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 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.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.
Wine Experiences in Paris
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.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).
Unique Dining Experiences
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).
Explore Cultural Workshops
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.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.
Engage with Local 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.
Weekend Tango on the Seine
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.
Create Your Own Perfume
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.
Explore these unique opportunities and experience the city of Paris from a local’s perspective, indulging in its rich culture, gastronomy, and art.
