Though there’s no need for an excuse to discover Paris’s cultural spaces, arts and greatest performers, Nuit Blanche certainly provides the perfect one.
The nighttime contemporary arts festival’s 18th edition will take place on Saturday, October 5 in France’s capital.
Performances and displays of artistic talent will be happening throughout the city from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day (see the full list of events, in French, here). Because most of the events happen at night, children will be able to enjoy performances and activities in the area between Le Grand Palais and Le Petit Palais starting at 2 p.m.
At place de le Bastille, 15 marching bands, dancers, performers and artists will delight spectators from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. before splitting off to entertain areas in each of the four cardinal directions. Night owls will enjoy the 9km walk set up from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. that meanders by 10 of the city’s greatest museums and monuments.
Emphasizing Paris’s love for environmentally-friendly transit, a car-free route will be set up on the Périphérique from Porte de la Villette to Porte de Panting on the northeast edge of the city. People are invited to bring their bikes and ride the route, stopping to enjoy concerts and food trucks along the way. With lights lining the street and lights available to string into the spokes of your bike, it will be one beautiful velodrome.
