This summer, Paris will be transformed to welcome the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games for several weeks. If you’re just passing through, or just need some ideas to keep you busy, here are the best ideas for things to do in Paris.
What to do during the Olympic Games Our suggestions:
Bask in the sun at Paris Plage
Paris Plage is back again this year, to the delight of vitamin D-starved Parisians. And this year, Paris Plage returns with a brand-new spot: the Canal Saint-Martin. A magical place where you can relax, take part in sports classes, see exhibitions etc…
See the pop-colored Venus de Milo at the French National Assembly
To honor the games, artist Laurent Perbos has created the famous Venus de Milo hijacked for pop fun. Throughout the games, you’ll be able to discover six statues featuring one of the sports featured in the games: surfing, tennis, basketball, para-archery, boxing and javelin. Beautiful statues to admire in front of the National Assembly!
Celebrate the games in dedicated fan zones
For the duration of the games, you will find fan zones all over Paris to celebrate victories and soften defeats with your loved ones. It’s a great way to get a feel for the Olympic atmosphere during the weeks of festivities!
Watch the Olympic flame glow in the Tuileries Gardens
For the duration of the Games, you can admire the Olympic flame. The latter will rest in a special basin in the heart of the Tuileries gardens. What could be more symbolic than admiring its glitter?
📍117 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Take to the skies on a beautiful Parisian rooftop
What could be better than a beautiful rooftop to enjoy the sunny days in Paris? During the Olympic Games, and even afterwards, we recommend you take to the skies to admire the beauty of Paris. And who knows, if you’re lucky, you might even get to see part of the opening ceremony ?
Enjoy brunch on the terrace
If the weather lends itself, this summer we suggest you take advantage of the and enjoy a delicious brunch on one of Paris’s finest terraces. Our favorite? The Island Chalet! A hyper-cosy place, which has been recently renovated, where time seems suspended. Perfect for enjoying fine weather in a bucolic setting.
📍Chemin de Ceinture du Lac Inférieur du Bois de Boulogne, Porte de La Muette, 75016 Paris
Take the opportunity to visit some of Paris’s most emblematic monuments
Like the Church of Saint-Eustache, a sacred monument in the heart of Les Halles in Paris, currently illuminated in a monumental immersive show! At Luminiscence, visitors will have the opportunity to (re)discover an architectural masterpiece and a jewel of Parisian heritage sublimated by never-before-seen video mapping projections, to the rhythm of the lyrical flights of a choir of over 20 singers accompanied by a large organ.
Free museum tours
Who says you have to pay for everything in Paris? Even during the Olympics,some museums will remain free of charge. You’ll discover nuggets like the Fragonard museum, dedicated to perfume, or the Marie Curie museum.
Reserve a table in a festive restaurant
As Hemingway said, Paris is a party! So take advantage of the many festive restaurants that the town has to offer, for fun, enjoyment and a great evening out. One of the most emblematic? The ox on the roof! A magical place, which since 1922 has been the landmark of all artists in Paris.
📍34 rue du Colisée, 75008 Paris
Take advantage of current free exhibitions
There’s always a fun exhibition to see in Paris. But you have to admit that it takes on a whole new flavor when it’s 100% free of charge. All year round, you can see painting, photography, sculpture, immersive exhibitions… In short, there’s plenty to choose from!