5 hidden attractions to explore in Paris
PARIS is everyone’s dream destination simply because it is the city of love. Airline Cathay Pacific shares a few more reasons to visit:
Fête de la Musique. For the past 35 years the festival of music has attracted international music lovers, who celebrate music in its many forms on June 21, which is World Music Day. Throughout the Parisian summer you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of some of the best local and international bands, solo singers, drummers and DJs live in various parts of the city. They play on pavements, in parks, in the streets and even in museums, creating instant street parties.
Paris is considered the birthplace of cinema, with the first known commercial film screening for the public taking place in 1895. It’s no wonder that Paris is home to over 100 movie theatres and cinemas, with around 300 films – from art-nouveau to the latest blockbusters – showing every week. Le Champollion, or “Le Champo” as it’s affectionately known, is an independent cinema located in Paris’s Latin Quarter and is a student-friendly bohemian experience that’s not to be missed.
On warm summer evenings, hordes of people flock to the banks of Port Saint-Bernard, located in the stunning Jardin Tino Rossi which stretches along the River Seine, simply to dance the night away in the company of other like-minded Parisians. Find a partner and join in if you like – there’s everything from ballroom to salsa and tango dancers in the crowd – or take a stroll along the Tino Rossi waterfront to see some of the incredible sculptures displayed in the open-air museum. Jardin Tino Rossi is open throughout the day and free to enter. You can even pack a picnic basket to enjoy on the banks of the River Seine.
Canal St Martin is one of the trendiest places to visit while you’re in Paris during the summer months (June to August). The canal is a modern, eclectic centre of activity – the epicentre of modern Parisian culture – and has become the meeting place of the city’s arty crowd, with locals coming in their numbers to enjoy a long, lazy afternoon on its banks. Browse the array of boutiques and concept stores that line the two streets that run parallel to St Martin, many of which feature a variety of weird and wonderful items to take back home with you as a memento.
Spanning an impressive 39 square metres, the I Love You Wall (Le mur des je t’aime) in Paris’ Jehan-Rictus Square was created by two artists as a rendezvous location for lovers and a lasting monument to eternal adoration. Covered in 612 lava tiles, the wall features the words “I love you” in 311 different languages, including all 192 languages of the United Nations, the perfect way to end a romantic getaway.