RUYI Book Travel

Top 5 Events in Paris in 2010

2010-01-29T17:49:00.002+01:00

Thinking about a trip to Paris in 2010, but can’t decide when you should go? Why not plan your trip around one of these top 5 events that will rock the city in 2010.

1. Les Soldes (“The Sales”)

For shopaholics, Paris is a drug — and during the city’s “sales” season, a particularly dangerous one. Twice a year, all stores in Paris from Louis Vitton to Gap, have monster sales, with discounts up to 80% off. Although the sales last for six weeks, Parisians and tourists alike rise early on the first day of sales to stand in line outside their favorite stores, waiting for the doors to open so that they get first crack at coveted items. Given the number of shops in Paris, trying to figure out where to go can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau created “Soldes by Paris”: five themed shopping routes based upon your taste and style. Each route has 50 stores in each category (classic, trendy, creative, Bobo Chic, and Fusion Fashion World), and includes boutiques, restaurants, and cultural sites that might also please you. Download this multilingual shopping guide at www.shoppingbyparis.com.

Winter sales: January 6 – February 20; Summer sales: late June-July.

2. Chinese New Year.

Come welcome the Year of the Tiger! Over the past decade, celebrating theChinese New Year has become an increasingly popular event among in Paris. Thousands come out to attend the noisy, colorful parade in the 13th arrondissement, where you can enjoy dancers, musicians, flag-bearers and an enormous gaily-colored silk dragon that swoops and swirls over the crowd. Afterward, try one of the many Chinese restaurants in the neighborhood for a traditional New Year’s meal. Be sure to eat Spring Rolls for wealth, and noodles for long life (don’t cut them!)

Chinese New Year: February 14th.

3. French Open (Roland Garros Tournament).

Even if you’re not a die-hard tennis fan, you’ll likely be enthralled by the hard-fought matches at the French Open. This tournament is one of the four major tennis events that make up the Grand Slam and inevitably features theworld’s top tennis players – many of whom find themselves defeated by the stadium’s clay courts. Score tickets early: this tournament is unquestionably one of the most popular events of the year.

Roland Garros Tournament: May 23- June 6.

4. Fête de la Musique.

Every year on June 21, the city of Paris turns into a massive music festival. The Fête de la Musique is a day on which all musicians, from the unknown amateur to highly-regarded professional, can display their talent to the masses – all for free. Wander the streets, sit in a café, or hang out in a park, and you’ll find music of some stripe on almost every corner: brass bands, rock,opera, hip-hop, jazz,reggae, classical – you name it, it’ll be there. Check out __ www.fete-musique.net for further details.

Fete de la Musique: June 21.

5. La Nuit Blanche.

If Paris turns into a huge music festival on Fete de la Musique, then it turns into a giant museum during the Nuit Blanche. On the Nuit Blanche (White Night), Paris’s museums, galleries, cinemas, parks, monuments and evenswimming pools are open all night long – and admittance is free. Thousands of people spend the night roaming the streets of Paris, attending various exhibits and special showcases, and enjoying Paris’s cultural scene under the shroud of darkness. At dawn, the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) offers breakfast for weary all-night culture-seekers.

The Chinese New Year 2010

2010-01-12T10:19:00.004+01:00

Chinese New Year is a very important event for Chinese communities around the world… In the Asian calendar, the Year of the Ox will end on 14th February to be replaced by the Year of the Tiger. The third animal in the Chinese zodiac, this big cat is characterized by its courage, impulsiveness and solidarity.

This time for "out with the old, in with the new", meaning forgetting suffering and disappointments to concentrate on prosperity and happiness, is an opportunity for many forms of celebration: a series of fire-cracker shows, music, performances and parades follow on from each other in a glorious commotion!

The party’s focal point will be Paris’s 13th arrondissement, where the largest Asian community lives. The highlight of the show will be the procession of the dragon. Made from bamboo poles and silk and standing at eight to 10 metres high, the large, brightly coloured dragon, operated by a dozen people, gracefully bucks and weaves, furls and unfurls, leading the procession of shopkeepers to whom it brings good fortune.

Address

Dans le 13ème arrondissement et autres lieux en Ile de France
75013 Paris

Contact info
http://www.nouvelanchinois.org

Transition to the year of Tiger, 09 . 19 February 2010

Free

Book a hotel for the Chinese New Year in Paris: Grand Hôtel Saint-Michel

2010-01-08T11:07:00.017+01:00

Grand Hotel Saint Michel is located in the heart of Paris, near the Luxembourg Garden and the Pantheon. It offers modern rooms with a free minibar and free Wi-Fi.

Guest rooms at the Grand Hotel Saint Michel are comfortable and air-conditioned. They include flat-screen TV, tea/coffee making facilities and a stylish en suite bathroom. Some have a view over the Parisian rooftops.

Additional services include buffet breakfast, room service, a business centre and ticket reservations.

The Grand Hotel is located in the Latin Quarter and is close to several Metro stops. The nearby Gare du Luxembourg RER station provides direct access to Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Each of the 47 rooms and suites offer, a theme: the flower, fading in an original way; a design: brown tones dominate, white illuminates and a different bright colour on each floor adds a sense of delight. Add to this an extraordinary view of the domes of the Sorbonne and the Pantheon from certain rooms on the upper floors. All this surrounded by outstanding comfort and cutting-edge technology, ensuring that your stay is truly enjoyable.

Bathrooms, each designed with carefully selected luxurious materials, are punctuated with colourful glass panels overlooking the room. Offering pure, bright and luminous design, they are equipped with a bathtub or an Italian-style shower, a magnifying mirror and a hair dryer.

Book on

http://www.ruyi-parishotels.com

Grand Hôtel Saint-Michel

19, rue Cujas

75005 Paris

Tel: +33 (0)1 46 33 33 02

reservation@hotel-saintmichel-paris.com

Winter Sales in Paris

2010-01-04T11:24:00.000+01:00

Over the Horizon: Winter Sales in Paris

The holidays may be officially over, but the commercial frenzy certainly isn't: Paris winter sales start January 6th, and some are planning a trip into town just to hit the racks. This season, the word on the street is that many shops will be practicing deep discounting after a rough year in retail. Discounts in the 70 to 80% range are more and more common, especially at the end of the six-week period.

Paris in January...Longer Days and Laid-Back Evenings

2010-01-04T11:17:00.000+01:00

Paris in January
Longer Days and Laid-Back Evenings

By Courtney Traub, About.com Guide

Claude Monet, "Boulevard des Capucines", 1873.

Describing late winter in Paris, American writer Ernest Hemingway wrote:

When we came back to Paris it was clear and cold and lovely. The city had accommodated itself to winter (...) there were braziers outside of many of the good cafes so that you could keep warm on the terraces (...) on the streets the winter light was beautiful. Now you were accustomed to see the bare trees against the sky and you walked on the fresh-washed gravel paths through the Luxembourg gardens in the clear sharp wind.

Hemingway's portrait fits Paris in January perfectly. The early-winter drowsiness has passed, the holiday hoopla has died down, and the New Year announces itself nicely with gradually longer days and the crisp, clean winter ambiance that comes with a drop in temperatures and clearer skies.

Recovering from their holiday excess, Parisians flood the streets and well-heated terraces to reunite with friends-- and, of course, to hit the winter soldes(sales), a Parisian ritual that borders on religious. For shopping aficionados, January is definitely a great time to be in the city of light.

Since this is low season in Paris, you should be able to get a good deal on flights in January, especially if you reserve one to two months ahead of your trip.

And because tourism is in low-tide mode compared to the spring or summer, visiting January in Paris also provides great opportunities for really lingering in some of the city's best spots for art and culture, such as the Musee d'Orsay or the Centre Pompidou. You'll finally be able to take as much time as you want contemplating your favorite paintings or monuments.

Finally, January is a great time to spend time in the warmth and charm of Paris' many cafes, so be sure to pack plenty of books and magazines for your trip. For those interested in Paris intellectual history, cafe-hopping in the city's historical Latin Quarter or in Saint-Germain-des-Prés would be a great way to spend part of a day.

The January Thermometer

Minimum temperature: 2 degrees C (35.6 degrees F)
Maximum temperature: 6 degrees C (42.8 degrees F)
Average temperature: 3 degrees C (37.4 degrees F)
Average rainfall: 46 millimeters (1.8 inches)

How to Pack for a January Trip to Paris

January in Paris is generally very cold, and it's not uncommon to see the mercury dip below zero. Clearer skies than in November or December and wind chill can make the cold seem more biting. So make sure you line your suitcase with lots of warm sweaters, coats, scarves, warm socks, and a hat that will protect your ears.
Although heavy rains are less common in January, Paris is well-known for its erratic and sudden downpours. So packing an umbrella that can withstand a wet, gusty day is definitely a must.
Make sure to pack a good pair of waterproof shoes. Shoes with good tread are important because the streets can be slick and icy in January. When there is snow, it tends to melt when it hits the ground, creating an annoying slush. High heels and dress shoes are not ideal for walking around the city in January.
Bring a pair of good gloves to make sure you don't let cold hands distract you from the sights. They may not be necessary in the end, but they're good to have on hand.
Think about packing a few good books and magazines in case you decide to spend a cozy morning or afternoon reading in a cafe.
If you're planning to hit the Paris sales, keep your cash safe with a money belt.

Chinese New Year in Paris

2010-01-04T11:05:00.005+01:00

Chinese New Year in Paris

Related Information

Website:Chinese New Year Website (in French)

When:14 Feb 2010 (annual)

Where:Place d'Italie

Cost:Free

Paris' Chinese community celebrates the dawning of the Year of the Tiger. A colourful parade featuring giant serpents, firecrackers, music and dancing takes place in the heart of Chinatown, between Place d'Italie and the Porte de Choisy, in the 13th arrondissement.This is a lively and atmospheric district throughout the year, redolent with the scents of Chinese cuisine. Buddhist shrines decorate shop fronts and restaurants, where signs are just as likely to be in Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese as in French.

Contact Details

Name:Chinese Embassy in France

Phone:+33 (0) 1 49 52 19 20

Phone:+33 (0) 1 42 77 13 60

Address:
1 bis, av. de Villars, 75007 Paris

Venue Information: Place d'Italie

Full Name:Place d'Italie,Paris,France

Address75013

DirectionsBy Metro: Place d'Italie.

PARISIAN CHRISTMAS MARKETS

2009-12-07T12:32:00.004+01:00

Whether you’re looking for a unique Christmas shopping experience or a relaxing Christmas vacation, you can be sure that a short break or holiday in France during the festive season will be truly memorable.

The markets, with their iconic clusters of wood chalets offering custom holiday treats like mulled wine, gingerbread, sausages and specialties from various regions of France, are an essential part of celebrating Christmas in Paris.

The largest one being the Champs Elysées, extending from the Rond Point to the Place de la Concorde,with 170 chalets.

Some other addresses chosen especially for you :

Place Saint Sulpice
December 6th - 24th
Address: Place Saint-Sulpice 75006 6eme, Paris.
Nearest Metro: Saint Sulpice

One of the busiest markets in the city is actually three fairs rolled into one grand event.The "Village de Noel", which is a Christmas Village, opens for the entire month. The first fair sees the square transformed into an artist's showcase, where 60artists gather to display their work and sell their goods. Art works are produced from a range of materials, including wood, glass and textiles.

Marche Saint- Germain
Dates: December 5th-31st
Address: Place Saint- Germain Des Pres, 75006, 6eme, Paris.
Nearest Metro: Saint-Germain-des-Pres

Maison d'Alsace
Dates: December 1st- 28th
Address: 39, Avenue des Champs-Elysees, 75008.
8eme, Paris.
Nearest Metro: Etoile

La Defense
Dates: November 29th- December 29th
Address: Central
Nearest Metro: La Defense.

Les Halles
Dates: 5th- 24th December
Address: 101 Porte Berger, 75045 Paris Cedex 01
Nearest Metro: Les Halles and Châtelet

Gare D'est
Dates: Throughout December
Address: 10th arrondissement, Paris
Nearest Metro: Gare d'est

Montparnasse
Dates: December 1st-31st
Address: Centre commercial, Maine-Montparnasse, Paris, 15eme
Nearest Metro: Maine-Montparnasse

Disneyland Paris Christmas Market
Dates: 8th November- 6th Jan
Address: Disneyland Resort
By RER: line A - Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy station.

Warhol’s Wide world

2009-06-05T15:14:00.005+02:00

The Grand Palais in Paris is dedicating an exhibition to the "Grand Monde d'Andy Warhol" until 13th July 2009. More than 250 portraits are on show. With this series Warhol draws a complete picture of society and establishes a new form of artistic, serial, almost industrial production.

He has painted the portraits of Marilyn Monroe and her rival Liz Taylor, fashion designers like Yves Saint-Laurent or Sonia Rykiel and many others that need to be seen...

Spring Celebration in Galerie Vivienne

2009-03-20T05:55:00.000+01:00

Spring shopping spree in the Galerie Vivienne (2e). The many fashion, deco, accessories and book shops in this beautiful "galerie" celebrate spring from March 17 to 21. Check out the new collections, gifts and surprises. Don't forget to enjoy a delicious lunch or a great tea/coffee with brownies or another mouth watering pie at A Priori Thé.

Find a WIFI hotspot near you

2009-03-15T09:29:00.001+01:00

Maybe it's me but i haven't been able to successfully find a WIFI spot, with my first generation and non-3G iPhone, if I'm not connected somehow to the internet (WIFI...).
There are some apps out there, if you do a search in the app-store on "wifi" or "spot". But they are of no great use for me outside my usual habitat.
As a healthy mobile and internet addicted person you want to avoid the situation where you feel lost. You want to check out a map or connect to the local public transport information send a geotagged snapshot to your favourite social network and so on.
The easiest way could be the check out this website with the worldwide WIFI spot finder : www.free-hotspot.com (Before you go on your trip )
Find the nearest hotspot and voila you take it from there!

Metro iPhone app alternatif

2009-03-09T08:15:00.002+01:00

If you don't own an iPhone (or better said if you're not owned by an iPhone) and hence don't have the handy iPhone application from our last post, you can use the online interactive metro-map. (you can use it on any mobile device that lets you brows websites)
Mark the starting station and your end point and the site gives you the best way to go with the time it will take, the cost etc.
It's very complete and easy to use. Only drawback is that it's in French only at least i was not able to find a menu where you can change the language.
The main information site of RATP comes in several languages.

Paris Metro iPhone app

2009-03-02T11:50:00.004+01:00

For a limited period the iPhone/iPod Touch application Metro Paris (licensed by RATP) is available at the iTunes store for only 0,79 € instead of 4,99€. That's almost free, and even the addicts of free apps should feel comfortable with this investment for this handy tool! It can do so much more than the paper version: giving the geo-position of the nearest metro station, and showing that on a Google-Map and giving you the best itineraries.

Comes in English, French, German and Spanish version metroparisiphone.com

2009-02-17T09:36:00.001+01:00

To make the waiting for the upcoming Paris Fashion Week March 4-12 easier. Here's a peek or a "avant-gout", Lego made fashionable by JC de Castelbajac:

JCDC Versus LEGO from Four H on Vimeo.

video copied from www.guim.fr

Paris Souvenir Shopping

2009-02-14T09:29:00.001+01:00

Just the right thing to show off that you have been in Paris or to get you in the mood for a future trip, a sticker to spice up your iPod in a nice Paris theme. Under 10€ makes a great gift and/or souvenir.

Tell me Where, iPhone app

2009-02-10T09:21:00.003+01:00

"Dis-mou où" or Tell Me Where is a free iPhone and iPod Touch app that gives personalised recommendations based on your preferences. The app is in French and a couple of French cities are represented such as Paris, Lyon, Lille and Toulouse.
It's social with Facebook integration.
Get it soonest!
You can check and work with the English website tellmewhere.com or see the explaining video at the occasion of Le Web08 Paris on the French blog

Secret Paris revealed

2008-10-22T08:57:00.002+02:00

Discover the secret Paris by bike. Paris Charmes Secrets takes you for a ride, not just on any bike, but an electrical bike, that can be useful specially when you have to do the uphill parts to discover Montmartre or the less steep but still up hill rue St Jaques past Sorbonne to discover the charms of rue Mouffetard area. You could take a Vélib but then you would miss out on the guided tour that shows you around town the places you never would see otherwise. And you would probably be too caught up in avoiding encounters with cars and cursing the fellow road users.
A French, English and Spanish speaking guided tour takes 4 hours, costs 45 euro, rain and warm biking gear provided if needed. 3 tours daily : 9:30 am 2:30 pm and 8 pm (this one is 3 hours).

2008-09-29T09:20:00.000+02:00

GoVelib is a nice little app for your iPhone* that lets you know at any time the 5 closest Velib stations with the number of Velibs and free spots to park yours. Comes in English and French. To download this free app go to the iTunes Store. (*Works on iPod Touch as well if you have a WiFi Hotspot nearby)

Faces of Millions

2008-09-26T09:26:00.001+02:00

Here's a truly creative idea: gathering 1 million photos to make a huge mosaïc of 10x10m. If you want to participate (and who wouldn't?) go to facebook group "Please donate your photo for "Faces of Millions" or to the website "Faces of Millions".

Peace Day

2008-09-24T12:38:00.002+02:00

September 21 was Peace Day, so this post might be considered as being too late. But it's never too late to have inner peace, isn't it? And as we can learn from this video inner peace contributes to world peace. And it's so much more fun to travel in a peaceful world!
To you inner peace.

Bone China design objects

2008-09-04T17:48:00.004+02:00

Art, design and architecture made in China has become more visible.
A place in the spotlight has the multi-disciplinary London based top design firm Voonwong & Bensonsaw.
For their collection of bone china table ware called Setcast, they went to China's porcelain capital Tangshan to have their fabulous objects made by hand.
You can't buy them in Paris but you can order on-line, from the convenience of your wifi enabled Paris hotel room. The Molecule dishes are very reasonably priced (starting at 65$ at merchant4.com) and make a great gift (hint)

French food at Chartier

2008-08-18T17:28:00.003+02:00

An absolute must for every visitor in Paris is to have a meal at Chartier. It's a slice of typical Parisian way of eating. Or arguably what used to be typical a long time ago and is now one more "disney-fied" cultural left-overs with the queue to go. But it's still there for you to enjoy and luckily has not made way for some design eatery which you could find in any self respecting city.
Chartier,
7, Rue Fbg Montmartre
Paris 9e

National Qi Gong Day in France

2008-05-29T12:24:00.001+02:00

Since it's not so common to see this in Paris' streets we'll have to do with one day a year. Sunday 8 June is the 14th national Qi Gong Day. In major cities in France there will be demonstrations, workshops and conferences to inform and show what Qi Gong is all about and you can experience for yourself the good it can do for your mind, body and spirit.
In Paris it's from 10am-6pm at la Grande Pagode du Bois de Vincennes, 40 route circulaire du lac Daumesnil, 12e. Metro : Porte dorée. Price for the whole day: 8 €, reduced price: 5 €, free for licensees of the Féderation de Qi Gong et Art Energétique and kids under 12 years.

Beijing Airport: gateway to China

2008-05-27T10:19:00.003+02:00

Biggest airport of the world, the Beijing Airport, is finished just in time to welcome the guests for the Olympic games.
The dragon-like design by Foster+Partners who also are behind the Millau Viaduct in France or the Blibao Metro, forms a gateway to China for an estimated 50 million passengers by 2020.

source and photo: www.archdaily.com

Spring Festival in Paris Streets

2008-05-11T18:32:00.003+02:00

During the weekend of 17 and 18 May, around the Canal Saint Martin, Paris 10e, the streets will be the stage for the 11th street-art festival. 2 Days packed with dance, theatre, circus and colourful shows like the "Bollywood show", as the name indicated inspired from Bollywood. (Saturday 17 May at 8pm le Grand Parquet). There are also interesting workshops, for free so no excuse not to learn something new that weekend!

for the programme and other information please visit the website.

Velib' Nine Months Later

2008-04-17T10:28:00.013+02:00

Remember the days in Paris before last summer when you had to be more concerned with looking both ways for cars than seemingly harmless bikes? Well, times have changed. Just as you're about to cross in the crosswalk (you know, that small unimposing area of the street where you the pedestrian, have the right of way), you now have to put on your brakes to dodge the cyclist who's plowing through. Chances are that person is on a Velib’ bicycle.

On its initiation day, Velib’, Paris' effort to "green" the way people get around, had 750 stations around Paris, holding a total of over 10,600 bikes. Today those numbers exceed 1,400 and 20,600 respectively. You can imagine how that has changed the dynamics of the road. Velib’ has been largely well-received by the Paris public and the city’s millions of tourists. It allows people to maneuver through the city, above ground, inexpensively and without polluting.

Many companies have even begun offering memberships to Velib’ as a benefit for their employees. Most notably, Louis Vuitton, which has had an environment initiative for at least a decade offers this to its Paris employees.

The idea behind providing bikes to citizens and visitors cheaply is indisputably noble and great, but there are still kinks to work out all these months later. Everyone on wheels in this city seems to think he has the right of way. The danger factor has been the catalyst for the launch of a “Rules of the Road”-type campaign. If you come to Paris and take advantage of this mode of transportation, be sure to know rules and etiquette of the road before pedaling out there.

The other side… Unfortunately, not everyone has been pleased with Velib’. Several web sites exist merely for complaints about all things that have gone wrong with the system. Despite the mishaps with Velib’, Ruyi salutes this “green” effort.

Real time information about availability of bikes at every station: ParisàVelo
Site with information and forums to share good and bad experiences: Club Velib’

RUYI Book Travel

Top 5 Events in Paris in 2010

1. Les Soldes (“The Sales”)

2. Chinese New Year.

3. French Open (Roland Garros Tournament).

4. Fête de la Musique.

5. La Nuit Blanche.

The Chinese New Year 2010

Book a hotel for the Chinese New Year in Paris: Grand Hôtel Saint-Michel

Winter Sales in Paris

Over the Horizon: Winter Sales in Paris

Paris in January...Longer Days and Laid-Back Evenings

Paris in January Longer Days and Laid-Back Evenings

The January Thermometer

How to Pack for a January Trip to Paris

Chinese New Year in Paris

Chinese New Year in Paris

PARISIAN CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Warhol’s Wide world

Spring Celebration in Galerie Vivienne

Find a WIFI hotspot near you

Metro iPhone app alternatif

Paris Metro iPhone app

Paris Souvenir Shopping

Tell me Where, iPhone app

Secret Paris revealed

Faces of Millions

Peace Day

Bone China design objects

French food at Chartier

National Qi Gong Day in France

Beijing Airport: gateway to China

Spring Festival in Paris Streets

Velib' Nine Months Later

Paris in January
Longer Days and Laid-Back Evenings