sakés, a French-made sake that uses Japanese techniques and Camargue Japonica rice. Events tend to fill up quickly, so it’s best to reserve ahead online.
Catch a sports-themed exhibition
Every year, there’s an exhibition in Paris that becomes the city’s summer blockbuster. This time around, there’s no clear (gold) winner, but instead a few sports-themed contenders. Those interested in the history of the Olympics should book tickets for Olympism at the Louvre (April 24 to September 16, 2024), which tells the story of how the modern Games were founded back in the 19th century. MATCH: Design & Sport - A Story Looking to the Future (from March 11 to August 11, 2024) at the Musée du Luxembourg presents historical and iconic design pieces that have contributed in some way to the world of sport, from the first-ever sports bra, the Jogbra, to the Speedo LZR Racer swimsuits, which was partly created by NASA scientists. And for fashion fans, Fashion on the Move #2 (April 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025) at the Palais Galliera looks at clothing designed for sport and shows off the works from the likes of Chanel, Azzedine Alaïa and Yohji Yamamoto.
Party on a terrace by the Seine
Trying to get a spot on a terrace in summer in Paris, even when the Olympics aren’t on, is a challenge. Locals in the know head to the banks of the Seine by the floating boat hotel (yes, really) OFF Paris Seine, where its sister hotel Chouchou sets up camp for the summer with a pop-up bar and terrace. The location on Quai d’Austerlitz in the 13th arrondissement offers plenty of space to recreate a South of France-style guinguette (an old-fashioned open-air cafe with dancing) complete with blue and white-striped deckchairs and gingham-checked tables surrounded by olive trees and strings of lanterns. On the apéro menu is a selection of charcuterie and pork, duck or crab rillettes to share, as well as the hotel's signature cocktails, whilst a packed program of open mic nights, DJ sets, stand-up comedy and more provide the entertainment. Chouchou is open from 4pm until midnight and closes in September.
Experience open-air cinema on a rooftop
The open-air cinema that usually takes place every year at La Villette (which you might have spotted in Emily in Paris) has also been canceled this year as the space will be used for Olympic sporting events, but Hotel Paradiso has another option for film fans. The movie-themed hotel, founded by the brothers behind France’s huge MK2 cinema chain, runs its own annual open-air summer cinema on its rooftop terrace. It’s weather permitting, of course, but every Sunday from June to September, the hotel will screen a French or international film (sometimes English-speaking) at 9:30pm. You need to book, and tickets go quickly. If you do manage to get one pop by before the film starts to grab a drink and watch the sunset.
Learn about Paris' influential women on a walking tour
Tour guide Heidi Evans was inspired to launch her own Women of Paris walking tours when she realized that most of the city’s tours focus on the great, and sometimes not so great, men in French history. She now tells the stories of Paris’ many influential women through six different tours, often combined with food tastings at local markets or pâtisseries, so you can experience two sides of Parisian history and culture. The Paris Stylé fashion tour is unfortunately canceled this summer due to road restrictions during the Olympics, but Evans has just launched two new tours – the History & Heroines of Montmartre and Liberté, Égalité, Marché – both of which take place away from the Olympics action for those looking to escape the (expected) crowds. Most tours are also wheelchair-accessible and there’s no minimum age limit. Groups are limited to 15 people and private tours are also available.
