The Paris Chapter: 26 June - 2 July
Language exchange, climate tech, K-Food, La Panza Festival, Carnaval Tropical, treasure hunting, artist open studios and plenty of jazz.
Why did you move to Paris? Or why do you stay here, if it’s always been home?
We often focus on the factors leading up to the choice, or the details of the city itself, but I’m most interested in the future unfurling on the other side. What did/do you want it to all add up to?
Philosopher Martin Heidegger said “Every man is born as many men, but dies as only one”, speaking to the plethora of choices available to us in youth - the careers, lifestyles, countries et al - that narrow as the years progress. To choose one thing is to not choose another; time spent with a certain person or purpose colours one path while leaving the others grey.
This week’s French resource is always an inspiration, tales of those who took the leap from one ladder to another. Our dreams - our alternate selves - may no longer be available in the exact form once envisioned, but we can still honour their spirit. As C.S Lewis, conjurer of the Narnia worlds said, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending”.
Art salve
Atelier Brancusi (4e)
An art salve doesn’t always need to be a grand expedition, something carved into the calendar or which takes an hour or two from the day. Paris’s free galleries and museums allow for a quick hit, a decadent ten or twenty minute detour to reset between activities.
Atelier Brancusi has long been a favourite swing-by, stumbled upon during my earliest visits to the city. The reconstruction of the renowned sculptor’s studio is a work of art in its own right, showcasing the importance he placed on the relationship between sculptures and the space they occupy.
“Things are not difficult to make; what is difficult is putting ourselves in the state of mind to make them.” - Constantin Brancusi
Free. Take a peek at his work
Check out Edition 03 for an idea of what to do while you’re in the ‘hood.
Escape to…
La Panza Festival. This weekend marks the third annual celebration of art, nature and food, this year held amidst 150 hectares of forest and meadows, two hours south of Paris.
The brainchild of the team behind the well-loved La Panza pop-up bar in the 11e, the eclectic program - music ranging from pop surrealist to Brazilian to jazz soul, electro and percussion - unites city and country, artist and audience, with the laid-back setting designed to build community.
Nourishment is a key ingredient, with local cuisine, organic vegetables (straight from the on-site garden) and plenty of natural wines on the menu.
Breteau, Loire Valley. One-day pass 15€, two-day 28€. Full details.
On-site camping possible.
French resource
Some days - particularly Mondays - it can be easy to get caught up wondering “what if?”: What if I pursued that left-field career path, or moved to that little seaside town? Indulged my teenage pro adventurer fantasies, tried my hand at this creative entrepreneur thing?
Les Deviations features the stories of people who took the plunge, delving less into the outcome and more into the internal steps they took along the way. Take a listen - if you hadn’t already guessed, they’re all in French. Even if you’re not currently seeking a shake-up to your situation, the range of accents and experiences (and associated vocab) makes for great study.
What’s on
Mon 26
Language Exchange, Hotel 1K Paris (3e), 6.30pm
Upgrade your French/English skills at this intimate language exchange, limited to 20 participants. The event includes language games and activities to help boost your level.
[FR/EN] 10€ (welcome drink included). Book your ticket
Wed 28
Open Studios: Work in Slow Motion, Cité international des arts (4e), 6-9pm
Take a peek at the creative process of the artists in residency, with works from varied generations, disciplines and cultures.
Free. Full details
Climate Tech Paris, Le Baudet (10e), 6.30pm
Those into climate tech, science and entrepreneurship will find a like-minded community at this monthly meetup. It’s hosted by Marble, a climate tech venture studio partnering with scientists, engineers and operators to further sustainable innovations.
[EN] Free. Learn more
Caviar pour tous, Champagne pour les autres, Hôtel Dame des Arts (6e), 7pm
A new jazz and culture program broadcasting live from St Germain. The evening kicks off with a one-hour talk on cinema, literature, art and photography, this month’s line-up featuring Sepideh Farsi, director of La Sirène, Arshid Azarine, jazz pianist and internationally renowned radiologist, and Naïri Nahapétian, Iranian author of Dernier refrain à Ispahan and Quitter Téhéran. At 8pm the evening switches to a jazz trio led by Stéphane Wrembel.
[FR] Free entry. Arrive 15-30 minutes in advance to grab your seat. Full details
Thur 29
Dance & therapy, Centre du danse de la Marais (4e), 11.30am
Learn the basics of dance (freestyle, jazz, hip hop) in a therapeutic class aimed at releasing emotional stress. Designed to help you feel into your body and let loose to the rhythm, aka no choreography to learn! All levels welcome.
[FR/EN] 15€. Reserve your spot
Saint-Sulpice Céramique, Place Saint-Sulpice (6e), through Sun
Over 110 ceramicists (French and international) will be exhibiting their wares, with styles from sculptural to utilitarian, traditional to contemporary on show. Workshops (in French) are held throughout the four days, with registration at the venue 15 minutes in advance.
Free. Full details
Lost in Frenchlation, L’Arlequin (6e), 7pm
French films with English subtitles: this round has Hawaii, a dramatic comedy examining what happens when a missile alert sends a group of vacationing friends to reveal what they’ve never previously dared to confess - and then be stuck with the consequences when it was only a false alarm.
[FR/EN] Tickets from 13€. Grab yours
CURA’s 40th edition, Lafayette Anticipations (4e), 7-9pm
Contemporary art platform CURA is celebrating its 40th issue, a special collector’s edition featuring over one hundred contributions from previous collaborators - artists, writers, thinkers, and philosophers.
[EN] Free. Discover CURA
Fri 30
Fête de la K-Food, Carrousel du Louvre (1e), through Sat
For those obsessed with the K-world, this two day immersive has everything from education (introductions to the Korean alphabet) to entertainment (K-pop dances), with plenty of kimchi and other delicacies on the menu.
3€ per adult, free for under-17s. Buy your ticket
Sat 1
Brocante, metro Voltaire (11e), 7am - 7pm
Kicking off a big weekend of treasure hunting - as it shall forever be known - on the east side of town.
Pilates Energy, Le Centre Element (4e), 7-9pm
Sweat and stretch it, in this combination of classical Pilates, jazz dance and concentrated muscle strengthening. The full body workout helps correct postural imbalances in the body while giving a great cardio hit.
[FR] 36€. Secure your spot
Sun 2
Vide grenier Village Popincourt, metro St-Ambroise (11e), 8am - 6pm
Grand brocante, Place de le République (3e), 8am - 6pm
Carnaval Tropical de Paris, Champs-Élysées (8e), from 1pm
Need a boost of vitality? Get some by osmosis, via more 4,000 dancers, dozens of floats and an array of colours, costumes and choreography. Now in its 21st year, the parade will make its way from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde.
Paris Jazz Festival, Parc Floral (Bois de Vincennes), 2pm and 5pm
Free. Open-air. Jazz. Enough said? Today has two concerts on the line-up, to kick off the summer celebration that runs through to early Sept.
Free. Full program
Get in early
English-language theatre is tricky to come by in Paris, but here’s a solid find: Tickets for The Confessions at Odéon–Théâtre de l'Europe go on sale this Tuesday, for the October showing.
The play tells the story of Alice, traversing the secret passages of her individual tale along with the immense collective changes that have taken place over the last 80 years.
Learn how you can help shape The Paris Chapter.
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Thanks for being here,
Jenni