If you’re still looking for something to do on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve this year, Come to Paris has a number of special activities you could consider.
From cabarets to dinners to jazz to boat rides on the Seine, check here for Christmas Eve ideas and here for New Year’s Eve ideas.
You can also look at my post from a few weeks back on France for the Holidays.
What are your holiday plans?
Les Restos du Coeur is a French charity that was started over 30 years ago by the comedian and actor Coluche with the goal of helping to alleviate hunger in France. It helps to distribute warm meals to the homeless and to other low income individuals and has expanded its efforts more recently to assisting with housing and other aid to those in need. It is estimated that by the end of the 2018 calendar year, the organization will have provided 130 million meals.
Each year, a number (fifteen, this year) of well-known authors contribute to a book of short pieces and the book is sold as a fundraiser for the charity. One book purchased translates to four meals for those who need them. You can find the book at your local French bookshop or online (for example, on Amazon). You can also make a larger donation of money or time to the charity via the Restos du Coeur website.
Last month, I was lucky enough to attend the Restos du Coeur launch event for this year’s book, hosted by la REcyclerie in Paris’s 18th arr. A number of very talented chefs volunteered their services (and their creations!) for the event including chefs from:
One of the charity’s partners, Cook and Com, a gourmet event-planning agency, put together the wonderful video above memorializing the event.
The good news is that the Gustav Klimt/Hundertwasser show at the Atelier des Lumières has been extended!
The bad news is that tickets are selling out quickly and you only have through January 6, 2019. You can purchase your tickets here.
So what am I talking about? This “Studio of Lights” show in the 11th arrondissement is the latest digital art or “immersive art” rage in Paris. Some call it incredible and some call is cheezy. It may be somewhere in between. But at 14 EUR per ticket I think it’s well worth a visit. The two shows back to back (the longer Klimt program and shorter Hundertwasser program) take just under an hour total.
During this hour of spectacle, as the official Paris Visitor’s Website says: “Using 140 video projectors and a spatialized sound system, the highly unique multimedia equipment will cover a total surface area of 3,300 m2, extending from the floors to the ceilings and over walls up to ten meters high.” I bet you’re still confused. Well, I think it’s one of those things you have to experience in person to understand. I went last month and enjoyed marveling at the engineering more than anything else. How do you project from 140 cameras on all surfaces of a room with people walking around everywhere and yet there are no shadows?
But if you miss the Klimt show, I am sure there will be more shows to come. This does seem to have been a real success judging from all the sold-out weekends! The gift shop at the Atelier also appears to be a success. Not a bad place to pick up some unique holiday gifts.
Tip: If you’re looking for a quick and ridiculously reasonably priced meal before or after the show, drop by the new Chez Ugo for a plate of pasta or some tiramisu. It’s just a block or two away.
Atelier des Lumières
8 rue Saint Maur
75011 Paris
Chez Ugo
95 rue du chemin Vert
75011 Paris
Last year, I shared a $20 off code for TakeLessons, a website that helps match students with teachers….
This promo code for readers of Paris Weekender is still active! Use promo code GETLESSONS and new students will save $20 on their purchase of lessons, whether it’s French lessons or any other language of their choice.
This year, TakeLessons started creating tutorials for learning French on YouTube. Take a peak at this one on how to “sound more French” when you speak. You can subscribe to their YouTube channel here, so you’re sure not to miss any helpful videos! And you can follow them via their Facebook page.
If you’re in Paris and still aren’t sure where to get your turkey on Thursday, 52 Martinis has a few great suggestions for where to find that special meal.
Some options are traditional, some offer a French twist on the classic American dishes and one is calling itself “epic”. From casual to chic, 52 Martinis has you covered.
