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THE SMALL PARISIAN COFFEE-THEATERS

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THE SMALL PARISIAN COFFEE-THEATERS

cafe-theatre-paris

With the success of one-man-shows, the Parisian theaters are on the rise. These are part of the French artistic heritage and allow little-known comedians to make themselves known to the public.

But do you know when did they appear and what are the main coffee-theaters in Paris ?

Here is a presentation of these highlights.

The beginning of cafe-theaters: cafes first and foremost

The creation of cafes theaters was done in the 1960s in the main French cities. Restaurant managers then allow comedians to introduce themselves and play in their establishment in front of an audience originally coming to eat. The comics then pass with their hat at the end of performance to solicit income.

In Paris, the theatrical cafes were quickly successful on the Left Bank and at Pigalle and in the Marais and quickly shadows the famous Parisian cabarets. Establishments with less than 50 seats bet on new talents.

Some addresses of Parisian cafe-theaters not to be missed!

The cafe-theater “The end” in Pigalle and its 38 seats serves as a training center of French humorists. Comedians like Shirley Souagnon walked the stage. The establishment is also in partnership with the school of one-man-show in Paris. Comedies as well as children’s plays are also played.

La Petite Loge a few steps from the station Saint-Georges is an old theater for children and so small that the stage measures three square meters with 25 seats making it the smallest room in the capital!

Every year the hall and armchairs are restored. Artists like Gaspard Proust and Arnaud Ducret have walked this scene.

The room Popul’Air composed of about forty seats in the district of Belleville to keep its period style. The actors are paid in the hat as in the original tradition. There is an atmosphere of troquet and the reputation of this room by word of mouth.

The Paname Art café is more recent since it opened in 2008. It has fifty seats and artists like Fary and Norman were on stage. It is possible to eat before each show.

For more information on Parisian events do not hesitate to ask to Aloha’s team.

 

THE TRADITION OF THE 14TH JULY BALL

bal-14-juillet

This year and every year for July 14, the barracks open their doors to the public for the traditional firefighters’ ball. But do you know when the festivities started and where to go more specifically in the capital ?

Here’s a glimpse of the history of the firefighters’ ball as well as 4 places to choose for a successful firefighting ball.

The creation of the firefighters’ ball in Montmartre

The creation of the firefighters’ ball goes back to the beginning of the 20th century more specifically on July 14, 1937 when the firefighters return from the military parade to the barracks Carpeaux in the 18th district. A crowd would have formed behind the procession and a firefighter would have asked his supervisor to open the doors of the barracks to make public visit.

After the success of the ball in the 18th district, it extends throughout the capital and in France.
Before the fire ball became a musical evening, it was made of at the beginning demonstrations of gymnastics and fire starts.

The 4 must-see places in the capital for a successful ball

• The Sevigné barracks is one of the oldest barracks in the 4th neighborhood with its historic architecture. It is recommended to arrive early so you do not queue on the sidewalk!

• The Ball de Ménilmontant in the 20th neighborhood is also open on July 13 with an entrance which costs 3 euros. You can admire the Champagne Bar.

• The popular ball at the ephemeral point near the Saint Martin canal proposes on July 13 a barbecue and giant bar in a pop-rock atmosphere and electro.

• The Carpeaux barracks in the 18th neighborhood is the oldest with a friendly and family atmosphere. This barracks welcomes you with its 200 firefighters on July 13th. The entrance is free and it is possible to give the amount you want.

For any additional information, do not hesitate to exchange with Aloha’team

 

 

THE PARISIAN FASHION WEEK HAUTE COUTURE

fashion-week-paris

In July, as it is the case every year, the Paris Fashion Week showcases the creations of the great couturiers for the Fall-Winter 2018-2019 collection as well as in London, New York and Milan.

When did Fashion Week appear and what are the places and shows not to be missed in July ?

The creation of Fashion Week in Paris

The week of fashion appeared in France initially in 1973 more precisely to Versailles. The fashion week is held twice a year and it is various showrooms, parades, presentations that appropriate the Parisian places.

At this time, parallel to fashion week, a fashion match between the United States and France with 5 prestigious French designers (including Dior, Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent) aims to raise funds for the restoration of the Castle of Versailles.

In 1994, the Fashion Week moved to the Carrousel du Louvre.

The fashion shows of Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris for 2018

The Fashion Week this year will be held in Paris between July 1st and 5th and there will be nearly 100 shows in the capital.

Here is an overview of the fashion shows program :

1. Sunday, July 1st : Givenchy, Azzaro, Aganovitch, Adeline André, Christophe Josse …
2. Monday, July 2nd : Christian Dior, Ralphet Russo, Antonio Grimaldi, Georges Hobeika
3. Tuesday, July 3 : Channel, Alexis Mabille, Alexandre Vauthier
4. Wednesday, July 4th : Franck Sorbier, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Valentino, Fendi Couture
5. Thursday, July 5 : Haute Joaillerie Fashion Show

The places of creation and presentations for the most part are revealed at the last moment and are for the most part kept secret.

Aloha welcomes you during your Parisian trip.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARISIAN GARDENS

bouillon-chartier

Paris is full of parks and green gardens where it is pleasant to rest or have a picnic in the summer.

Here is a list of some Parisian gardens where it is good to walk.

The Parisian gardens on the right bank of Paris

The Champ de Mars gardens was opened in 1780 and extends between the Ecole Militaire and the Effel Tower. It is especially the place of great national manifestations.

Not far from here you can also walk in the gardens of Trocadero which give a magnificent view of the Effel Tower and which have in their center the famous fountain of Warsaw and its 20 water cannons ! They were opened in 1937. Some sculptures adorn some parts of the garden.

The Jardin d’Acclimatation brings together green spaces, an amusement park and activities for the whole family. It was created in 1860 in the Bois de Boulogne. Catering services are also available within the park for a break.

The tuileries gardens is located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde. It is a place for walk for Parisians and foreign visitors. There are statues of Giacometti, Rodin and Maillol. In South of the gardens, you will find the Orangery Museum.

The Parisian gardens on the left bank of Paris

The Jardin des Plantes near the Austerlitz train station is a good place for a stroll and where you will also find the natural history museum, the large botanical greenhouses as well as the menagerie and zoo plant garden.

The Jardin du Luxembourg is located near the Saint-Michel district in the 6th neigborhood. It has an area of 25 Hectares and is divided into two parts: a French garden and an English one. You will also find an apple orchard, an apiary and greenhouses. The garden also has 106 statues and the famous Medici fountain. Free exhibitions and concerts are held in the bandstand.

The gardens of the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th neigborhood is one of the largest gardens in Paris. You will discover the Floral Park, a lake where you can ride a boat and many activities for the whole family.

To know other places and gardens of Paris, do not hesitate to ask to your Aloha’s team.

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PARISIAN GARDENS

champ-de-mars

Paris is full of parks and green gardens where it is pleasant to rest or have a picnic in the summer.

Here is a list of some Parisian gardens where it is good to walk.

The Parisian gardens on the right bank of Paris

The Champ de Mars gardens was opened in 1780 and extends between the Ecole Militaire and the Effel Tower. It is especially the place of great national manifestations.

Not far from here you can also walk in the gardens of Trocadero which give a magnificent view of the Effel Tower and which have in their center the famous fountain of Warsaw and its 20 water cannons ! They were opened in 1937. Some sculptures adorn some parts of the garden.

The Jardin d’Acclimatation brings together green spaces, an amusement park and activities for the whole family. It was created in 1860 in the Bois de Boulogne. Catering services are also available within the park for a break.

The tuileries gardens is located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde. It is a place for walk for Parisians and foreign visitors. There are statues of Giacometti, Rodin and Maillol. In South of the gardens, you will find the Orangery Museum.

The Parisian gardens on the left bank of Paris

The Jardin des Plantes near the Austerlitz train station is a good place for a stroll and where you will also find the natural history museum, the large botanical greenhouses as well as the menagerie and zoo plant garden.

The Jardin du Luxembourg is located near the Saint-Michel district in the 6th neigborhood. It has an area of 25 Hectares and is divided into two parts: a French garden and an English one. You will also find an apple orchard, an apiary and greenhouses. The garden also has 106 statues and the famous Medici fountain. Free exhibitions and concerts are held in the bandstand.

The gardens of the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th neigborhood is one of the largest gardens in Paris. You will discover the Floral Park, a lake where you can ride a boat and many activities for the whole family.

To know other places and gardens of Paris, do not hesitate to ask to your Aloha’s team.

THE HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

fete-de-la-musique

The event of the Festival of Music takes place at the end of June each year and brings together various artists and passers-by in the streets of Paris.

But do you know since when this event exists and how is it going ?

The creation of the Festival of Music and its political context.

It was in 1981 with the Minister Jack Lang that was born the idea of an event that brings together all types of music “without a hierarchy of gender and origins”.

In 1982, a study on the cultural practices of the French is conducted through the Ministry of Culture and reveals that 5 million French or one in two people practice a musical instrument. A large free popular event is then imagined bringing together all the French artists and musicians to make themselves known.

The first edition of the Festival of the Music will take place on June 21, 1982.

The unfolding and the preparation of the Festival of Music

The event then takes place in haste. Hundreds of posters are printed and the various actors of the social and cultural life are mobilized.

Many beginers musicians and professional musicians perform in the streets, squares… everywhere in France late into the night in a good spirit and offering rock music, jazz, French and international variety …

The concept of this event was exported in 1985 abroad during the European Year of Music.

The International Music Festival

In less than ten years the Festival of Music is present on 5 continents in 85 countries and 120 countries in 2017!
A postage stamp is even dedicated to this event in 1998.

This event takes place even in hospitals, associations and prisons …

It gives a revival to traditional and contemporary music and highlights cultural practices and the exchange between artists and the public.

For more information on this event, consult our staff available to welcome you

THE BEST PARISIAN PLACES

place-des-vosges

Paris is full of places to visit including several known and unknown places.

Here is a list of Parisian squares to see and not to miss when you visit Paris !

The Parisian squares on the right bank of Paris not to be missed

The famous Place Charles de Gaulle formerly named Place de l’Etoile commemorates the disappearance of the former President of the Republic.

But do you know why she was named Place de l’Etoile ?

Well it’s because of the 12 avenues that arrive on the square and form a star. In the center of the square is the Arc de Triomphe.

The Place de la Concorde in the 8th neighborhood is known for its obelisk of Luxor (heavy 230 tons !) On which are inscribed Egyptian writings. This is the oldest monument in Paris since it was built in 1836 !

The place of the Republic is very appreciated by the Parisians. Recently renovated, nine streets serve it too. The statue at its center represents Marianne adorning an olive branch, the symbol of the Republic.

5 metro lines serve this place located in one of the trendiest areas of Paris.

The Parisian squares not to be missed on the left bank of Paris

The July column of the Place de la Bastille in the 12th neighborhood commemorates the three glorious. In its center you will find a golden bronze statue with the names of the revolutionaries who died for freedom.

On the Place de la Nation, you will find statues – allegories of the Republic-: the popular force, the genius of freedom, justice and equity, work, abundance, wealth and education. The sculpture symbolizes Marianne’s end on a chariot pulled by two lions.

For more information on places not to be missed check our staff.

THE HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE GALLERIES

Galeries-Lafayette

The Lafayette galleries is a place known for its great brands and its architecture. When did it appear? And what is its story ?

Here is a panorama of the creation of the Lafayette Galeries to its evolution over these last centuries.

The creation of the Lafayette Galleries

It is in 1893 that two Alsatians, Théophile Bader and Alphonse Kahn decide to open a store of novelty within a haberdashery in an area of 70 m2. The name Lafayette Galleries comes from its location and its configuration.

In 1896 the company bought the entire building at 1, rue de la Fayette and buy in 1903 the other building boulevard Haussmann and Chaussée d’Antin.

The first works are completed in 1907 Boulevard Haussmann. But it is with Ferdinand Chanut that the store acquires a new dimension.

The Lafayette galleries, a luxury store

The store was inaugurated in 1912 and its creators imagine a luxury goods store with a light radiating from the dome. The monument is inscribed in the Paris Art Nouveau and Ferdinand Chanut appeals to artists from the Ecole de Nancy for architecture. The windows are of a neo-Byzantine style and the gigantic staircase is inspired by that of the Opera de Paris.

Then appear non-market spaces such as a tea room and a smokehouse and major events are organized.

Shop windows play an important role in highlighting the merchandise with a theatricalization.

The Lafayette galleries in recent years

In 1974, the main staircase is dismantled and ten years later the ground floor is furnished with prestigious shops.

The Lafayette galleries are at the origin of the Fashion Festival created in 1980.

Creations of great creators such as Karl Jean-Paul Gauthier and Karl Lagarfeld appear.

In 2004, the Mark and Spencer store became Lafayette House. The store then displays three buildings on Boulevard Haussmann.

For more information on the Lafayette galeries, visit the company’s website

THE HISTORIC MONUMENTS TO VISIT

monuments-paris

Paris is full of museums, squares but also historical monuments to visit during a weekend or more in the capital.

Here are some ideas of places to visit with all the practical information for your visit.

Historical monuments to visit on the right bank of Paris

– The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is located in the 18th neighborhood and is a place of worship accessible to all for free between 6 am and 10.30 pm. It has a Romano-Byzantine style, and offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views of the capital.
Inside the ceiling is covered with the largest mosaic in France!

– You can also visit the Opera Garnier in the 9th neighborhood which offers opera and choreographic performances. The Access costs between 11 and 12 euros.

– The Arc de Triomphe is located on Place de l’Etoile and is the largest bow in the world ! A museum is accessible inside. The visit costs between 9 and 12 euros.

Historical monuments to visit on the left bank of Paris

– The Eiffel Tower is without a doubt the symbolic historical monument of Paris with its 325 m height. On the first floor you will discover the shops, in the second a gourmet restaurant called Jules Vernes and on the third floor you can enjoy the panoramic view. Its entrance is paying.

– The Pantheon is home to a necropolis of public figures such as Victor Hugo and Alexandre Dumas. Moreover between April and October of each year you will be able to appreciate the sight of Paris since the colonnade of the dome. His visit costs between 7 and 9 euros the entrance.

– The Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris with its Gothic architecture is the most visited monument in France! It is located in the historic center of Paris at the end of the Ile de la Cité. The visit is free for all except for the access to the towers.

For more information on historical monuments to visit, visit the website of the Office of Tourism of Paris.

THE VINES OF PARIS

vignes-paris

Before its urbanization, Paris and its region were major producers of wine. Some vines were planted here and there in the 20th century. During your walk in the capital, you will be able to discover some of them.

Here is a sketch of the vines that you can find on both sides in Paris.

The vines planted in the North of Paris

The vineyards of Montmartre are without a doubt the most famous. Planted in 1932, they represent 2000 feet.

In the 19th neighborhood you will also find vineyards on the hill Bergeyre. It is a hidden corner at 100 meters altitude not far from the Buttes Chaumont. The planted vines result from a mixture resulting from a blend of Chardonnais, Muscat, Sauvignon and Chasselas.

The Belleville vines were planted on the sides of Belleville Park in 1992. You will discover 250 square meters of Pinot de Meunier and Chardonnay vineyards and a superb view of the city not to be missed!

The vines planted in the South of Paris

The Pinot noir, miller and pearl vines were planted in 1983 in George Brassens Park in the 15th neighborhood of Paris.

At the Park of Bercy, which was the largest wine and spirits market in the 19th century, you will find 350 feet of Sauvignon and Chardonnay on 650 square meters of surface, planted in 1996. You can also admire the orangery of the park and as his greenhouse, his kitchen garden and pergolas.

For more information on the vineyards of Paris, visit the website www.unjourdeplusaparis.com