1. Stroll les Berges de Seine

The renovated banks along the Seine were one of the best gifts the mayor gave the city last year. This year, they will be in full swing. Games, restaurants and a second location of Rosa Bonheur, the “it” place in Buttes Chaumont that now has a riverside address.

The berges are the place to see and be seen on hazy summer evenings, so scope out your favorite section and prepare for a summer of excellent people watching. Check out the official website for locations.

2. Must see museum exhibits

For those days when the weather isn’t cooperating, there are still plenty of great shows in some of Paris’ most famed galleries. A few recommendations:

• Check out the “Paris 1900” exhibition at the Petit Palais through August 17.

• Stop in the Louvre to see the Abu Dhabi collection that will be premiering in the museum’s newest location that is set to open 2015. It’s on display through July 28 before being packed up for its new home.

• The Musée Maillol has the Trésor de Naples through July 20 to discover some historic glitz and glam from Italy.

Also see our full list of Paris museum admission fees and discounts.

The annual Fête de la Musique brings live bands out into the streets of Paris for an all night party. Photo: straightfromthecask

3. Fête de la Musique

June 21

An all-night party in Paris with music at every turn? OK! Urban music is the special guest this year, so it’s anyone’s guess what kind of performers we’ll be seeing. But the whole night is about music out in the open for the public to enjoy—and that’s just what you’ll get.

Simply wander the streets and follow the sounds, just don’t stay out too late, because it can get kind of messy in the wee hours of the morning. Find out more on the Fete’s official website.

The fireworks display on Bastille Day is a must-see for any summertime visitor. Photo: Yann Caradec

4. Celebrate Bastille Day

July 14

We’d be remiss to talk about summer in Paris without mentioning the Bastille Day celebrations. From the firemen’s parties (bals de pompiers) to the military parade on the Champs Elysées, there’s fun to be had for all. And as long as you don’t mind crowds, be sure to see the pièce de résistance—the fireworks behind the Eiffel Tower. It’s a Parisian summer staple. Here’s a full round up of Bastille Day events.

Take a break with a frozen treat or break our your swimsuit for some sun along the Seine. Photo: passionleica

5. Hit the beach at Paris Plages

July 20 – August 20

It’s a mainstay of the summer in Paris, be it along the Seine or up along the Canal in the 19^th arrondissement. The banks are turned into beachside resorts where families can catch a bit of sun, dig their feet in the sand and enjoy dancing and other events sponsored by City Hall—for free.

6. Cinéma en Plein Air

Starting July 23

Up by the old abattoirs at La Villette in the 19th, the lawn offers primo seating for Paris’ biggest outdoor (and free) movie screen. When the sun goes down, the pictures start rolling. Pack a picnic and throw down your best blanket. This year the theme is “Adolescence,” which means movies like “Moonrise Kingdom” and “Scream 4” will regale audiences. See the schedule on the festival’s website.

7. Cinéma au Clair de Lune

July 31 – August 11

If you don’t like the film selections at La Villette, try the smaller but equally Parisian (and free) Cinéma au Clair de Lune. A series of films are projected in some of Paris’ most iconic parks, squares and public places. The location changes every night, so be sure to check the listings once they’re posted by the Forum des Images on their website.

8. Ride with Ratatouille at Paris Disneyland

Opening summer 2014
Website

Found a good deal on Disneyland tickets? Head on out to the park and look for the new Ratatouille ride opening this summer. The hotly anticipated addition to the Walk Disney Studio section of the park will be a 3D event starring everyone’s favorite Pixar rat. The attraction features a Disneyfied version of Haussmann architecture, recreating the quaint streets of Paris in addition to a bistro. So there’s really no reason to leave the park, right?

9. Picnic in the park

Paris in the summer also means picnics. Assorted meats from the local butcher. Wine and cheese. Beer and chips. Orangina and, well, whatever pairs with Orangina. All are fair game. Speaking of games, don’t forget to pack your pétanque balls or Molkky set to entertain you and your fellow picnickers as you sit back and relax, doing exactly what one should do in Paris.

Need ideas on where to enjoy your spread? Here are 8 great spots to enjoy a Paris picnic.

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Parc Monceau

The urban oasis of Parc Monceau, in the 8th Arrondissement, is where Parisians go to picnic, jog or just take a casual stroll under the trees. On weekends, French families flock to the park to give the enfants a chance to run around, while groups of friends gather to relax on the lawns and benches. Amble through the pathways and pretend you own a little apartment overlooking the Arc de Triomphe, even if you’re “just visiting.”

In summer months, the park is open from 7 AM to 10 PM, while in winter it closes at 8 PM.

Cheapo tip: After your own picnic, stop by the Musée Cernuschi just next door at 7 Avenue Velasquez. Once a private home, this museum of Far Eastern art offers free admission to the permanent collection. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Parc des Buttes Chaumont

Parc des Buttes Chaumont

“Butte” in French means “hill,” of which there are plenty at the Parc des Buttes Chaumont. Climbing up (and up and up) and down the slopes it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of a busy city. Setting out a meal at such a severe angle can be a challenge, but the views are well worth it.

Cheapo tip: Two sights not to be missed are the lookout point on the island in the center of the park, and the cave just at the bottom of the adjoining hill. The waterfall inside makes a great backdrop for photos, as many couples have discovered (see photo at right).

From May 1 to September 30, the park is open from 7 AM to 10 PM; from September 30 to April 30 the park closes at 9 PM.

Parc de la Villette

Hands down, the “prairie du triangle” lawn at the Parc de la Villette (in the 19th Arrondissement) is the most comfortable patch of grass you can imagine. It’s perfect for an afternoon or evening picnic, although do be warned of the lack of shade.

Throughout the year, Parc de la Villette hosts various cultural presentations on the lawn and in nearby performance spaces. From July to August, it’s used for Ciné en Plein Air, a free open-air movie theater. Next up is Jazz à la Villette, a two-week festival from September 1st to 13th featuring artists from all over the world.

Cheapo tip: This fall, check out three “spectacles” of Creole theater (September 22 – October 10) and the Cirque Plume, a blend of music, acrobatics and theater (September 30 – December 20).

Tells us: What are your favorite places in Paris for picnicking or promenading?

Want to read more about parks? Check out some of our other favorite parks.

The post Paris Tip: Discover the city’s hidden parks appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

With almost 400 theaters in Paris showing 600 films on any given day, choosing just one film can be daunting.

First things first: Get your hands on a Pariscope, the weekly entertainment guide available at any newsstand, or visit Allocine.fr. (In cinema listings, “v.f.” stands for “version francaise,” meaning it’s dubbed in French with no subtitles. “V.o.” is “version originale,” which means the film is presented in its original language with subtitles in French.)

Spotlight on… Studio 28

My own favorite cinema is little Studio 28, the only movie house on the hill of Montmartre. With just 170 seats and about ten screenings a week, it has earned a special place in the Parisian filmscape.

Founded in 1928 (hence the name), it immediately carved a niche in history as the world’s first avant-garde art theater. Studio 28’s fame was secured when Salvador Dali and Luis Buñuel premiered one of the first surrealist films there: “L’Age d’Or” (The Golden Age).

Before you go

Today, Studio 28 provides a delightful experience while remaining relatively inexpensive, compared to other Paris movie theatres. During July, it offers a special reduced-fare series featuring international classics like “Rebel Without a Cause”, “East of Eden”, “Roman Holiday”, and “Double Indemnity”, among others.

The cinema offers a rare opportunity to experience films the way they were before the multiplex—it’s no wonder that Audrey Tautou’s “Amélie Poulain” headed to Studio 28 every Friday.

Also to note: Studio 28 maintains a rotating display of artwork, and showcases the hand- and footprints of famous actors and directors who have premiered films there.

A bar at the end of the lobby opens onto a small beer garden (enclosed in winter) where you can sit and have a drink or some snacks before the show. Once you’ve entered the auditorium, settle into your plush red seat, let your eyes adjust to the dark, and make sure you check out the old piano nearby. It last saw serious use when Charlie Chaplin showed his movies here. The large set of surrealist light fixtures in the same auditorium were created by artist/film director Jean Cocteau.

Practical info: Studio 28 is located at 10 rue Tholozé in the 18th arrondissement (Metros Abbesses or Blanche). Phone: 01 46 06 36 07, or check online for current listings. Tickets are usually €7.50 (students €6.30)

Other cinemas of note

La Pagode (57, rue de Babylone, 7th arrondissement), looks like a Japanese temple. It was built for the wife of the founder of Au Bon Marché, the oldest department store in the city.

Le Balzac (just off the Champs-Elysées at 1, rue Balzac) will make you feel like you’re on a steamship bound for a distant land, thanks to its porthole-and-riveted-steel-hatchways ocean liner decor.

At La Péniche Cinéma that particular aesthetic is carried even further, as the theater actually is a ship—well, a barge, anyway—docked at Parc de la Villette each winter, and then moored at La Villette canal basin all summer.

Le Grand Rex is by far the city’s largest and flashiest theater. Located at 1, boulevard Poissonnière (between Metros Grands Boulevards and Bonne Nouvelle), this humongous movie palace was erected in 1932 at the height of the Art Deco movement. It can seat audiences of 5,000.

Do you have a favorite Paris cinema? Tell us about it in the comment section below!

Also, read our post on how to score discount movie tickets in Paris.

The post Paris Cinema: Classic films at Studio 28, and more appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.