VIII Miscellaneous information

Museum Hours - Most national museums are closed on Tuesdays (e.g. Louvre). Some museums close on Mondays instead (e.g. Musee D’Orsay). Opening hours are generally from 9 or 10 am to 5.30 pm. They also are closed on national holidays. The Pompidou Centre is open from noon to 10 pm (closed Tuesdays and May 1st). The Louvre offers reduced price entrance after 3 pm. There are no firm rules, so check your guidebook first!

Bank Hours – Most people use the ATM machines (Billeterie Automatique) for obtaining cash. Banks are open Monday to Friday or Tuesday to Saturday - from around 9 am to 5 pm. If you are stuck on a holiday with only traveler's checks, look for "Change" places. The ones with much longer hours are in the Champs Elysées area.

Discount Theatre - Buy your tickets for shows in Paris at the kiosk located at the Place de la Madeleine (west side of the church). The kiosk is open from 12H30 to 20H00 every day except Mondays. These discount tickets are for same day shows only.

Telephone cards – There are several types of phone cards. One is produced by France Telecom and have a “chip” in them for use directly in telephone booths by inserting them into the slot. The other type can be used on any phone but requires you to respond with codes printed in French. Each card is slightly different so it is hard to give exact instructions. Use the dictionary in the apartment to help you. One word that you might hear in the instructions is diaz (dee-ezz) which is the number sign on the dial.

Flea Markets - The Marché de St Ouen (Metro Porte de Clignancourt) is open Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. The antiques section starts west of the Périphérique. It is huge and fun to walk around. The other good Marché de Puce (i.e. flea market in French) is at the Porte de Vanves (Metro Porte de Vanves) and is open Saturdays and Sunday mornings only.

Seasonal Events - Every year there are events that occur on a regular basis. Below is a general list, please consult the Pariscope for confirmation of the specific dates.

Typical date	Event	Comments	Location	Phone
January	Winter sales	Discounts on seasonal merchandise (fashion) up to 50%	Throughout Paris	N/A
Early March	Paris Fashion Week	Fall/winter fashion runway shows (by invitation only)	Most are at Carousel du Louvre
End of March	Wine & Cheese Intl. Fair	Taste some of the best wines and cheeses from around the world	Coulommiers	01 64 03 88 09
Early April	Tour de France car rally	See vintage cars you'd never see in the US	Fontaines du Trocadero	01 42 59 73 40
Mid April	Private winery exhibition	Taste and buy from 1000+ private wineries, fantastic prices	Porte de Champeret	01 53 02 05 18
End of April/Early May	Foire de Paris (Paris Fair)	The biggest exhibition of everything French from animals to wine to travel	Porte de Versailles	01 49 09 60 22
End of May/Early June	Paris Grand Steeplechase	Historic horse racing in a beautiful setting	Hippodrome d'Auteuil	01 49 10 20 30
End of May/Early June	French Open Tennis	"The" French tennis tournament	Stade Roland Garros	01 47 43 48 00
June	Paris Lesbian and Gay Pride	Aligned with the world celebration of Gay Pride. Highlight is a parade through Paris, including the Marais	Throughout Paris	01 44 54 51 61
June	International Air Show	Biggest trade show for aircraft in the world	Le Bourget - Parc des expositions	01 53 23 33 33
July	Summer sales	Discounts on seasonal merchandise (fashion) up to 50%	Throughout Paris	N/A
June 21	Fete de la Musique	Every closet musician is out playing on a street corner. Don't expect to drive anywhere that night	All of Paris
End of June/Early July	La Villette Jazz Festival	Listen to jazz musicians kick off the summer	Parc de la Villette	08 03 30 63 06
July 14th	Bastille Day	Watch the pride of the French military including the president	Avenue des Champs-Elysees
End of July, always a Sunday	Tour de France finish	The most watched bicycle finish in the world	Avenue des Champs-Elysees	01 41 33 15 00
July through mid-September	Versailles Light Shows	Water and light shows in the historic settings of Versailles	Versailles-Chateau	01 39 50 36 22
End of Sept./Early October	Modern Art and European Design Fair	See what furniture and design objects will arrive in the US next year	Caroussel du Louvre	01 56 26 52 00
End of Sept./ Early October	World Auto Show	World's largest auto show	Porte de Versailles	01 56 88 22 40
Early October	Paris Fashion Week	If you can get an invitation, see the spring runway shows by many of the world’s most renown designers	Mostly at Caroussel du Louvre
Early October	Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival	Harvesting the grapes in the only working vineyard in Paris!	Montmartre	01 42 62 21 21
Early December	Private winery show	Buy wine direct from small vineyards throughout France. Remember to taste without swallowing too much!	Porte de Champerret	01 53 02 05 18
Early December	International Show Jumping	All the pomp and ceremony of show jumping	Porte de Versailles	01 53 26 15 00
Early December	International Boat Show	France is the heart of sailing in Europe, see the best boats in the world	Porte de Versailles	01 41 90 47 10