Prehistory: A Modern Enigma
The Weight of the Past
I was as fascinated by the exhibition “Prehistory: A Modern Enigma” at the Centre Pompidou as the artists featured in it were fascinated by prehistoric art. The premise of the show is that the many new scientific discoveries made during … Read More
La Bicyclette Restaurant
Big Wheels, Big-Flavored Meals
There are plenty of places to eat in this corner of the 19th arrondissement (the Asian Koko is fun and friendly after seeing a film at one of the two cinemas on the Bassin de la Villette, and Simonetta has … Read More
Lourdes
Believe It or Not
Ever wonder what really goes on at Lourdes, aside from a roaring trade in bottled holy water, statuettes of the Virgin Mary, rosaries and a multitude of kitschy souvenirs? The new documentary Lourdes, by Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai (both … Read More
Basking in the Square du Vert Galant on the Île de la Cité. © Paris Update
What's Happening in Paris This Week
For full details about an event, click on the title to visit the official Web site (in English when available).
May 18
Late-night art
Museums stay open into the night for free and hold special events for the Nuit Européenne des Musées. Above: the Petit Palais is one of the museums taking part.
Various locations. Paris
May 17-19
Plants galore
For the Journées des Plantes de Chantilly, 200 nurseries from around Europe will present their favorite plants.
Château de Chantilly
Through May 19
Festival of bread
What’s more French than a celebration of bread? At the Fête du Pain, bakers gather to present their craft.
Various locations, France
Through June 2
Unique photography exhibition
Objectif Photo returns for the second year running, exhibiting photos taken by nearly 800 elementary schoolchildren on the theme of fraternity.
Centquatre, Paris
May 17-19
Beer festival
Summer arrives at the Bois de Vincennes, bringing with it craft beer and good music for the third annual Mondial de la Bière.
Parc Floral de Paris
May 18-19
No more meat
VeggieWorld is a trade fair for vegans.
Le Centquatre, Paris
May 15-22
Local literature festival
The libraries, bookshops, museums and universities of Paris’s literary fifth arrondissement open their doors for Quartier du Livre, a week-long celebration of the written word, this year on the theme of writing about Europe.
Various locations, fifth arrondissement, Paris
Through May 22
Emerging artists
Fifty-three contemporary artists from 11 countries exhibit their art at the 64th Salon de Montrouge. Unusually for the art world, 60 percent of this year’s artists are women.
Beffroi de Montrouge, Montrouge
May 23-26
Cutting edge creators
The biggest and best in contemporary creation gather for the international art festival Révélations.
Grand Palais, Paris
May 16-27
Jazz festival
Concerts, conferences and master classes abound at Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
Various locations in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Paris
Through May 27
Joan Crawford retrospective
The iconic actress, whose career spanned silent cinema to the golden age of Hollywood, is celebrated in this retrospective.
Cinémathèque Française, Paria
Through May 30
Naples on film
In Napoli!, 30 films showcase the clichés and the realities of life in Italy’s most-filmed city after Rome.
Forum des Images, Paris
May 18-September 16
The Paris of yesterday
For the 80th anniversary of renowned Paris photography collection Roger-Viollet, Bercy Village is decorated with thirty black-and-white photos showing the architecture, history and daily life of 20th-century Paris.
Bercy Village, Paris
May 25-26
Celebrations in the library
The French National Library opens its doors for La Bibliothèque Parlante, a weekend of readings and performances. A rarely-seen Victor Hugo manuscript will be on-show.
Bibliothèque Nationale de la France, Paris
Through June 1
Plays from all over Europe
The Chantiers d’Europe festival presents theatrical performances from across Europe, this year keeping in mind the upcoming European Parliament elections.
Théâtre de la Ville–Espace Pierre Cardin, Paris
June 5
Art festival by night
Over 50 galleries and collectors present works on the theme of nature at this year’s Nocturne Rive Droite.
Various locations, 8th arrondissement, Paris
Through June 6
Festival of innovation
The 100% festival showcases cutting edge theatre, dance, and art over several months.
La Villette, Paris
June 7-9
Street art festival
Over 40 street art companies, including circus performers, dancers and puppeteers gather in the center of Nanterre for the three-day Parade(s) festival.
Nanterre Centre-Ville
June 7-9
Art history in Fontainebleau
Art history specialists from across the globe gather at the Festival de l’Histoire de l’Art for a weekend of free conferences, debates and guided visits celebrating art new and old.
Château de Fontainebleau
Through June 26
Culture for all
Mouvement E. Leclerc presents the sixth edition of Festival Culturissimo, a collection of over 50 cultural events including theatre and cinema.
Various locations, France
Through June 30
Young European photographers
The Festival Circulation(s) features the work of emerging photographers.
Centquatre, Paris
Through 28 July
Art meets cinema
An imagined path is drawn between the lives of Pablo Picasso and his admirer, renowned Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini in the exhibition “Quand Fellini Rêvait de Picasso.”
Cinémathèque Française, Paris
May 23-22 September
Focus on graphic design
The Biennale International de Design Graphique Chaumont is a four-month festival of workshops, group discussions, concerts and conferences on the subject of graphics creation.