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Paris summer festivals

Paris will always be Paris… even when summer has started. The program of festivals that are waiting for you will give you the smile… whatever your tastes may be, you will find here plenty of things to satisfy them be it music, dance, cinema, circus, theater…The good news, it’s that the majority of manifestations organized are either free or at a very accessible price, whether they are in Paris or in the Parisian region. They’ve finally decided to bring culture to all of us…


Up until July 31st
A journey through dance at Chamarande
Every summer, the estate of this magnificent xvii century castle becomes the screen of contemporary art in its multiple forms of expression. The castle itself houses a thematic journey “A table” with renowned visual artists (see last month’s issue of Paris Capitale), up until September 25th, the gardens of this estate are the stage – in open air –for choreographers, in July.

 

Each Sunday, even though it is often difficult to obtain places in Paris, you can come here and attend for free the creations custom made for the place! On the agenda, July 3rd, Hervé Robbe and Olivia Grandville, July 10th, Haïm Hadri and Odile Duboc, July 17th, Jean-Louis Boclé and Anne-Marie Pascoli, July 24th, Geneviève Mazin and Fabrice Guillot, and then Rosalind Crisp, July 31st, Via Kathenhong Dance (South Africa).
Domaine departemental de Chamarande, 38, rue du Commandant Arnoux,
Chamarande, 91. Tel. 01 60 82 25 32.
Hours: the park from 9 am to 5 pm, the castle from 11 am to 7 pm. All events are free.

Up until August 13th
The Great Nocturnal Waterworks of Versailles
How about a little escape to the French gardens of Versailles, as soon as the sun’s last rays disappear? This is the pretext for a fantastic voyage throughout the ages from Louis XIII to Napoleon III, with the musicians of the Versailles baroque music center. 300 costumed characters will accompany you throughout this visit that culminates with fireworks.
Tel. 01 30 83 78 88.
www.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr
Up until August 28th
“We have loved them so”:
The “best-of” of open air cinema of the Villette
To celebrate its fifteen years, the open air Cinema of the Villette has decided to reprogram the films best liked by the public: “Scarface” by Brian de Palma, “Pulp Fiction” by Quentin Tarentino, “Dangerous Liasons” by Stephen Frears, “Jules et Jim” by François Truffaut…
On a 26.50 x 13.50 blow-up screen, a whole palette of human sentiments will be displayed, as for the “theatre”, there will be picnics, people getting to know each other, guitar playing…
Parc de la Villette. Prairie du Triangle. 211, ave Jean Jaurès, 19th. Tel. 01 40 03 75 75.
www.villette.com. Free access. Lounge chair and blanket rental: 6 €. Every evening (except Monday) as soon as night falls.

Up until September 18th
Dance Sing: a summer of songs!
This great idea of the director of the Casino de Paris: times are changing, lifestyles as well, and therefore Paris will be less empty this summer. So, we can attempt to propose to Parisians (and to tourists!) this lovely musicale show, made in Quebec, and which was well received in May, in Paris, at the Folies Bergère. It must be said that it’s a performance that makes you want to hum: it’s a culmination of all the hits of from the 1930’s to today. From the cancan to the Charleston, from tap dancing to swing dancing, from go-go to disco, from rave to rap. 52 numbers, 22 decors, and 450 costumes…for a great multigenerational show to try out to heat up your summer!
Casino de Paris. 16, rue de Clichy, 9th.
From Wednesday to Friday at 8:30 pm, Saturday
at 8 pm and at 11:30 pm, Sunday at 5 pm. Seats:
46 € (56 € Saturday at 10:30pm), 36 € (46 € Saturday at 10:30pm) or 21 € (31 € Saturday at 10:30pm).
Tel. 08 92 69 89 26.

In July and in August
A princely summer at Chantilly
Like every summer, the Musée vivant du cheval (living museum of the horse) presents its equestrian show, a series of animated scenes that make you travel through time (16.50 € and 17.50 €). You can visit the stables where 30 horses are lodged in a way that is just, well…princely. The exhibition halls present the different equestrian disciplines, the collections of wooden horses, of toys, of bits, of spurs, etc. and dressing presentations are held as well. (From 6.50 € to 8.50 €). You can equally visit the Potager (Vegetable garden) of princes, that is spread out over three hectares, that contains a number of surprises: a theater, a lattice work room, a pergola cloister, a salon de tea (tea room), a farmyard…
Musée vivant du cheval. Grand Ecuries, Chantilly, 60.
Potager des Princes. 17, rue de la Faisanderie, Chantilly, 60. Tel. 03 44 57 40 40


 
From July 21st to August 21st
Paris Plage 2005
The riverbanks are once again transforming into sandboxes, the palm trees are coming back to clean up the air near the hotel de ville. Operation Paris Plage is back by popular demand (we’re talking 3 million visitors) even if some people don’t hesitate to qualify it as ridiculous this temporary metamorphosis that costs so much money (between the sponsors and the town hall, it represents a budget of about 3 million euros), and some perhaps prefer the installation of more permanent leisure time places…which is one of Paris’s flaws.
 
 

Anyway, it’s the year of Brazil, and the those with time off stuck in Paris (those who do work will be stuck in traffic jams, as usual) can without feeling embarrassed get out their string bathing suits and lie down on a much lusted after lounge chair, facing the dark waters of the Seine…if the weather’s nice, that is! Otherwise, they can drown their sorrows at the bar with a caïpirinha.

From July 27th to 29th
Gonzpiration Music Lesson
This zany title announces a series of performances by dingo Gonzales to whom the subconscious has given free reign. Known for his delirious techno, this musician is equally a delicate pianist along the lines of Erik Satie. Lots of invited guests – including Feist – will be slipping into this completely mad happening that has every chance of becoming legendary. It just may be THE performance to be seen this summer in Paris!
Paris Quartier d’été. Théâtre de la Bastille. 76, rue de la Roquette, 11th. Tel. 01 43 57 42 14. At 9 pm. 15 €.

From August 27th to September 15th
Bartabas takes Versailles to the Indes Galantes
Bartabas is never presented anymore, this genius horseman who revolutionized in his own way the rather formal world of equitation and equestrian performances. This year, the dream continues with the conception of the Group F, of a show that promises to also be fairytale-like, for it is consecrated to the epic tale of a young Breton ship’s boy who made a fortune in India, before returning in France to the court of Louis XVI, to be made a noble and to die falling off a horse. Thus all the ingredients necessary for bringing to life a fabulous fresco, with stage décor after inspiring stage décor swimming in shimmering colors, luxurious costumes, marvelous jewels, which accompany just as well the actors as the horses. It’s in the fabulous setting that constitutes the ornamental lake of Neptune in the Park of Versailles where this intrigue will take place, with the possibility of attending the performance while comfortably installed in the little boats tied to the sides of the lake with ropes. A firework display will be the grand finale to the magnificence of this evocation perfectly adapted to the magic setting of the Park of Versailles. But hurry up and make your reservations, for the stands are big enough to hold aproximately10,000 spectators at each show (of which 160 only are on the boats).
“Voyage aux Indes Galantes”. Evening festival. Chateau de Versailles. 78.
Performances Saturdays and Thursdays at 9:30pm. Seating priced at 30 € (on the stands at the ends) and 85 € (on a boat). Information: Tel. 01 30 83 78 88.
www.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr





 

From September 4th to October 16th
Ile-de-France festival
Brazil, and also all the other Portuguese-speaking countries, are honored this year during this festival holding concerts in castles, churches, and other beautiful locations of the French patrimony. The ancient and classic music ensembles share the billboard with popular quality singers. With the Gilles Binchois Ensemble, The Sacqueboutiers, Pierre Hantaï, A Sei Voci, Lenine, Maria Rita…The event is concluded as it is every year by the “Factory” concerts, where electronic music and jazz work together in chorus.
In Ile-de-France. Tel. 01 58 71 01 01.
Internet: www.festival-ile-de-france.com.

 
 

September 10th
Techno Parade
The floats invade the capital with their loud canons. One or the other: either your eardrums are already ruined and you love to be inebriated by crazy rhythms, or…you hit the road!
In the streets of Paris.

From September 14th to December 25th
Autumn Festival
Oh yes! That’s it, the summer is over! But thanks to this – hip – festival that reveres artistic creation, one will certainly find consolation for having abandoned the beaches or the mountaintops. It begins with the exhibition of Brazilian visual and performance artist Marepe (Centre Pompidou) and is followed by dance (Mathilde Monnier and Christine Angot, DV8…), music (Ensemble Modern, Sylvain Cambreling, Liza Lim…), theater (tg STAN, Robert Lepage…) and cinema, notably Brazilian.
Tel. 01 53 45 17 17. www.festival-automne.com

September 16th and 17th
Players with lights
The Groupe F (like Fire!) are not unknown: they work regularly with Björk and they are the ones who illuminated the Eiffel tower for New Year’s Eve 2000. They are presenting at the Villette for the first time a pyrotechnical show starring fire and bright light: a show that combines shadow theater, fires, pixel wars, and musical sensations looming out of flying machines, light structures, all with amazing choreography. All fire, all flame!
Parc de la Villette. Prairie du Triangle. At 9 pm. Free. Tel. 01 40 03 75 75. www.villette.com.m
 

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