Breaking out of tourist mode is tough in any city, but dig a bit deeper and you'll find another layer of experiences where you can sample life as a local.
Live like a Parisian during your stay —
Breaking out of tourist mode is tough in any city, but dig a bit deeper and you'll find another layer of experiences where you can sample life as a local.
Konrad/VizEat
There's nothing to plunge you into the heart of Frenchness so quickly and colorfully as one of Paris's salons (fairs). Open to anyone and everyone, these energetic events involve outrageous displays, food and wine, and loads of fun.
Join the revelry —
There's nothing to plunge you into the heart of Frenchness so quickly and colorfully as one of Paris's salons (fairs). Open to anyone and everyone, these energetic events involve outrageous displays, food and wine, and loads of fun.
At the entrance to the <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vigneron-independant.com%2F24%25C3%25A8me-salon-des-vins-des-vignerons-ind%25C3%25A9pendants-paris-champerret" target="_blank" target="_blank">Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants</a> (Nov. 30 - Dec. 4, 2017) you'll get a glass, a floor plan and entrée into a teeming microcosm of France according to wine. Hundreds of winemakers are on hand to pour, discuss and ship their wines. Prices are below retail.
Mingle with winemakers —
At the entrance to the Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants (Nov. 30 - Dec. 4, 2017) you'll get a glass, a floor plan and entrée into a teeming microcosm of France according to wine. Hundreds of winemakers are on hand to pour, discuss and ship their wines. Prices are below retail.
Salon du Vin
The world's biggest event of its kind, the <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.salon-du-chocolat.com%2F%3Flang%3Den" target="_blank" target="_blank">Salon du Chocolat</a> (Oct. 28 --Nov. 1) assembles France's, and the world's, great chocolatiers for a celebration of all things chocolate, from beer to fashion.
Enter a world of chocolate —
The world's biggest event of its kind, the Salon du Chocolat (Oct. 28 --Nov. 1) assembles France's, and the world's, great chocolatiers for a celebration of all things chocolate, from beer to fashion.
Salon du Chocolat
Depending on your time and budget, some of Paris's better <em>cavistes</em> offer wine experiences that range from a free tasting, an afternoon class or evening "wine concert," to a blowout three-star meal with pairings. They're a great way to enjoy fine wines and learn something too.
Enjoy a 'wine concert' —
Depending on your time and budget, some of Paris's better cavistes offer wine experiences that range from a free tasting, an afternoon class or evening "wine concert," to a blowout three-star meal with pairings. They're a great way to enjoy fine wines and learn something too.
Caves du Louvre
For a more rarified event, Wine Mondays at <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.oetkercollection.com%2Fdestinations%2Fle-bristol-paris%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Le Bristol Paris</a> invites a distinguished winemaker to personally present his or her nectars around a menu specially created for the event by the hotel's three-Michelin-star chef Eric Frechon (€140).
Spend Mondays at Le Bristol —
For a more rarified event, Wine Mondays at Le Bristol Paris invites a distinguished winemaker to personally present his or her nectars around a menu specially created for the event by the hotel's three-Michelin-star chef Eric Frechon (€140).
A few blocks away, <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lareserve-paris.com%2Fen%2Fle" target="_blank" target="_blank">La Réserve's</a> elegant La Pagode de Cos restaurant hosts a four-course meal created by two-star chef Jérôme Banctel around the wines of a visiting vigneron (€130).
Dine at La Pagode de Cos restaurant —
A few blocks away, La Réserve's elegant La Pagode de Cos restaurant hosts a four-course meal created by two-star chef Jérôme Banctel around the wines of a visiting vigneron (€130).
Grégoire Gardette
By far Parisians' favorite social pastime, dining at home among friends is not usually an option for tourists. But you can live the fantasy for an evening with <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vizeat.com%2Fsearch%3Fc%3DEUR%26playlist%3D76%26q%3DParis%252C%2BFrance" target="_blank" target="_blank">Vizeat's</a> social-eating experiences in any neighborhood and at a price range that suits your budget.
Experience a meal 'chez nous' —
By far Parisians' favorite social pastime, dining at home among friends is not usually an option for tourists. But you can live the fantasy for an evening with Vizeat's social-eating experiences in any neighborhood and at a price range that suits your budget.
Jessy Zeitoun
Visitors may not know that many of Paris's major museums and cultural centers offer art workshops, performances and concerts for individuals of all ages as well as families. No worries if your French is basic or defunct, ateliers are hands-on and musical events require only ears.
Get the most out of museums —
Visitors may not know that many of Paris's major museums and cultural centers offer art workshops, performances and concerts for individuals of all ages as well as families. No worries if your French is basic or defunct, ateliers are hands-on and musical events require only ears.
Getty Images
Dance, theater, circus, magic, yoga, art workshops, cinema, you name it, there's something happening every day at the soaring contemporary arts space <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.104.fr%2Fspectacles.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">Le Centquatre</a>, near Parc de la Villette, open to visitors of every age.
Experience the rhythms of Le Centquatre —
Dance, theater, circus, magic, yoga, art workshops, cinema, you name it, there's something happening every day at the soaring contemporary arts space Le Centquatre, near Parc de la Villette, open to visitors of every age.
Centquatre
What are Paris's artists up to? Every May in Belleville (Paris's 20e arrondissement) more than 250 artists open their studios to the public in their annual <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmoney.cnn.com%2Fgallery%2Fluxury%2F2017%2F10%2F02%2Fparis-like-a-local%2Fdirection%2520Mairie%2520de%2520Montreuil.%29http%3A%2F%2Fateliers-artistes-belleville.fr%2Fporte-ouverte%2F21652%2F" target="_blank">Portes Ouvertes</a>.
Join the artists —
What are Paris's artists up to? Every May in Belleville (Paris's 20e arrondissement) more than 250 artists open their studios to the public in their annual Portes Ouvertes.
Belleville Portes Ouvertes
Care to tango the night away on the banks of the Seine? From June through September, <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftango-argentin.fr%2Fstage%2Fstage-avec-claudia-miazzo-et-jean-paul-padovani.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">Tango Argentin</a> hosts hugely popular free tango, rock and cha-cha nights every weekend (3 p.m.-midnight) and weekdays (7 p.m.- midnight) at Paris's quayside Jardin Tino Rossi.
Dance with natives —
Care to tango the night away on the banks of the Seine? From June through September, Tango Argentin hosts hugely popular free tango, rock and cha-cha nights every weekend (3 p.m.-midnight) and weekdays (7 p.m.- midnight) at Paris's quayside Jardin Tino Rossi.
What could be more Parisian than concocting your own personal fragrance at a legendary perfumer? <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.guerlain.com%2Ffr%2Ffr-fr%2Fles-ateliers-parfums-du-68" target="_blank" target="_blank">Guerlain's</a> opulent Champs-Élysées flagship (shown above) hosts a series of comprehensive workshops (10 a.m., 3:30 p.m.; €130, 2.5 hrs) in their beautiful atelier to design a perfume that speaks eloquently to and for you.
Create your own scent —
What could be more Parisian than concocting your own personal fragrance at a legendary perfumer? Guerlain's opulent Champs-Élysées flagship (shown above) hosts a series of comprehensive workshops (10 a.m., 3:30 p.m.; €130, 2.5 hrs) in their beautiful atelier to design a perfume that speaks eloquently to and for you.
Guerlain