Context Travel Blog
July 14th in France is known by foreigners as Bastille Day, however, this is not how the French refer to this infamous date. I discovered this the hard way years ago, when my questions regarding Bastille Day festivities were met with puzzled looks. Here it is merely called ‘the French National Holiday’ (la Fete Nationale) and it has been celebrated as an official holiday since 1880. And celebrate they do! In fact, the celebrations begin on the evening of the 13th, harking back to the event which sparked the first French Revolution, when a mass of disgruntle Parisians stormed the Bastille Prison in the early hours of July 14th.
Here is Paris there is a range of activities:
On the 13th and the 14th you can find numerous lively bals des pompiers hosted by the city’s firefighters at neighborhood fire stations. These balls are frequented by all ages and most have free entrance or require a small donation. There is usually a stage with musicians playing classic French and International hits. Champagne is the most popular beverage being served and there is often some snack food too. Come early (before 10pm) to avoid the lines.
Here are some popular fire stations with Balls on the 13th and 14th :
- 21 Rue du Jour 75001 (free) this station is right behind Saint Eustache Church, Metro Chatelet/Les Halles
- 11 rue de Sevigne 75004 (6 euros entrance including a beverage) Metro Line 1 Saint Paul
- 11 Rue du Vieux Colombier 75006 (free) Metro Line 4 Saint Sulpice
- 28 Rue Blanche 75009 (free) Metro Line 2 or 12 Pigalle
On the evening of the 13th there is also a large concert in the Place de la Bastille and in front of the city Hall of the 3rd (2 rue Eugene Spuller, 75003 Metro Temple) there is a neighborhood party.
During the day on the 14th there is the traditional military parade which goes down the Champs Elysees. If you are nowhere near the parade you will probably witness part of it, as jets zoom around over the Paris skies during the morning.
The celebrations continue on the evening of the 14th there is a large free concert taking place on the Champs de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower (most of the singers are French – for all ages though, the best known international singer is James Blunt). The festivities end with a bang – a spectacular fireworks display, above the Eiffel Tower, this year will be extra special as it’s the 120 year anniversary of the Tower.
Posted by Lily | This post has no comments
July 2nd, 2009 under City Life, Context Travel, Culture, Family Travel, History, Music, Theater, and Dance, Paris, Special Events.
Our friends at Arttrav are running a travel writing contest, with a Context walking seminar as the grand prize!
Submissions have to be very place centered and evocative. No trip reports. Categories include Rome, Florence, Museums, Churches, Fuori Porta (outside the walls), and “Art… that Travels!” Art historians Alexandra Korey and Caroline Hillard will judge the works on the merits of the writing and perceived value of the essay for a traveling public.
Posted by Paul Bennett | This post has no comments
June 24th, 2009 under Context Travel, Florence, Special Events.
Florence is definitely a sartorially-superb city, and not just for the forward-thinking creations on display at Pitti Immagine or in the vetrine (display windows) on via Tornabuoni but for the plethora of amazing vintage clothes shops that dot the historical center. Don’t think Salvation Army, think Jackie O-era Gucci bags and period Ferragamo flats. Here is a handy list of our favorites: Read more »
Posted by Megan | This post has no comments
June 23rd, 2009 under City Life, Context Travel, Florence, Shopping.
Roma Sparita, located smack dab in Trastevere’s Piazza Santa Cecilia, just outside the church gates, offers a traditional and genuine taste of Rome’s characteristic flavors and dishes. The restaurant’s name means “Vanished Rome”, implying that this is the place to go to experience Rome, as it was before the onset of the euro, when families and groups of friends traditionally dined in typical trattorias on a regular basis, feasting on specialties like cacio e pepe, carciofi all giudea and abbachio al forno (roast lamb). Read more »
Posted by Megan | This post has one comment
June 23rd, 2009 under Context Travel, Food and Wine, Rome.
Only few more days before one of the worlds most prestigious tennis tournaments.
The All England Lawn Tennis Club has been the host of the Wimbledon competition since 1877, and is still today in charge of this event considered to be the premier tennis tournament in the world. The big news this year is a brand new retractable roof on central court that will allow players and spectator to stay on even in case of rain.
While Nadal fans will have to wait until the #1 announces his participation to Wimbledon, supporters of Federer can expect to see their star on the green court.
Tickets are available online at: http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/about/tickets/tickets.html
P.S. the Total Prize Money at Wimbledon is £12,550,000
Posted by Petulia | This post has 2 comments
June 9th, 2009 under City Life, London, Special Events.
We are honored to sponsor the book signing and get-together event that will take place on June 27th in Paris.
Author and pastry genius David Lebovitz will be signing his new book and talking about his Parisian adventure starting from 4PM.
If you are in town, are interested in food, or just simply want to have a glass of wine with us, we’ll be happy to see you on June 27 at 4PM at La Cocotte- 5 Rue Paul Bert 75011- Paris.
At the end of the event there will be a raffle. The lucky winner will receive a voucher valid for a space on any of our culinary walks.
See you on June 27!
Posted by Petulia | This post has one comment
June 4th, 2009 under Context Travel.
We’re thrilled to learn that Paris docent James King will be showing some of his “urban life” paintings at Les Editions du Pacifique at 5 Rue Saint Roman in the 6th. Among his many talents, James leads our Plein Air Painting in Giverny program, a wonderful hands-on exploration of the methods used by Monet and the other Impressionists coupled with, of course, a visit to the gardens and museum in Giverny.
A vernissage, or opening, will be held on June 18 at 6pm. The show runs until the 31st of July.
Bravo James!
Posted by Paul Bennett | This post has no comments
June 4th, 2009 under Context Travel, Docent Profiles, Paris.
Brunch, that delightful American creation perfect for those who like to sleep in on a Sunday (especially on vacation), has successfully been exported abroad, where it is not solely the domain of American tourists but has instead won hoards of devoted fans worldwide. Florence is lucky to host a multitude of brunch options for those who indulged in one too many glasses of Brunello the previous night. Here are some of our favorites: Read more »
Posted by Megan | This post has no comments
June 3rd, 2009 under Context Travel, Florence, Food and Wine.
Dodging thunder bolts, sheets of rain and massive puddles, I was quite relieved to take refuge in the Maison Europeene de la Photographie (MEP) last Wednesday for my quarterly visit to this intriguing, but sometimes baffling photo center. Now, I love coming here (free entry every Wednesday evening from 5-7:45 pm does augment my keenness), however, there is usually only one exhibit out of the four that I can recommend. This time I was pleasantly surprised to find three great shows and I think anyone in Paris at the moment should stop by and have a look…
Read more »
Posted by Lily | This post has no comments
May 28th, 2009 under Art, Budget Conscious Travel, Culture, Museums and Monuments, Paris.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 20th and 21st, we’ll be running a series of walking seminars in Philadelphia to celebrate the launch of our programs here and to explore the role of the Founding Fathers on Father’s Day. Read more »
Posted by Paul Bennett | This post has no comments
May 25th, 2009 under Art, Context Travel, Culture, History, Philadelphia.
