Everybody heard of Miami Beach, Malibou Beach or Venice Beach. Time has come that Paris Beach becomes as… famous.
Paris, "City of lights, City of Romance, Paris Gourmet, Paris Glamour, Paris Bohème, Paris Haute Couture, Paris Chic, Paris Choc, Paris Village" turns into… Paris Beach - Paris Plage
Hey ! Don't imagine that last year's August heatwave in Paris (the whole world must have heard of it) melted the polar ice cap and brought the Atlantic to the steps of the Louvre, nor that Napoleon came back from Sainte Helene to accomplish his dream of linking Paris to the Mediterranean.

Just believe in miracles or, at least, the miracle the mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoë, has been accomplishing for the last 3 years, between July 21 and August 20. This miracle is called Paris Plage - Paris Beach. Three and a half kilometers of beach starting from the Place de la Concorde, by the Tuileries gardens, along the Quai du Louvre, de l'Hotel de Ville, des Celestins and ending at the Pont de Sully, by the quai Henri IV. Three beaches of 500 m², 600m² and 700m², superbly bordered on one side by the River Seine and on the other by the Louvre museum, the Hôtel de Ville (the City Hall of Paris), beautiful private mansions of the Marais, and the Bastille.
The three beaches of sand, green grass and pebbles and the people on them may also be scanned from the oposite banks of the Ile de la Cité and Ile Saint Louis or from the Parisian Bateaux Mouches (sightseeing riverboats) passing by.

Heaven is how some describe this view of hammocks, deckchairs, palm trees, parasols, sand, picnic corners, musical stages, fountains, labyrinths of vegetation also called " jardin merveilleux ", an open air swimming pool free to the public, changing rooms and humidified solariums all shining in summery blue and white.

If you are the active type, go for the badminton, rock climbing, trampoline, beach soccer, frisbee, roller-skating, taï-chi or gymnastics, or develop your skills at drawing. If you are more my type, go for the bookstalls in English, Spanish, Italian and French, have an afternoon nap in a hammock strategically placed in the shade of a tree or wait for the jazz, pop or classical music evenings that take place every Friday and Saturday.

Oh ! ! ! Keep PARIS INSIGHT in mind if you need a place to stay and the Tour de France if you like cycling... Meet you on the Champs Elysées on July 25 at the latest... to congratulate the winner of the race.
Virginia Dae