Paris Plage, last call

I don't know if you remember last year's post where I took this close up. Well, the same guy was here this year, only this time I took the photo from above (from the street level). This sand sculptor is really good I must say and he has a lot of success (even though there are probably much less passers by this year because of the poor weather). Anyway, it's Paris Plage's last weekend, pretty soon it'll be time to pack this sand and let the cars back into their realm!

Sunset over Paris Plage.

Yesterday it practically rained all day, so there was not a lot of people on the beaches of Paris plage, the "fake beaches" that the Paris town hall installs every year on the Seine banks. But last evening, after the clouds were gone, I decided to take a walk along the embankment and take advantage of the stunning sunset. It was just perfect and very cool...  

Paris Plage 2014

Even though the events in the Middle East are really poisoning the relationship between people in Paris (demonstrations, acts of violence in some areas...), life goes on. Like every summer Paris Plage (an event during which they cover part of the river banks with sand and install beach attractions)  has just started and kids - and adults! - love it. I did not take this photo along the Seine banks, where most of Paris Plage takes place, but, by the bassin de La Villette in the 19th arrondissement, where they have many activities, including sprinklers, which are always a big hit!  

Sand castle...

OK, it's not exactly a castle... But it's really made of sand and I really took this photo in Paris, not on a beach somewhere on the Riviera! As you probably guessed, I took it at Paris Plage, the event that's been taking place every summer since 2002 and that I featured several times here. This year, I spotted this guy, a "sand sculptor" who makes this real piece of art hoping to get some change (it works pretty well actually, while I was taking the photo, several people gave money). Merci l'artiste !

Last day at Paris Plage

Everything comes to an end, especially Paris Plage. Today is the last day where Parisians can enjoy laying in the sun on the sand or a deck chair by the embankment and where kids can use these water wheels to run endlessly like hamsters! They will be back next year I'm sure, and I will probably too (well, so I hope!). Have a great Sunday everyone, here, we try to avoid going out because of the heat...

Paris Plage 2012

Paris Plage is a yearly operation, organized by the Paris town hall (see more in English here), that consists of transforming several parts of the city, and most particularly the Seine embankment, into a "beach". Thus if I had taken this photo during winter for instance, you would have seen concrete and most likely cars instead of this lady having her lunch break in the sun! It's a lot of work for only a month (mid July till mid August), but it seems to be worth it, as it's always a big success. Every year I try to make my "official Paris Plage photo", I guess this year it'll be this one ;-) - Just out of curiosity, have a look at the photos I took the years before, including in 2005, only 3 years after this event was created. 

Swinging by the canal

Some of you may remember this photo (dancing by the embankment of the Seine) or this one (Tango dancers) where you can see people dancing by the Seine (every night or so providing it does not rain). Well I found a new one! It's organized by Bart and Baker, two guys who love swinging music and therefore making people swing. They organize these events all year long, but during summer they have these special sessions on Paris Plage. You have to know that in France, we still usually dance what is called here "le Rock" or what specialists call "Le Swing" (see this video! or this spectacular one from thje 50's). I personally love it LOL!

Paris Plage sprinklers

Yesterday, an anonymous commenter requested Paris Plage photos... And since your wishes are my command(!), well, here you go ;-) Besides, can you picture a summer on PDP without a shot of the Paris Plage sprinklers? Enjoy (especially if you live in a hot country!).

Paris Plage at night

Since the weather is a little better at the moment, I went for a walk at Paris Plage last evening. Very nice! And yes, there is - or there seems to be - much more sand this year. I saw the famous Sleeping beauty castle provided by Disney Resort Paris and a few other things, but I did not go all the way to the end. I will. The bridge in the back is Le Pont Marie, a superb bridge that goes from the Ile Saint Louis to the Quai de l'hôtel de ville.

Hurrah, the sun showed up!

Hard to believe, we saw a ray of sun today... It was even warm at lunch time! So warm that some people even ventured at Paris Plage. As I told you, our yearly beach opened 2 days ago, and like every year it breaks a couple of records: twice the amount of sand as last year, Sleeping beauty castle, giant deck chairs... and a lot of daily events. I'll show you more along the month of course.

Sprinkler at Paris Plage

I know you're going to say I'm obsessed with kids playing with sprinklers (remember?), but what can I say, I think they make great photos. This year, they installed some of them in a sort of jungle area, which makes it even more out of place! Great success among the kids, needless to say. Especially since the nice weather has returned and that we're expecting very high temperature this weekend. I'll be in the South again, after 4 days in Trouville where it rained ;-)

Learn to play soccer young!

Here is a very popular game in France... We call it a "baby foot" (yes, we often create faux English words to make things sound more fashionable!) and there used to be one in every single café throughout the country. Now they have been replaced with arcades games or pinballs... I found this one at Paris Plage and loved it because it's particularly small (a baby baby foot in other words...). And I love the energy in this photo too.

Deck chairs at Paris Plage

I went to Paris Plage today to take a few photos and my favorite one is probably this one, as it shows exactly what this event is all about: spend some quiet time by the Seine, surrounded by the magnificent scenery of the river banks in the same exact deck chairs you could have in a sea resort. I love it! And though it's time for me to take a little break by the "real" sea... And it's not going to be Normandy this time, nor Brittany, but the South... (And don't worry, I will still post a photo everyday on PDP, needless to say!).

Paris Plage 2010

Here is my first Paris Plage photo of the season! And I did not take it along the Seine, as I usually do, but along the Quai de Seine (which despite its name is not located along the Seine, but along  the Bassin de la Villette, in the 10th). Same principal though: sand, beach games, sprinkles, bars, pétanque... (have a look at what they have to offer on the site, it's also in English). It looks like a real beach, even though it's not a real beach. But it's still nice, especially when the weather is perfect, like it was today.

Pétanque at Paris Plage

There are several Pétanque fields at Paris Plage and watching the people play never ceases to amuse me (they even organize a yearly tournament on the occasion!). I took this photo from above (obviously) and I like it because of the large sand/dirt surface that enlightens it. That's all. Not much more to say... Oh yes, it's my sister's birthday today, LOL!

Paris Plage 2009, mid term

I know you're going to say this photo reminds you of the one of Paris Plage 2007, but I don't care, I still like it! I actually took it this evening (Tuesday) at the very same place as I took the one of 2007; where they have sprinklers - a great game for kids! I managed to shoot when there was no one around and when the kid was not facing me. Like I said, I'm pretty happy with the result! I still have 10 days ahead before the end of Paris Plage. Maybe next time I'll manage to be more original...

Paris plage 2009, day 1!

It's funny - or rather sad... - that the most surprising and amusing things become usual and almost boring after several years. That is more or less how I feel about Paris Plage, the huge "beach" they install every year on the riverside of La Seine between mid July and mid August. Having said that, I still felt the urge to go there this morning and take a photo of day one of the 2009 edition ;-) I took it "through" the Notre Dame bridge.

Gone with the sand

Somebody asked once what they did with all of the sand after Paris Plage was closed. No I don't think they dump it in the Seine ;) but Saturday, I came across these tractors(?) that were offloaded to help clean things up. There are even color coordinated! This is undoubtedly my last post about Paris Plage for year 2008. I don't think it was too much of a success, mainly because of the terrible weather we experienced...

Bye bye Paris Plage

Everything comes to an end and so does Paris Plage... This year I did not even have the time to visit it more than twice (that is day one and today, for this photo!). This year was bigger than ever: 400 tons of sand were used (twice as much as last year), new "beaches" were created, both the right and the left bank hosted the event and an extra spot was even created along the Bassin de la Villette (not far from where I took this photo) in the 19th arrondissement. Shame the weather was so bad this year...

Paris Plage is open!

Here is my first photo of Paris Plage of the season! If you've been a visitor to PDP for some time, you know now that every year around July 20 (until August 20ish) then embankment of the Seine turns into a giant beach with "real" sand, a swimming pool and a few activities such as Taï Chi or rock climbing. I took this photo last evening (Monday), on the first day of Paris Plage, while the sun was going down on Paris... More info (in English) here.