Photo Erica Berman.

Text Sarah Raymond

The nice thing about Paris is that it’s small for such a major city; a lot of things you might want to see and do are within walking distance of each other. It’s easy to slow down and walk from one destination to the next: the Louvre is not far from the Marais, from which you can stroll over to the Ile St-Louis & Ile de la Cité, which in turn are just next to St-Germain, and then perhaps you might want to keep going just a bit further - possibly to the Musée d’Orsay, followed by the Eiffel Tower? All of a sudden, though the distance between one place and the next is relatively short, you’ve walked many kilometers. Of course, it’s always nice to slow down even further for a break at a café… but when it’s time to move on, your feet may start to object. There is always the métro - but on a nice day, you may not want to go underground and miss all that the city has to offer.

This is where Vélib’ comes to the rescue. The popular Paris bike share program, introduced in July of 2007, just celebrated its second birthday. Vélib’, which is a contraction of vélo (bicycle) and libre (free) or liberté (freedom), is a huge success among Parisians and visitors alike. Some use it for their daily commute, rather than suffer the crowded métro. Others might go for a leisurely ride along the quais, or perhaps to meet friends for drinks. Whatever the purpose, Vélib’ is wonderfully convenient, not to mention eco-friendly. It is a great way to take some time out from rushing from one sight to the next - to just slow down and soak up the essence of the city.

Photo Erica Berman.

There is, however, one problem that often comes up for tourists: unless you have a Passe Navigo - a rechargable card for the metro that many residents get - you must use a credit or debit card to be able to take advantage, and some foreign cards do not work with the Vélib’ system (European cards have a chip that most North American ones lack). Recently though, we have discovered that American Express charge cards are accepted, even though a North American Visa or Mastercard may not be.

So how exactly does the system work? You must purchase a subscription (abonnement) at any Vélib’ station. You can purchase:

• 1 day (€1)
• 1 week (€5)
• 1 year (€29)

Whichever you choose, for each subscription you can take out one bicycle at a time, as many times as you want. Each bicycle can be used for up to 30 minutes at no charge beyond that of the subscription. If you do not return the bicycle after the first ½ hour, you will be charged €1 for the subsequent 30 minutes, then €2 for an additional 30 minutes, and €4 for every 30 minutes beyond that.

Rows of bicycles at a Vélib’ station. Photo Sarah Raymond.

To purchase a subscription, you go to any Vélib’ station - anywhere you see a line of identical gray bicycles attached to individual locking mechanisms. Each station has a borne, where you will see a screen and a keypad. You can select your language and follow the prompts - if successful, you will receive a paper ticket with your subscription number. Keep this ticket! Any time you want to take out a bicycle, you will need to enter this number as well as the PIN you created for yourself. Then just choose the number of the bicycle you want to take (each is attached to a small numbered stand), press the silver button on top of the stand - and Voilà! Your Vélib’. You can return it at any Vélib’ station in Paris, as long as there is a locking stand open.

Bon vélo!

For more information about the Vélib’ program (in English), see http://www.en.velib.paris.fr/.

August in Paris is all about slowing down and appreciating life’s little pleasures. In other words, you have an excuse to do absolutely nothing. In that spirit, the Forum des Images invites you to sit back and let them do the work, as they bring classic and contemporary films to you — for free!

The much awaited 9th annual Cinéma au Clair de Lune festival runs from August 5th-23rd and takes place in various arrondissements throughout Paris. The festival’s outdoor film projections take advantage of Paris’ naturally cinematic backdrops, and all films are free and open to the public. The 2009 film line-up spans époques and locations, featuring classic films and futuristic thrillers. This year’s festival is dedicated to Claude Berri, the famed French director, writer, and producer who died in January of this year. The festival kicks off with a screening of Jacques Becker’s Casque d’Or and includes a diverse selection of films, most of which are set in Paris or France.

Photo courtesy of lexpress.fr

Much like the Cinema en Plein Air at the Parc de la Villette, Cinéma au Clair de Lune provides a perfect opportunity to hang out outside on warm summer nights. But for those who don’t want to make the trek to the Parc de la Villette, this festival moves from neighborhood to neighborhood, so there’s no need to travel too far. So grab you friends, a picnic, some wine, and head out to your nearest screening. (Don’t forget extra blankets, as it can get cool at night!)

The festival began on Wednesday, August 5th, and all subsequent screenings take place on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until August 23rd. All screenings begin at 9:30pm. All films are screened in their original versions with subtitles.

Film line-up:

Wednesday, August 5: Casque D’Or, 18e arr. (M° Anvers)

Thursday, August 6: Le Cinéma De Papa 8e arr. (M° Champs-Élysées Clemenceau)

Friday, August 7 : Ariane 14e arr. (RER Cité-Universitaire)

Saturday, August 8: Le Rayon Vert 15e arr. (M° Balard)

Sunday, August 9: Pierrot Le Fou 16e arr. (M° Trocadéro)

Thursday, August 13: Les Trois Mousquetaires 4e arr. (M° Chemin-Vert ou Saint-Paul)

Friday, August 14: Tchao Pantin 13e arr. (M° Tolbiac ou Place d’Italie)

Saturday, August 15: Renaissance 14e arr. (RER Cité-Universitaire)

Sunday, August 16: Goupi Mains Rouges 11e arr. (M° Père Lachaise)

Thursday, August 20: Boudu Sauvé Des Eaux 15e arr. (M° Sèvres-Lecourbe)

Friday, August 21: Ma Petite Entreprise 19e arr. (M° Place des Fêtes)

Saturday, August 22: Slogan 12e arr. (M° Porte de Charenton)

Sunday, August 23: Dans Paris 1er arr. (RER Châtelet-Les-Halles )

For more information (in French), click here.

Text by Tory Hoen

You may have heard rumors that Paris empties out in August. As it turns out, the rumors are largely true. But before you start envisioning a Parisian ghost town—tumbleweeds rolling down the Champs-Elysées—take it from us: August is a wonderful time to be in Paris. As many locals head to the coast and many businesses close up for the month, you can feel the city’s pulse slow down. Traffic decreases, picnickers multiply, people become friendlier, they linger in parks and enjoy balmy evenings on café terraces throughout the city. In August, Paris settles and simply enjoys itself.

In the past, many tourists have avoided the month of August, deterred by the fear that many restaurants and businesses might be closed, or that Paris in August is not the “real” Paris. Nowadays, there is no need to worry about such things. While the “August atmosphere” is more relaxed and unhurried, there is plenty to do during this wonderful month; and many locals believe it’s actually the best moment to take advantage of the city.  In addition, visitors can often find special deals and lower rates at this time of the year.

Photo Erica Berman – Park in Paris in August

Restaurants & Food: Neither locals nor visitors go hungry in August. While some restaurants close for part (or all) of the month, many stay open to receive tourists and locals alike. If you have a specific restaurant in mind, it’s always best to reserve ahead. If you’re not pressed for time, stroll around and see what you stumble upon! Some of Paris’ best food can be found in restaurants that are slightly off the beaten path.

August is also a wonderful time to take advantage of fresh produce by cooking for yourself. Open-air markets (such as Place Monge and Blvd Raspail) maintain their regular schedules. And famous food streets (rue Mouffetard in the 5^th, rue Cler in the 7^th) welcome hungry visitors. Some food shops may close for select days in August, but in general, they will coordinate their closings with other shops in the neighborhood, so as not to inconvenience the locals. If you do find that your favorite boulangerie has closed for the day, chances are you won’t have to look far for another. August is a great time to discover culinary secrets that you would have otherwise missed!

Shopping and Museums: While some small, privately owned boutiques may close during August, Paris’ large department stores (BHV, Le Bon Marché, Printemps, Galeries Lafayette) remain open, as do most larger boutiques and international chains. All major museums such as the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Rodin Museum maintain their regular hours.

Statue in the garden at the Musée Rodin. Photo by Tory Hoen

Culture: The number and variety of cultural events provides another great reason to head to Paris in August. Film buffs will want to take advantage of the warm weather by attending Paris’ two major open-air film festivals, Cinema en Plein Air and Clair de Lune. Cinema en Plein Air takes place in Parc de la Villette from July 15-August 16. Clair de Lune screenings take place in different neighborhoods around the city between August 5^th and 23^rd. Both film series are free and open to the public. At the end of August, one of Paris’ most anticipated music events of the year rolls into town. From August 28-30, Rock en Seine takes place at the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, just outside Paris (Metro: Pont de St-Cloud, Line 10). This year’s line-up will feature MGMT, Oasis, Vampire Weekend, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, and Birdy Nam Nam. A 3-day pass, which will get you into every show over the course of the weekend, goes for 99€ and 1-day passes are 45€.

The Great Outdoors: Finally, we don’t have to remind you that summer is the best time to linger in parks, stroll along the Seine, and loiter along the banks of the Canal St. Martin. All of Paris’ parks and public spaces are open everyday and are entirely free to the public. No matter what your style—the dramatic Jardin du Luxembourg, the elegant Parc Monceau, the wild Parc des Buttes Chaumont—Paris has it all. In addition, the much acclaimed Paris Plages festival runs from July 20-August 20. Grab some sunscreen and spend the day at Paris’ very own beach—complete with palm trees, lounge chairs, beach cabanas and sporting activities.

Jardin du Luxembourg. Photo by Tory Hoen

So if you’ve delayed making plans for your summer getaway, it’s not too late. A low-key August in Paris is just what you need to recharge for the year ahead.