In 2026, Paris will yet again be home to exceptionnal concerts:
Bruno Mars : 18, 20, 21 june
The Weeknd : 8, 10, 11, 12 july
Guns N’ Roses : 1-3 juillet 2026
BTS : 17, 18 juily
Prince Royce / Romeo Santos : July 9
Alex Warren : April 9
Doja Cat : June 9
Olivia Dean : June 17
Luke Combs : July 7
Bad Bunny : July 4/5
Bruno Mars : 18/20/21 June
There are a number of changes to mention when it comes to traveling in France this Spring.
First, as of March 29, Air France will completely abandon Orly (with a few exceptions due to regulations on some flights to Corsica). All long and short-haul Air France flights will be moved to CDG. All flights to Nice, Montpellier, Marseille and Toulouse formally operated by Air France will be handed over to its low cost subsidiary Transavia. Due to frequent flyers’ numerous complains, Transavia will still give Free access to a Lounge for Platinum Flying Blue members, along with fast-track access to Orly 2. But a low cost airline remains a low cost : carry-on bags, checked bags, and seats selection will remain available for a fee.
All flights to the French Caribbean islands, Guyana and Reunion are also moved to Roissy CDG.
There are now more trains operated by SNCF’s Italian competitor between Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Not only are these red trains usually cheaper than most Inoui and Ouigo TGVs, they offer dinner at your seat on premium fares. SNCF has announced train tickets for the summer will go on sale March 12.
Expect lots of metro closures in Paris for construction, including vital line 4 from April 20, line 8 in July and RER B heavily disrupted through Spring and Summer. More details on the RATP website.
With colder temperatures and shorter days come the holiday lights. Paris is now ready for the holiday spirit, from the Champs Elysées glowing red all along, to Place Vendome and its beautiful Christmas trees, the many Christmas markets (Villette, Gare de l’Est, Tuileries, Abbesses, Notre Dame…), the whole city has put on its decorations for the pleasure of visitors and children alike.
Our favorite this year is the Boulevard Haussmann, where many kids marvel at the animated windows of both Printemps and Galleries Lafayette. The trees of the avenue named after the man who transformed Paris 150 years ago are all covered it wonderful lights.
Paris is once again “une fête” for the season.
Written by Aïda Zaher
They say a Russian Duke, the Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia fell in love with the granddaughter of a poet, Sophie von Merenberg back in 1891. They met in Nice and were instantly enamored by one another. Unfortunately when their romance came to light, it was deemed forbidden and the Grand Duke was banished from Russia, stripped of titles and privilege.
Soon after, he arrived in Cannes with Sophie by his side, and funded the construction of the largest estate yet overlooking the Mediterranean. With a blend of Neoclassical architecture and Belle époque decor, he named the estate “Carlton”; “free man” in Scandinavian. A place where he and Sophie can start their own fairytale. Because when the Grand Duke lost his title in Russia, he also gained his freedom as a man in love.
And with that, on January 30th, 1911, the Carlton Hotel opened its doors to the world.
With all its glamour, Carlton mainly hosted British and Russian aristocrats. As you can imagine, the halls of the hotel echoed with music and laughter from the lavish soirées every night. However, a few months later the music faded and was replaced with the whispers of nurses and the sense of urgency, as part of the hotel was turned into a field hospital during the First World War. At that time, like the rest of the world, the hotel went into a dark period. It lost a majority of its clientele and was put up for sale to avoid bankruptcy.
Thankfully, in 1922 Paul Doumer, who would later on become the President of France, suggested to host the first ever League of Nations Conference at the hotel. World leaders arrived from around the globe, peace was discussed, and the event turned out to be a major success. It resulted in the re-birth of the Carlton Hotel. By the time the first Cannes Film Festival came about in 1946, the hotel became THE Icon of the whole Côte d’Azur. With the Festival every year, came celebrities and artists from all over the
world. Hollywood A-listers and even royalties stayed and vacationed at the hotel. Did you know that during a photoshoot at Carlton, Grace Kelly met His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco? They met in Cannes in 1955, fell in love and got married only a year after.
Even in pop culture, Carlton had its moments. A personal favorite of mine is the hotel’s cameo in the 1995 rom-com “French Kiss”. In the movie we get to peek at the interior of the hotel, which is nothing short of magnificent. We also got to see Kate brave her aviophobia, which is always a plus. But even before that movie, the hotel made an appearance in other classics like “La Bonne Année” by Claude Lelouch, and Alfred Hitchcock’s “To Catch A Thief” starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant.
Fast forward to 2021, the Carlton closed its doors for two years to undergo what was called “La Renaissance de la Grande Dame”. A monumental renovation of the whole estate. It brought together 450 companies and 750 of the most prestigious artisans around the world. The goal was not to reshape the hotel to fit the era in which we live today, but rather to pay tribute to the history it holds.
It’s why from the outside the hotel seems unchanged, its architecture carefully preserved. We can see, however, the inscriptions “Carlton Hotel” at the heart of the façade restored to exactly how they were at the Grand Opening over a century ago. Back when an exiled Duke came to Cannes and helped build what is now known as a timeless landmark on the French Riviera.
If you wish to take a trip to a seaside resort and be carried away by poetic scenery, then head to Normandy and its world-famous Etretat cliffs by the English Channel!
Should you want to show the sea to a friend, Etretat always leaves you feeling the same way, you feel empowered by a sense of freedom and humbled by the sheer beauty of the surroundings.
Let’s follow the path of great artists such as Turner, Courbet, Boudin, Monet, Offenbach, the reknowned writers Guy de Maupassant and of course Maurice Leblanc with his legendary novel Arsene Lupin, the famous gentleman-thief whom mansion can be visited !
These chalk Cliffs, with their unusual shape, sparks the imagination, like a setting for a postcard, and are a small gem on the Alabaster Coast, or « Côte d’Albâtre » just 3 hours away from Paris.
They include three natural Arches and a pointed formation called « L’Aiguille » or « The Needle » which rises 70 metres above the sea. The three arches even have names, such as the « Porte d’Aval », (or Cliff of « Aval »), « Porte d’ Amont » and the « Manneporte ». One of the way to enjoy looking at these majestic cliffs that never seem to end is to trek up to the two surrounding cliffs seeing terrific sunrise or sunset.
You could also discover Etretat in other exciting ways by heading out on a paddle board to explore the cliffs, ride along the velomaritime cycle route (which goes from Tréport to the Mont Saint-Michel), walk on the most popular GR 21 trail, and swim by the pebble beach. You will be enchanted by the cormorants and silver gulls along the coast.
And then, a real treat is to explore what used to be the old fishing village, and have a sip of cider of course ! For lunch, you can enjoy the charming seafood cafés. From Paris, you can book a Flixbus to Fécamp and Etretat or hop on the train From Saint-Lazare to Bréauté-Beuzeville and the Nomad 504 Bus to Etretat with a combined Etretat-Normandie Ticket.
The Orsay Museum is well known for its extensive collection of turn-of-the-century art, also called la Belle Epoque, around 1900, among which is Impressionnism. A number of those impressionists actually started making a few francs by working in … advertising !
The museum’s current temporary exhibition focusses on the billboards and newspaper ads produced by Steinlen, Toulouse-Lautrec and many others in Paris between 1850 and 1910, and how they changed the city’s landscape. Whether they advertised a political party or a cabaret show, the whole city was covered in them.
The fact that they were all painted by hand make them real pieces of art, and are treated as such by the curators. They also reveal much about the era, good or bad, such as the open racism and antisemitism that were existing back then in the French society.
Of course they are written in French, but the translations and explainations provided make this exhibition fascinating and accessible. Well worth a visit.
Paris and the French Riviera will welcome an impressive lineup of international superstars this coming summer. Concerts will take place in various venues, in and outdoors. Here is our selection.
Let’s start with Salle des Etoiles in Monte Carlo.
Benson Boone – July 16
Will Smith – Aug 2
Kool & The Gang – Aug 13
Here is now the line-up for Paris.
Dua Lipa – May 23 – 24
Nelly – June 1st
John Legend – June 5
Massive Attack – June 9
Billie Eilish – June 10/11
Kings of Leon – June 10
Pitbull – June 12
Beyoncé – June 19-22
Belinda Davids – June 19
Lionel Richie – June 26
Kylie Minogue – June 29
Camila Cabello – June 30
Dasha – July 2
Imagine Dragon – July 5
Nine Inch Nails – July 7
Maxwell – July 8
Linkin Park – July 11
Neil Young – July 13
AC/DC – Aug 9
Plus, as part of the Lolla Paris :
Olivia Rodrigo, Benson Boone, Shaboozey on July 18
David Guetta, Mackelmore on July 19
Justin Timberlake, Raye, Tems on July 20
And, as part of Rock en Seine:
Chappell Roan – Aug 20
Doeshi – Aug 21
Jorja Smith – Aug 22
