Culture of Paris
The culture of Paris concerns the arts, music, museums, festivals and other entertainment in Paris, the capital city of France. The city is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centers; entertainment, music, media, fashion, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities.
Paris is also home to notable cultural attractions such as the
A variety of landmarks and objects are
Architecture
The city's cathedrals are another main attraction; its
The Eiffel Tower, by far Paris' most famous monument, averages over six million visitors per year and more than 200 million since its construction.
Modern landmarks of Paris architecture include the
Media
Print press
The regional daily edition of Le Parisien is available in ten departmental editions, of which one is Paris. There are four free daily newspapers distributed around Paris, three in the morning (20 minutes, Direct Matin and Métro), and one free evening newspaper (Direct Soir), which are often read on public transportation.
Le Monde is based in Paris and provides coverage of major national and international news. Le Figaro is a conservative daily newspaper, while Libération is a liberal daily newspaper.
L'Officiel des spectacles and Pariscope offer in-depth coverage of the city's cultural events, including extensive listings in the Wednesday editions.
The large English-language newspaper of Paris is the International Herald Tribune. There is also a monthly publication, Irish Eyes, targeting the English-language community in Paris.
Web sites
Major Websites that provide news coverage and event reviews for Paris include the following:
- www.parisvoice.com (Webzine for English-speaking Parisians)
Local television
Outside of regional programming and the national channel France 3, there are some local channels available. Télif (acronym for Télévision Île-de-France), offers the following local city channels by cable, ADSL or satellite:
- VOTV (Val-d'Oise)
- Télessonne (Essonne)
- TVM Est parisien (Seine-Saint-Denis)
- TVFil78 (Yvelines)
- RTV (Rosny-sous-Bois).
Paris has seen attempts at "pirate television", through Zaléa TV (TéléviZone d'Action pour la Liberté d'Expression Audiovisuelle) an association of some Paris broadcasters, which disbanded in 2008. Teleplaisance.org, another cooperative broadcasting channel, offers only amateur programming. As of 2012, it offers programming over the internet.
The seven local TNT channels began broadcasting on 20 March 2008. They include NRJ Paris, IDF 1, and Cap 24. Four other broadcasters share the same channel: Demain IDF, " télévision de l'urbanité et de la diversité " (urban and diverse television); BDM TV, which goes into the neighborhoods to discuss culture and initiatives; Cinaps TV, a collective of scientists and artists whose objective is to create television programming about learning and to encourage curiosity. Finally, there is Télé Bocal, focusing on disadvantaged neighborhoods and urban politics.
Museums and galleries
Paris's museums and monuments are among its most highly esteemed attractions; tourism has motivated both the city and national governments to create new ones. The city's most prized museum, the Louvre, welcomes over 8 million visitors a year, being by far the world's most-visited art museum. It houses many works of art, including the Mona Lisa (La Joconde) and the Venus de Milo statue. Works by Pablo Picasso and Auguste Rodin is found in the Musée Picasso and the Musée Rodin, respectively, while the artistic community of Montparnasse, part of the School of Paris, is chronicled at the Musée Mendjisky.
Starkly apparent with its service-pipe exterior, the
Museums with a particular focus on science or technology include the
The city is also the home of dozens of smaller museums. Some unusual and notable museums include the
Opera and theatres
Paris' largest
Theatre traditionally has occupied a large place in Parisian culture. This still holds true today; and many of its most popular actors today are also stars of French television. Some of Paris' major theatres include
The Élysée Montmartre, much reduced from its original size, is a concert hall today. The New Morning is one of few Parisian clubs still holding jazz concerts, but the same also specializes in 'indie' music. In more recent times, the Le Zénith hall in Paris' La Villette quarter and a "parc-Omnisports" stadium in Bercy serve as large-scale rock concert halls.
Films
Parisians tend to share the same movie-going trends as many of the world's global cities, that is to say with a dominance of Hollywood-generated film entertainment. French cinema comes a close second, with major directors (réalisateurs) such as Claude Lelouch, François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol, and Luc Besson, and the more slapstick/popular genre with director Claude Zidi as an example.
European and Asian films are also widely shown and appreciated. A specialty of Paris is its very large network of small movie theatres: on a given week, the movie fan has the choice between around 300 old or new movies from all over the world.
Many of Paris' concert/dance halls were transformed into movie theatres when the media became popular from the 1930s. Later, most of the largest cinemas were divided into multiple, smaller rooms: Paris' largest cinema today is by far
Fashion
Paris has long been an international hub of fashion design. Paris is the original home of
In addition to fashion and leather goods, Paris is home to a number of well-known jewelers, such as
Perfume and cosmetics are yet another fashion-related enterprise associated with Paris.
Paris is home to a fashion week twice a year, where the city's fashion houses present their collections. Additionally, designers from other countries may present their collections in Paris. Notable examples include Belgian designers Dries van Noten, Martin Margiela, and Ann Demeulemeester; Dutch design duo Viktor & Rolf; and Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, and Junya Watanabe.
The two major holding companies in contemporary fashion and luxury, Kering and LVMH, are both headquartered in Paris.
Cuisine
Paris' culinary reputation has its basis in the diverse regional origins of its inhabitants. France's regions have produced distinctive cuisines, much like regional varieties of wine. These mingled with Paris' own regional traditions. In its beginnings, Paris' culinary development owed much to the 19th-century organization of a railway system that had Paris as a center, making the capital a focal point for migration from France's many different regions and gastronomical cultures. This reputation continues through today in a cultural diversity that has since spread to a worldwide level thanks to Paris' continued reputation for culinary finesse and further immigration from increasingly distant climes. Immigrants from former colonies have infused French cuisine with their own traditions, originating in South East Asia, North and West Africa.
Parisian restaurants reflect this diversity, with menus carrying traditional regional cuisine, fusions of various culinary influences, or innovating in the leading edge of new techniques, such as molecular gastronomy.[7] Paris' food shops also have a solid reputation for supplying quality specialized culinary products and supplies, reputations that are often built up over generations. These include many shops, such as Androüet,[8] which sells over 200 varieties of artisanal cheese; Fauchon, a pastry and chocolatier shop; and Hédiard, a seller of spices, preserves and delicatessen foods.[9]
Hotels were another result of widespread travel and tourism, especially Paris' late-19th-century Expositions Universelles (World's Fairs). Of the most luxurious of these, the Hôtel Ritz, appeared in the Place Vendôme from 1898, and the Hôtel de Crillon opened its doors on the north side of the place de la Concorde from 1909. Le Cordon Bleu, a prestigious culinary and hospitality training institution, opened in Paris in 1895, and now has 35 schools located around the world.[10]
Recreation
The Parc Astérix is the other major amusement park located around Paris.[11]
Festivals and events
Paris' annual Bastille Day celebrations take place on 14 July. Along with this national celebration, Paris has a number of other Summer events. Paris Plage is an annual tradition since 2002, seeing three beaches, complete with sand and a theme, built along the Seine. The open-air cinema at the Parc de la Villette is a hugely popular event with Parisians. The Bois de Boulogne city park also features outdoor theatre performances at its Jardin Shakespeare (Shakespeare garden).
Several yearly festivals take place in Paris, such as Rock en the Seine, a celebration of rock and pop music. The Paris Jazz Festival centers on concerts at the Bois de Vincennes park in the eastern part of the city. The Paris Summer Arts Festival brings free music, dance, art, and other cultural events to the streets of the city. La Goutte d'Or en Fête held the first week of July, is a rap and reggae music festival. Every September, a Techno Parade takes place from Place de la République to Pelouse de Reuilly.
Film festivals held in Paris take place in the Fall, and include the Festival Paris Cinéma, Festival de Films des Femmes (Women's Film Festival), as well as the Festival du Film de Paris. Nuit Blanche (White Night), a celebration of art, food, and culture, takes place overnight as an annual event in October,[12] the same month as the Paris Motor Show. Also held in October is the Foire Internationale d'art contemporain (International Contemporary Art Fair), or FIAC. The Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre, celebrating the wine harvest, takes place at the Montmartre vineyards in early October. The International Dance Festival is also an October event.[13] Mois de la Photo is a month-long series of photography exhibits around the city every November.[14] Fête du Beaujolais Nouveau, celebrating the new annual wine vintage, is on the third Thursday of November.
Winter has its share of popular annual traditions, including Christmas celebrations; La Grand Parade to celebrate New Year's Day; the Chinese New Year, celebrated in the 13th arrondissement. February is the traditional Paris Carnival, whose history stretches back to the Middle Ages. Late February or early March sees Paris hosting the annual Paris International Agricultural Show. March is enlivened with the Foire de Paris, celebrating food and wine around the city. The Foire du Trone tradition of outdoor fairs comes to the city in April.
In June, St. John's Day (Feux de la Saint-Jean) is celebrated at Parc de la Villette, and Foire St-Germain brings poetry performances and music to the city. The Paris Street Music Festival is held every 21 June, while the annual Gay Pride Day is 24 June.[15][16]
The Biennale de Paris, founded in 1959, supports the work of contemporary artists and cultural critics.
Sports and athletics
Sports events that take place annually include several types of sport. The
Professional Clubs
Name | Sport | Division | Stadium | Founded |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paris Saint-Germain
|
Football | League 1 | Parc des Princes | |
Stade Français Paris
|
Rugby | Top 14 | Stade Charléty
|
1883 |
Racing Métro 92
|
Rugby | Top 14 | Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
|
1882 |
Paris-Levallois Basket
|
Basketball | LNB Pro A
|
Stade Pierre-de-Coubertin | 2007 |
Paris Saint Germain Handball
|
Handball
|
Division 1 | Stade Pierre-de-Coubertin | 2012 |
Paris Volley | Volleyball | Pro A
|
Salle Charpy
|
1998 |
Notes and references
- ^ Inside the Bourse de Commerce, Paris' new $195 million art museum, Cnn.com, 17 May 2021
- .
- ^ Time Out Guides Ltd, (2005), p.298
- ISBN 9781847882677.
- ^ "You searched for fashion capital".
- ISBN 9780452287785.
- ISBN 9780231133135.
- ISBN 9781614481638.
- ISBN 9780470881507.
- ISBN 9780471663744.
- ^ Sally Peck, Europe's best theme park for young children? We think we've found it, Telegraph.co.uk, 22 July 2019
- ^ "Nuit Blanche". La Mairie de Paris (City of Paris). Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ "Paris Festivals". TravelSmart. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ a b "Top Events and Festivals". France Way. Archived from the original on December 19, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
- ^ Olga Show (2015-12-31), OLGA SHOW - Prelude, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2017-10-24
- ^ Musique du métro (2015-11-18), Violin metro busker using loops - Olga Show - Paris Republique, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2017-10-24
Bibliography
- ISBN 978-0-312-04876-1.
- Vincent Cronin (1994). Paris:City of Light, 1919-1939. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-00-215191-7.
- Jean Favier (1997-04-23). Paris (in French). ISBN 978-2-213-59874-1.
- Colin Jones (2004). Paris: The Biography of a City. New York: ISBN 978-0-670-03393-5.
- Rosemary Wakeman (2009). The Heroic City: Paris, 1945-1958. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-87023-6.
- Time Out Guides Ltd, (2005), Time Out Paris, Time Out Guides, ISBN 1-904978-30-4
External links
- Paris Nightlife
- Paris Nightlife (in French)