Paris Plage might get all the media attention, but this sweet mini-festival looks promising too. Let’s just hope the weather holds up…

photo : Rod @ le-hiboo.com


Here’s a little story for you. When I was a student, I used to come to Paris via a flight to Beauvais, about 50 miles north of the city. It was extremely long, but the cheapest option, and the final part of the journey involved a coach ride from Beauvais to Paris, leaving me at the Eurolines station just near La Villette. Now (quite a bit of) time has passed, I no longer get the coach when I go back to England, and the Eurolines station now looks like this!:

Eurolines has long left the building, and it has been transformed into a concert venue and club venue called the Glazart. It’s a bit out of the way on the far north-eastern edge of the city, but a sweet little place with a great little patio open even in winter, and in the summer… the BEACH! This year they are inaugurating it on June 3rd as part of the month’s lineup which includes a whole load of events indoors during the week and a wild, crazy, alternative beach party outside at the weekend. Expect to hear dubstep, reggae, electro pop, dance punk, samba, minimal house and old school hip hop! (depending on which night you turn up)

For the Fête de la Musique on the 21st June you’ll be able to attend their Reggae Dub School (quiet at the back there!), and the 27th, 28th & 29th June is reserved for the Funkhome Full Moon Festival, three days of “exceptional funk”!

The Glazart is very careful to be as ecologically sound as possible.

– Their printer has an ecological certificate that proves that his manufacturing material and any paper offcuts are recycled, that the paper used is not chlorine bleached and comes from responsibly farmed forests, and that the inks used are from vegetable-based dyes.

– The goblets used to served drinks are made from recycled plastic and can be washed and reused.

– The food served in the restaurant is almost exclusively bio, and all fair trade, using local produce as much as possible.

The Villette Sur Mer festival proper is held from 9th – 12th July. During four days “artists, designers, ipod selectors and groups” take over the place. You could submit a project for repainting the front of their building or attend the minimarket held on the beach. Sounds good to me…

In a cramped city like Paris, having a huge beach at your disposal and the possibility of making as much noise as you like is a real treat. So treat yourself!

Here’s all the essential information for the Villette Sur Mer beach party!

When: various nonsense all during June 2008, beach opens 13 June 2008, Villette Sur Mer from 9th – 12 July 2008.
Where: Glazart, 7/15 avenue de la Porte de la Villette, Paris 19th arrondissement, métro Porte de la Villette (line 7, take exit number 4). Free car parking if you fancy driving (you fool!)
How much: weekday events are sometimes free and never more than 10 euros. Outdoor weekend stuff is free from 7pm – midnight!
More info: on their myspace page here

Bigger map here