Gay Pride, know called the ‘marche des fiertés’ (Pride march) for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuels and intersex individuals (yep!) is of course very much open to heterosexuals. You can tell, because over 700.000 people take part each year in Paris either by looking on or marching, helped by pumping techno and a party atmosphere unlike any other! Here’s the route and details of the club nights on offer over the weekend…

photo by vincen-t used under cc licence

Each year there’s a different slogan, and for 2010 it’s « Violence, discrimination: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Freedom and liberty, for all and for always ». Honourable sentiment. Just don’t expect to hear it being chanted…
In any case, on that sunny Saturday (we hope) the joyous parade will cross the city from Montparnasse (starts 2pm) to Bastille, brightening everything along the way with positive vibes and probably quite a few rainbow flags. Even the kids and grannies will be dancing, mark my words! Here’s the route…

Only at 4.30pm with things quieten down for a few minutes as foghorns sound from every float and three minutes of silence are observed to remind people that there are nearly 2,000 new cases of HIV in France every year, and that 130,000 people still live with HIV here. The AIDS plague is not over, and hopefully the people present will remember this.

Nevertheless, the Gay Pride march remains a moment of celebration and freedom that always goes on in a good atmosphere, a moment when everyone can dress and act as outrageously as they like…

photo by lemoox used under cc licence

If you want to know what club nights are on offer for the Paris Gay Pride weekend, click here for Friday’s line-up and here for Saturday’s. For example, David Guetta will be at the Zénith, Todd Terry plays at the Social Club and French DJ-ette (hate that word) Jennifer Cardini will be spinning at the Point Ephémère.

For more information from the organisers (in French), click here.