Paris is a fantastic city to visit, no matter what time of the year. But springtime in Paris has a magical charm about it: the weather – sunny but not too sunny, and with the occasional shower – is perfect, the flowers are in bloom, the streets are a little fuller, and the city is invigorated with fresh energy. April, especially, is a lovely month to be visiting Paris (anyone in doubt can give Frank Sinatra’s ‘April in Paris’ a listen). Not only is nature in full cooperation, there are a bunch of wonderful events that take place. A cultural, artistic, and gastronomic hub, Paris has something to offer for almost everyone.
The 40th Annual Paris Marathon
The Schneider Electric Marathon De Paris will be celebrating its 40th year this April 3rd. This is truly a grand event, bringing together runners from around 150 countries each year. Around 35,000 runners gather each year to run over 40 kilometers across this gorgeous city as others watch and cheer for them. So put on your running shoes and make your way past the classic Parisian sights or give support to those on this exhilarating run!
The Paris Marathon could well rate as “the best marathon in the world” when it comes to drop dead gorgeous scenery, atmosphere, crowd support (250,000 of them!), flat course and the general joie de vivre!
Where else can you run past so many iconic landmarks? Firstly there is the start in the Champs-Élysées, with the Arc de Triomphe as a backdrop, possibly the best start line in the world. The marathon then becomes a scenic tour of Paris….. Concorde, Bastille, Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Seine and the Musee d’Orsay. Source Irun.
International Rare Book, Autograph, Print & Drawing Fair
The beautiful Grand Palais, located at the iconicChamps-Élysées, has been hosting an annual book and fine print fair since April 2007. Organized by the National Union of Antiquarian and Modern Booksellers had been hosting a book fair since 1984, the International Rare Book, Autograph, Print and Drawing Fair is one of the most noteworthy of its kind. More than 150 antique book exhibitors and 50 print and drawing gallery owners from around the world attend each year, and visitors can leave with a special experience.
Visitors are invited to take a fabulous journey following the traces left by the human mind over the centuries. From manuscripts to avant-garde works, from a letter from François I to a note written by Marcel Proust, from 13th-century psalters to futuristic manifestos, aficionados can explore the shelves of an immense “book store” bursting with an endless variety of documents in their thousands representing every era, every style, every medium. Figurative works, abstract works, engraved wood, etchings, lithographs, sanguine drawings, ink-wash paintings and water colours… A stroll around the alleys of the fair is a journey of discovery through timeless artistic expressions with a universal heritage value. Salon Du Livre Rare
The Banlieues Bleues Jazz Festival
If you’re a lover of jazz, Paris is the place to be this spring! Head to the northern suburbs of the city, where the Banlieues Bleues Jazz Festival takes place. The festival offers a wide range of performances from contemporary artists around the world, covering all the jazz genres there are. A ticket is usually 12 to 18 euros, and venues can be easily accessed through the city metro’s.
Innovative, audacious, plethoric, full of inventions and initiatives, the Banlieues Bleues Festival is at the highlight of the music season in France and Europe. Famous around the world, this Seine-Saint-Denis, Great-Jazz festival continues to explore vast and lively musical territories! Each edition of the festival features jazz-inspired various concerts to make up the music-festival spirit with jazz gigs on the stage of the Paris Ile de France venues. uk.tourisme93.com
Foire Du Trone Fair
The biggest funfair in Europe, and arguably one of the largest in the world, the Foire Du Trone is a great way of letting loose and having tons of fun! This annual fair has been on for over a millennium, having started in 957 AD. It has a variety of different attractions, from rides to food stalls, and attracts millions of visitors each year. The 2016 edition is running from March 25th to May 23rd at the Pelouse de Reuilly, every day from noon to midnight, and from noon to 1 am on Saturdays and eve of public holidays.
Children and adults alike flock to enjoy the fair in spring, and to discover the 350 attractions spread over 10 hectares, on the green space of the Pelouse de Reuilly. There is also an abundance of sweet and savoury food stalls including candy floss, toffee apples, crêpes, churros and more. Like every year, there will be a traditional firework show which will light up the sky over the funfair on the public holiday day, the Fête du Travail on 1st May. Paris Info
Galloping Sundays
If you’re in Paris on any Sunday until April 17th, enjoy a day at the Ateuil and Saint-Cloud hippodromes where you can race horses and play games. It’s especially appealing if you’re there with your family, since there are several fun activities available for children. Entry is free for anyone under the age of 18, while adults have to pay 5 euros. You may take part in one of 8 gallop races, have a picnic outdoors, sample the restaurants, watch a pirate runway show, try a racing simulator, and much more!
The 13th annual Dimanches au Galop brings family fun to the Auteuil and Saint-Cloud hippodromes every Sunday between March 27 and April 17 2016. Starting at 12 noon, kids can enjoy horse races and pony rides, as well as games and a grand treasure hunt. Also on offer are workshops run by equine experts and the chance to meet riding coaches to learn more about all the horses and jockeys involved. Source: Timeout
April promises a lot of entertainment in Paris! These events can help transcend your travel experience into something even more memorable, and make you fall in love with Paris and its undeniable charm.
