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Paris’s must-see museums and events, enchanting neighbourhoods and evocative buildings are all within easy reach of Le Meurice and Hôtel Plaza Athénée. Once you’ve discovered Paris, why not explore further afield?
Art and culture
Reasons to visit Paris in summer 2022
June 15, 2022
With iconic museums to explore and cobbled streets to discover, Paris never disappoints. From watching tennis stars battling for glory at the French Open to celebrating the birth of modern-day France, here are our favourite reasons to visit this summer.
A fountain show by night
Summer is the best time of year to experience the grandeur of Château of Versailles, one of Europe’s largest castles. Every Saturday in summer, its magnificent gardens come alive with dazzling light effects, while its spectacular fountains rise and fall to the sound of Baroque music composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully and Marc-Antoine Charpentier. Towards the end of the evening, enjoy fireworks in front of the Grand Canal, which stretches towards the horizon. Versailles is 16km/9.94 miles from Paris.
June 11 – September 17
Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles
Bastille Day
July 14, a public holiday in France, commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on the same date in 1789, which marked the beginning of the French Revolution. The highlight of the celebration is the annual Fête de la Fédération, Europe’s oldest and largest military parade. Presided by the French president and attended by thousands, it sees troops march on Champs-Elysees as planes fly overhead. To mark the occasion, a classical music concert and impressive fireworks display will take centre stage in Champ de Mars, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
2 Allée Adrienne Lecouvreur, 75007 Paris
La Nuit aux Invalides
This spellbinding, 50-minute laser show is a visual reminder of French emperor Napoléon’s extraordinary life and legacy. Discover how he rose to prominence during the French Revolution and why he still divides France. Projected in the courtyard of Hôtel National des Invalides, a former military hospital with a beautiful golden dome, the show was created by French artist Bruno Seillier to mark the 250th anniversary of Napoleon’s birth. Afterwards, enjoy the summer evening with a walk to Dôme des Invalides to catch a glimpse of Napoleon’s majestic tomb.
July 16 – September 1
Hôtel National des Invalides, 129 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
Château by candlelight
In honour to the famous party of August 17, 1661, Château Vaux-le-Vicomte invites you to experience a unique dreamlike evening, taking a candlelit journey through the house’s exquisite interiors and out into the illuminated gardens. Whether you stop for dinner at their Les Charmilles restaurant or an elegant picnic by the water show, your evening promises to be a magical one, ending with a spectacular finale of fireworks.
May 14 – October 1
Header image courtesy of Musée de l’Armée/Anne-Sylvaine MARRE-NOF
Featured hotels
Paris
Le Meurice
The original palace hotel in the heart of historic Paris, Le Meurice with its splendid newly-restored rooms and suites is the very epitome of quiet elegance and is alive with the artist's soul of wit and magic.
Paris
Hôtel Plaza Athénée
True to its extraordinary city, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is no ordinary hotel. Here, on the prestigious avenue Montaigne, the tree-lined boulevard of French fashion, our hotel proudly offers guests the very best of Paris.
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