The Paris Traveler

Paris Jazz Festival 2008

by Kim on June 5th, 2008

 Last week, friends of my parents called to ask me where they could find good jazz in Paris.  I was able to direct them to one place I had been and was certain they could be recommended to others once they visited my selection.  They reported back, that yes, indeed they had a great time at my tiny venue on Ile Saint Louis and made it to several other spots during their stay. For those of you in Paris from the end of June through July, it’s a whole different ball game.

 The Paris Jazz Festival gets started on June 7th and offers concerts each weekend through July 27th.  Set in the beautiful Parc Floral, a wooded and lake filled area at Chateau Vincennes, you can pack a picnic style meal and dine in all this natural bounty.  For the price of admission to the park, you can hear the likes of the James Taylor Trio (I would so be all over that!),  Dianne Reeves and Erik Truffaz.  There are 1200 seats available and once those fill up there’s always the grass.  If you are heading over and are looking to do something a bit out of the ordinary during your visit, this certainly would be it.  You would certainly have a great story to go home with.

If parks and outdoor activities aren’t your thing, I have found a few places that might be of interest to you where you can listen to great jazz….indoors.

•  Duc des Lombards:  recently renovated with dining as well
•  Sunset-Sunside:  2 seperate clubs offering electric upstairs and accoustic jazz below 
•  Autour de Midi:  an intimate “jazz cave” in Montmartre with a more local flavor.  A  traditional French restaurant upstairs and cozy jazz club down below.
•  Club Jazz Lionel Hampton:  for all you smooth jazz or swing lovers, offering Sunday jazz  brunch in a large supper club type environment.  

I think that covers just about every type of jazz you could hope to find in this beautiful city. Make it your own.

Photo credit:  Paris Jazz Festival, David Gilford 

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POSTED IN: Fun & Quirky Places, Music, Night Life, Outdoor Activites