Things to do in Paris –
August 2012
Les vacances sont arrivées
Things To Do In Paris August 2012. Les vacances is on everyone's mind as August approaches, because that's when almost all Parisians take their annual vacation.
As thousands of residents leave for their month-long vacation in the country or at the beach, many Paris shops and restaurants close for the month. Paris in August is turned into a tranquil oasis.
It's a Paris Insiders secret that August is one of the best months to visit. The weather is great and, with fewer crowds, the city becomes your own personal playground. And there's still a lot of things to do in Paris in summer, including concerts at historic churches.
Although some services do shut down, there are still plenty of restaurants and stores open and many, many things to do in Paris for travelers. And, of course, the museums are open all year round.
When planning your trip, it's a good idea to book your things do to in Paris in advance, because many events sell out.
If you're gong to be visiting many museums at all, get a Paris Museum Pass before you travel. You'll save money on entrance fees to museums and monuments, but the big benefit is that you get to go to the front of the line and skip the ticket lineups. The best way to get a Museum Pass is as part of a combined Paris City Pass, and we have complete information on how to that here —
Things to Do in Paris – August 2012
Paris Activities
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Paris Events
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Classical Music
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Paris Museums & Exhibits
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Things to Do in Paris – Activities
Giverny
August is a great time to visit Claude Monet's home, the gardens will be at the peak of the season. Monet spent the last 43 years of his life painting his famous gardens, the Japanese bridge and the water lilies. You can book a tour to pick you up from your hotel or take a chartered bus from central Paris.
Giverny & Monet's Garden With Hotel Pickup »
Giverny & Monet's Garden By Coach »
Champagne Seine River Cruise
August is a perfect month to take a relaxed, champagne-fuelled boat ride down the Seine. The crowds are gone and you'll find this a great way to enjoy the lazy days of summer. Put this on your Things to Do in Paris list!
Book Your Champagne Seine River Cruise »
• Read Our Complete Guide to Seine River Cruises »
In A Cheese Cellar With A Master Affineur
It's a rare privilege to be in the cheese cellar of third-generation Master Cheesemaker (Affineur) and to learn from them the secrets of French cheese. You also learn to combine cheeses with wine, breads and other condiments.
18th Arrondissement, Montmartre
• Read Our Complete Guide to Paris Food & Wine Activities »
Balloon Ride over Paris
Get a bird's eye view of the city from a tethered helium balloon in Parc André Citroën. At roughly 500 feet, the fullest extension of the balloon's tether, you'll be rewarded with the Paris skyline framed between two towers: Eiffel Tower and the Tour Montparnasse.
Parc Andre Citroën
Information Website »
Night Bike Tour & Seine River Cruise
Summer's a great time for this fun guided cycling tour around the most famous landmarks of Paris. Stop for a cone at the city's most celebrated ice cream shop and then hop on a river boat for a nighttime cruise along the Seine. A glass of wine is included, of course!
Paris Night Bike Tour & River Cruise »
Things to Do in Paris – Events
Paris Plage
If you can't make it to the beach, the beach will come to you. 30 days of summer, 1350 tons of sand, 2 miles of Seine banks and 250 umbrellas. This annual summer event has become a favorite Paris tradition.
The Right Bank of The Seine
July 20 to August 20
Moonlit Cinema in Paris – Cinéma au Clair de Lune
See classic films outdoors in iconic Paris settings like Place des Vosges, Trocadero, Parc Monsouris. Free and open to the public.
Throughout Paris
August 5 to 23
Website »
Paris Museum Tours
Avoid standing in the ticket lines at the most popular museums by booking a guided tour. Each of the most popular museums in Paris – the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Pompidou Center – gets up to 7 millions visitors a year, and that means long lineups. Save your time (and your feet!) and learn the secrets of the museums from your expert guides.
Things to Do in Paris – Classical Music
Bach Suites for Violoncello Solo
One of the greatest things to do in Paris is to attend a concert at a historic church or cathedral. The intimacy and outstanding acoustics of Saint Ephrem is a magical environment to experience the subtleties of Bach's music. Six cello suites by JS Bach will be performed.
Eglise Saint Ephrem
August 1, 4, 8, 12, 15, 17, 20, 25, 29
Get Tickets Online »
Vivaldi's Four Seasons
Experience Vivaldi's masterpiece, The Four Seasons, performed in La Sainte Chapelle in Paris. A concert at this historic church should be on the top of your Things to Do in Paris list.
Sainte Chapelle
August 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11
Book Tickets Online »
Chopin, Beethoven & Bach
No, they're not putting their band back together, but you can enjoy this special candlelit piano performance of the works of these three great composers.
Eglise Saint Ephrem
August 3, 6
Buy Tickets Online »
Gregorian Chant
This will be one powerful memory of your Paris vacation. Experience the superb acoustics of Notre Dame as you listen to the haunting Gregorian chants.
Notre Dame Cathedral
August 13
Book Your Tickets Online »
Things to Do in Paris – Museums & Exhibitions
Titanic – 100 years Later
See rare documents and manuscripts salvaged from the Titanic, including those by Helen Churchill Candee, the inspiration for James Cameron's character of Rose. Among the 700 survivors, Candee (1858-1949), an American novelist, recounted the tragic journey in her recovered manuscript.
Paris Museum of Letters and Manuscripts
Until August 29, 2012
Website »
Entrance is free with The Paris Museum Pass or
7€ at the door.
Misia – Queen of Paris
Portraits of Misia Godebska (a legendary French celebrity who flourished from the Belle Époque to the Roaring Twenties) as well as works and documents by contemporary artists illustrating the time when she reigned as Queen of Paris. Misia was one of the most painted woman of her time.
Musée d'Orsay
Until September 9, 2012
Entrance is free with The Paris Museum Pass or
9€ at the door.
Gerhard Richter Exhibition
A retrospective dedicated to German artist, Gerhard Richter, who at eighty years old, is still active in the modern art scene. There are over 130 of his paintings, featuring works from the 1960s to present day.
Centre Pompidou
Until September 24, 2012
Entrance is free with The Paris Museum Pass or
13€ at the door.
The Seductions of the Palate: Cooking and Eating in China
Discover the culinary history of China from ancient bronze dishes to imperial porcelain. This special exhibit is on loan from the National Museum of China.
Musée du Quai Branly
Until September 30
Entrance is free with The Paris Museum Pass or
10€ at the door.
Louis Vuitton & Marc Jacobs
View the work of two men who changed the world of fashion – Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs. Jacobs is the current creative director of the luxury firm Louis Vuitton.
Musée des Arts Decoratifs – Louvre
Until September 16, 2012
Entrance is free with The Paris Museum Pass or
9.50€ at the door.
Les Histoires de Babar
Visit the Hall of Toys at the Museum of Decorative Arts and discover the 80-year history of the world's most famous elephant, in fact, the King of Elephants, Babar.
Musée des Arts Decoratifs – Louvre
Until September 2, 2012
Entrance is free with The Paris Museum Pass or
9.50€ at the door.
The History of Lighthouses
Explore the development of lighthouses from the 1600s in the fascinating Maritime Museum. Lighthouse technology is traced from towers fuelled by wood and coal to modern developments.
Musée National de la Marine, Trocadero
Until November 2012
Free Entrance With Paris Museum Pass »
Or 7.00€ at the door.
Extra cost for special exhibits.
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