TO ENJOY INSOLITE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT GREATER PARIS
With over 300 cultural and sporting addresses, both well-known and lesser-known, the Guide des Grands Parisiens has set itself the mission of encouraging Parisians to set off on an assault on Greater Paris. Easily accessible with a Navigo pass, the 10 districts listed by journalists from Enlarge your Paris, an independent local media outlet that has been exploring Greater Paris for the past ten years, are brimming with unusual activities to be tried out as a matter of urgency. It's a great way to break with clichés about the suburbs and the outer suburbs!
A DOG SLED RACE IN THE FONTAINEBLEAU FOREST
With its unsuspected landscapes, the Fontainebleau forest seems straight out of a fairy tale. The forest, which has seen the kings of France pass through and was a source of inspiration for the Barbizon School of painters, is now a popular destination for hikers and rock-climbers. But did you know that there's an original way to discover its 500 kilometers of marked trails? Since 2014, musher Christian Perlwitz, bronze medallist at the 2017 World Championships, has been taking you on board his wheeled go-karts pulled by his pack of huskies. And good news! You don't need snow to learn about sled dogs just an hour from Paris...
EVASION-CANINE.FR
DISCOVER THE EMERGING ARTS AND CULTURE SCENE AT MAGASINS GÉNÉRAUX
Remnants of Pantin's industrial past, the Magasins Généraux are enjoying a new lease of life. These former disused goods warehouses on the banks of the Ourcq Canal were renovated in 2016 by architect Frédéric Jung under the impetus of advertising agency BETC. Eager to identify, support and showcase today's emerging artistic and cultural scene, the agency chose to open its vast first floor to all, offering a demanding and popular eclectic program. A temple of creation, this artistic laboratory is now a veritable living and festive space. Discover it, if you haven't already!
MAGASINSGENERAUX.COM
A NIGHT IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY WITHOUT LEAVING PARIS
A veritable floating pagoda, the 4-star Chinagora hotel invites you to travel to China without leaving the quays of the Seine. Located in Alfortville, just a stone's throw from the Bercy district, this singular building stands majestically with its flamboyant green herringbone roofs and pink facades reminiscent of the Forbidden City in Beijing. An architectural challenge brilliantly met by Chinese architect Liang Kunhao. The must-have? Its two terraces on the top floor, offering a breathtaking view of the Eiffel Tower. A change of scenery guaranteed!
HUATIAN-CHINAGORA.FR
WATER SKIING ON THE SEINE
On the banks of the Seine, on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, the Ski Nautique Club de Paris offers a picture-postcard landscape in which to glide. In the background, the skyline of La Défense stretches out its skyscrapers before the astonished eyes of thrill-seekers. On skis or a wakeboard, they can discover the pleasures of the water at full speed. A unique setting, far from the postcard-perfect Côte d'Azur! And to prolong the pleasure, why not have a drink on the pontoon to enjoy the breathtaking view even more? So irresistible...
SKINAUTIQUECLUBDEPARIS.COM
STROLL IN THE INTIMACY OF A SCULPTOR
Behind a red-brick façade lies the museum dedicated to Antoine Bourdelle, master of monumental sculpture in the early 20th century. In the heart of what was once Bourdelle's studio, you'll come face-to-face with his bronze and plaster sculptures. Strictly speaking, this is not a visit to his museum: here, Antoine Bourdelle welcomes us into his home, in the quiet intimacy of the flower-lined alleys that surround his place of creation. It's a journey into the Montparnasse of last century's artists' studios, where Gustave Eiffel and Rodin worked side by side. The capital's best-kept secret? The Rhodia café-restaurant, one of the best tables in Paris!
BOURDELLE.PARIS.FR
A SENSE OF CELEBRATION AT VITRY-SUR-SEINE
If you drive through the Ardoines industrial zone in the Val-de-Marne, it's impossible to miss this big red and yellow tent right next to a shut-down power station, from which it takes its name: the Kilowatt! A generator of festivities, this atypical venue is a large alternative festival hall capable of hosting large popular events, associative and municipal initiatives and small regular gatherings. From electro mega-messes and intimate concerts to a mobile discotheque straight out of the seventies, look out for the eclectic program at this unique venue!
LEKILOWATT.FR
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