Travel to Paris has never been easier, or cheaper!

When Frank Sinatra sang his famous  “I Love Paris in the springtime…..” song, this old crooner knew the charms of this romantic city.  And so it seems do lots of Londoners!

Since my last post a week ago, most of the Eurostar £59 April and May weekend departures for Paris are now sold out. With Easter weekend and the May 4th and May 25th bank holidays in England, it’s great to see that the £59 return fare Eurostar deals are so sucessful.  Travel to Paris has never been easier, or cheaper, and what a fabulous destination to spend that long weekend!

Week day departures are still available in May, so don’t delay your booking if you’d like a kick off spring with a touch of French.

Following are some of the May events in and around Paris:

Foire du Trône (month of May):  This is an event that the whole family can enjoy.  It’s one of the largest and oldest country fairs in France dating back to 957, when merchants met up with farmers and producers to trade grain and rice.  Nowadays the event incorporates more family entertainment, including a huge amusement park with arcades and roller coasters, as well as more traditional attractions such as a large ferris wheel, carousel rides and wandering acrobats, jugglers and fire-eaters.

Saint-Germain Jazz Festival (May 10 – 25):  Jazz up your Paris visit and swing along to the Rive Gauche where local and international musicians perform everything from electro-jazz to the blues.

Nuit des Musées (May 16):  For one night only, museums throughout France will open to the public and entry is Free. This is a great opportunity to whizz round some of the country’s finest temporary and permanent collections until 1 am.  Night visits to museums are magic and an event not to be missed!

Gastronomic Lille:  Food enthusiasts may consider hanging the expense and going a little further afield to the town of Lille.  Food features highly in Lille during the month of May.

• On 1 May – Lille celebrates the forever popular soup dish “La Louche d’Or” or The Golden Ladle. You can participate in the celebration of this traditional dish at bistros and food stalls at the Wazemmes market.
• From May 29 – June 7 – Marché Artisanal (formerly known as Lille aux Saveurs) takes place at Place Rihour. At this gourmet food festival you can eat to your heart’s content and sample a selection of regional specialities and produce, including cheese and charcuterie.  Try the tarte au sucre (sugar tart) or crème brûlée à la chicorée (crème brûlée with chicory).  Cheeses, crème brûlée, what else could you ask for? Wine, I suppose!

Gourmet French Food: If you’re keen on French food but don’t want to get out of Paris, you can still learn about French food by joining a walking tour.  This three hour gourmet walking tour of Paris begins at a specialty cheese shop on Boulevard Saint-Germain and visits a French bakery, pastry shop, French caterer, wine shop, cheese shop, fruit and vegetable shop and market.

Helen

For more on Paris, see our Paris Guide