Paris, as always, has a smorgasbord of events to chose from between May and July. Here’s our choice of five upcoming events in Paris, with something from the world of art, music, sport, sociable fund raising, and the written word.
1. The French Open at Roland Garros in the XVI district of Paris: 16 May – 5 June
Why was the centre of French tennis named after the first man to fly over the Mediterranean? Because Roland Garros, the pilot, was a rugby player, and the Stade Français club (which Garros was a member of) was in charge of all international games at the time, including tennis. In 1927, they bequeathed some land to the French Tennis Federation (FFT) in order for them to build a stadium worthy of hosting the Davis Cup. The stadium was named after Garros who had made his record-breaking flight in 1913. Read more about the history of Roland Garros and how to get Roland Garros tickets.
2. L’Atelier en Plain Air: 18 March – 25 July
An exhibition of work by the famous vanguard of 19th century impressionist artists painting outdoor landscapes in Normandy: Monet, Degas, Renoir, Pissarro, Sisley, Boudin, Morisot, Caillebotte, Gonzales, and Gauguin. The exhibition of 40 paintings is at the Musée Jaquemart-André (158 Blvd Haussman).
3. The Paris GOAL Ball: 4 June
This annual Paris event is a major fund-raiser for GOAL, a humanitarian NGO founded 38 years ago and now based in Dublin. GOAL supports projects in the developing world that supply the basics to the most vulnerable people. Early bird tickets to the expat event of the year cost €110 and include champagne reception, three-course meal, live music with the Paddy Sherlock Band and an open bar. Go to Angloinfo Paris Events for more information.
4. Les Grandes Voix at Orchestre National d’Ile-de-France: 7 June
Watch Charles Castronovo (tenor) and Ermonela Jaho (soprano) perform arias and duets from French and Italian operas, featuring works by Massenet, Mascagni, Cilea, Puccini and Cilea. The duo debuted at Covent Garden last year when they performed Rodolfo and Mimi in La Boheme. Angloinfo Paris users are entitled to a 30% reduction off the price of a ticket. Find out how to obtain the discount at Angloinfo Paris Events.
5. Calling all writers to the Paris Writers’ Workshop: 26 June – 1 July
The 28th edition of the Paris Writers’ Workshop (PWW) takes place this year at the UNESCO headquarters in the heart of Paris. Chose from one of four masterclasses: writing novels, short stories, poetry and creative non-fiction. The course will also include an expert panel, author readings and social events held at historic locations in Paris. PWW is a special program of WICE, an Anglophone association in Paris promoting continuing education and activities. Visit Angloinfo Paris Events for more information.
