Paris

Entertainment Options in Paris

• You could live a lifetime in Paris and not take advantage of all of the possibilities for amusement that the city holds. There are countless museums, shows, exhibits, recitals, and concerts. Entertainment abounds for every taste and budget. Tourists complain that they never have enough time to cram into their short stays the delights that Paris offers. On the other hand, residents sometimes take for granted the availability and accessibility of the many activities on hand. Take advantage of the opportunity you have to live and explore one of the cultural centers of the world at a leisurely pace…just don’t fall into the trap of saying “I live here, I’ll get to it…”
  

  Planning Essentials

  There are several guides and websites that list all of the happenings in Paris to help you plan your leisure activities. Most are in French, but are easy to understand and use. You can buy one of the copies at your local news kiosque or check their websites.

  • Pariscope, http://www.pariscope.fr, Telerama, http://www.telerama.fr, and l’Officiel des Spectacles are weekly magazines that list everything from special museum exhibits to movie times.
  • Some English language online guides which discuss Paris entertainment include Time Out, Paris Voice (http://www.parisvoice.com/).
  • The FUSAC (http://www.fusac.com) regularly provides notice of American and British sporting events and may highlight English language events.
  • http://www.culture.fr is exclusively online, but provides the same information.
  • The What’s On section of http://paris.angloinfo.com has current happenings listed in English.
  • Irish Eyes and Where are free monthly publications in English that provide references for dining, shopping, movies, music, theater and literature. They can be found at certain Anglophone locations throughout Paris like the American church.
  • The Office du Tourisme et des Congres de Paris, http://www.parisinfo.com, provides recorded information in English at 08.92.68.30.00. There is an English version on their website.
  • My Little Paris (http://www.mylittleparis.com) and Secrets of Paris (http://www.secretsofparis.com) are both fun websites that keep up with current happenings in Paris, including sample sales and out of the ordinary events.

  Events in Paris tend to be crowded so it is advisable to buy your tickets as far in advance as possible. Tickets are for sale at box offices generally about two weeks before an event, for some up to a month before. And, admission to cultural events is high, as in any big city. Sometimes subscriptions are available, which lowers your cost.

  • FNAC, http://www.fnac.com, 08.92.68.36.22
  • Virgin Megastore, 01.49.53.50.00
  • Kiosque Theatres, 15 place de la Madeleine and place Raoul Dautry, and RER Chatelet les Halles. The RER station location provides half-price, day-of-show tickets with a commission charge per ticket.
  • Kiosque des Jeunes, 14 rue Francois Miron 75003, 01.42.71.38.76 and 101 quai Branly, 01.43.06.15.38; These spots are for those under 28 years old and have tons of information on sports and culture and dramatically reduced tickets for some of the best productions in Paris. For more information, email: kiosque.jeunes@mairie-paris.fr
  • Spectaplus, 252 rue du Faubourg St-Honore 75008, 01.53.53.58.60, This is a subscription service with reduced-price tickets to all types of events.
  • http://www.billetreduc.com is an online site offering last minute tickets at reduced prices.