things to do in Paris –
February 2013
From Carnaval and Chinese New Year
To a Horse & Carriage Ride
Things to do in Paris February 2013. February is shaping up to be a spicy month in Paris with Carnaval, Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day (called Saint Valentin in France), and an Arabian Nights exhibit at the Institut du Monde Arabe.
Sure, the weather may be chilly, but a spring thaw is likely to bring out a few sunny patches.
And when that happens, you're sure to see tout le monde crowding outside at a café eager to soak up a few rays.
Given the hundreds of chocolatiers that dot the landscape, with champagne vendors, flower shops and parfumiers trailing not far behind, celebrating Valentine's Day in Paris will be a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
February also sees a cultural frenzy with many classical music concerts, ballets, operas and other performances held throughout Paris in landmark locations — historic churches, Opera de la Bastille and Palais Garnier.
Before-You-Go February 2013 Checklist
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Book Your Activities in Advance
Don't wait until the last minute, many activities and events fill up quickly.
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Things to Do in Paris – January 2013
Day Trips From Paris
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Popular Activities
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Food & Wine Activities
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Top Paris Events
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Best of Classical Music
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New Museum Exhibits
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Most Popular Activities
Things to do in Paris February 2013
Skip-the-Line Eiffel Tower Tours
A Paris Insiders Guide favourite
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The Paris Insiders secret way to avoid the long lines at the Eiffel Tower is to book a skip-the-line-tour. You meet your guide at the base of the tower and are whisked past the lineups right to the second level. Not only do you get priority access, but your guide fills you in on the history and fun facts about the ET. After the tour, take your time exploring the first level and then take the elvator right to the very top. The tour includes tickets for everything. |
Romantic Horse & Carriage Ride
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This is how you spell romance. Spend a romantic ninety minutes bundled up in a warm blanket while your horse drawn carriage clops past the best of Paris landmarks. Not only that, but you'll be sipping champagne! This is our kind of equestrian sport. Book early to get a place on this popular Valentine's Day activity. |
Eiffel Tower Dinner, Seine River Cruise & Moulin Rouge Show
A Paris Insiders Guide favourite
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This is a tour that lets you experience the best of Paris by night. You start out by dining on the Eiffel Tower, gazing down at the Paris vista. Next is a romantic evening cruise along the Seine, seeing the lights of the City of Lights. You're not done yet! Finish this spectacular evening with a cabaret show at the world-famous Moulin Rouge. Champagne is included, of course! |
Top Day Trips From Paris
Things to do in Paris February 2013
Mont Saint-Michel
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On this full-day tour you'll drive through picturesque Normandy to arrive at one of the most visited sites in France — the fairytale island of Mont Saint-Michel. This UN World Heritage site becomes an island at high tide. You'll have plenty of time to explore the ancient town and its Benedictine abbey. |
D-Day Battlefields & Beaches
A Paris Insiders Guide favourite
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On this popular trip you also drive through the Normandy countryside, but the destinations are some of the most important sites of World War II. You visit the memorials to those who fought and died here. The landing beaches themselves, and the nearby cemeteries, can be very emotional experiences. We strongly recommend the small group tour of 8 people where you get picked up at your Paris hotel as well as a personal driver/guide. |
Chateaux of the Loire Valley
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There's a lot to see in Paris just beyond the city gates, and one of the most visited destinations is the Loire Valley with its hundreds of magnificent castles. It's an easy day trip from Paris, and the easiest way to do it is on a tour with an expert guide. Visit three of the most spectacular chateaux the Loire Valley has to offer — Chateau Amboise, Chateau Chenonceau and the amazing Chateau Chambord. |
Top Food & Wine Activities
Things to do in Paris February 2013
Seine River Champagne Cruise
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One of our favorite activities in Paris is to drink champagne in as many fab locations as possible. And this is definitely fab — champange tasting while cruising down the Seine, viewing the City of Lights from a brand-new perspective. And speaking of lights, the cruise launches at 6 pm, so you see Paris all lit up. 3 champagnes are tasted. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in February. |
Saint-Germain-des-Prés Gourmet Walking Tour
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This is a wonderful introduction to the food of Paris. In the tony neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, on the Left Bank, you join a Paris food expert to visit the best foods shops in the quartier. You learn all about French cheeses, the bread of Paris, and foie gras. There's plenty of sampling and the group includes no more than eight people. |
In a Parisian Cheese Cellar With a Master Affineur
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This unique food activity provides a Paris Insiders look at a part of the city few tourists ever see. Up on the hill in Montmartre you visit with a third-generation master cheesemaker who carries on her family craft. The tour actually takes place in her cheese cellar, used for the aging of the cheeses she sells. You taste a variety of cheese, learn about their history and the regions they come from. A one-of-a-kind experience. |
February 2013 Paris Updates
More Things To Do In Paris February 2013
Best Wine & Champagne Tours |
Top Cooking Classes in Paris |
Fave Paris Museums Tours |
Paris France 2-Day Vacations |
Paris Gourmet Food Guide |
Romantic Seine River Cruises |
Best Walking Tours of Paris |
Fun Paris Tours on Wheels |
The Best of Paris Events
Things to do in Paris February 2013
Carnaval de Paris
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Party like it's 1411! That's when the first Carnaval was celebrated in Paris. There was a brief break between 1952 and 1997, but now it's business as usual with parades and festivities that start at Place Gambetta and end at Hôtel de Ville. |
Chinese New Year in Paris
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This Asian party has become a very popular event in recent years. There's a lively parade and celebrations throughout the 13th Arrondissement between Place d'Italie and the Porte de Choisy with Buddhist shrines and plenty of good Asian eats. |
The Best of Classical Music
Things to do in Paris February 2013
Mozart's Requiem
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The Amadeus Choir along with the Jean Louis Petit Orchestra will perform Mozart's last and most moving composition, the Requiem. |
Vivaldi's Four Seasons
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The Four Seasons, performed in one of the historic venues of Paris, is a definite traveler's favorite and creates a lasting memory of a visit to the City of Culture. In February this classic piece of music will be performed at these historic churches —
• Eglise Saint Séverin – February 2, 8, 9, 22
• St. Julien Le Pauvre – February 9, 23 |
Bach Suites for Violoncello Solo
A Paris Insiders Guide favourite
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At Saint Ephrem Tatiana Gracheva performs the challenging six suites for solo cello by Bach. The intimacy of Eglise Saint Ephrem is ideal to appreciate the nuances of Bach's emotional master work. |
Tubas cum Cytharis at Notre Dame
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The Ensemble Vocal de Notre Dame and the Ensemble Instrumental will perform the moving piece in the most famous cathedral in the world. You must reserve a spot in advance. This is the only concert at Notre Dame in February. |
Das Rheingold
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To commemorate Richard Wagner's 200th anniversary, the Paris Opera presents his monumental work. Das Rheingold, a libretto in four scenes, is a merciless fight between gods and dwarves as they battle to control gold and the world. Performed in German. |
Die Walküre (The Walkyrie)
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Immerse yourself in Richard Wagner's poignant three-act opera, The Walkyrie. Philippe Jordan conducts perhaps one of the greatest operas of all time. Performed in German. Not to be missed! |
La Khovantschina
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Russian drama at its best. Set in 1682, the plot revolves around opposition to the Tsar's attempts to westernize Russia. First performed with an arrangement by Rimski-Korsakov, in 1959 Shostakovich created a more dynamic version. Performed in Russian. |
Double Bill: Der Zwerg & L'Enfant et les Sortilèges
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Catch this intriguing double bill of Zemlinsky's Der Zwerg and Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortilèges. (From The Birthday of the Infanta by Oscar Wilde.) Both works explore the shadows and mysteries of childhood. Performances also by the Paris Opera Children's Chorus. |
La Cenerentola (Cinderella)
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Here's your chance to see the dazzling elegance and staging of Rossini's version of the Cinderella story, La Cenerentola. |
Ballet: Kaguyahime
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Choreographer Jirí Kylián's fascination with Japanese culture has resulted in Kaguyahime, a ballet of beauty expressed through the story of a princess on her passage from Earth to another world. The dance is fluid, languorous and enigmatic. |
What's New at the Museums
Things to do in Paris February 2013
Les Mille et une Nuits (1001 Nights)
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See three hundred fifty works that detail the world the of Arabian Nights from antique manuscripts, prints, artifacts, and movie clips. The exhibit explores the roots of the Arab tale and its influence on Western culture. Think flying carpets, genies-in-a-bottle, open sesame, Sinbad, Ali Baba and Aladdin. |
Félix Thiollier Photography Exhibit
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At the age of 37, ribbon manufacturer Félix Thiollier (1842-1914) decided to live off his wealth and concentrate on his passion for art and photography. He turned out an impressive body of work from post-Romantic rural landscapes, picturesque settings to sometimes stark views of the industrial world largely ignored by his contemporaries. |
The Art of the Medal
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From 1870 to 1914, France was fascinated with making medals, not just for rewarding soldiers but as a highly regarded art form. The artists of the Belle Époque, including Auguste Renoir, used medals to make portraits and to capture everyday and historical events. |
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