Every summer in Paris since 2002, the banks of the Seine River and Bassin de la Villette are invaded by colorful umbrellas, deckchairs, and beach stands. These artificial beaches in Paris – known as Paris Plages (Paris Beach) – are the perfect place to hang around with family and friends or drink rosé wine under the sun.
The main objective of Paris Plages is always the same: to propose a kind of ‘city escape’ for those Parisians who don’t have the means to travel during summer. Since the beginning, the idea was so well accepted by locals and visitors that Paris Plages quickly became one of the top things to do in Paris during the summer. Two years ago, before the pandemic, Paris Plages hit a record of more than 4 million visitors in just one month!
Paris Plages has two main locations: Rives de Seine (Paris 1 and Paris 4) and the Bassin de la Villette (Paris 19). Let’s explore the different sites and the best things to do in Paris Plages 2023, this year from 8 July to 27 August 2023.
DID YOU KNOW? Paris was not the first city to invent this concept (it was the French city of Saint Quentin in 1996), but it was the first international city to propose it. Since then, other European cities followed, and today you can find the Paris Plages concept in Berlin, Budapest, Bruxelles, or Metz.
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Paris Plages 2023 – Rives de Seine
From Pont des Arts to Pont de Sully, on the Seine’s Right bank, this is Paris Plages’ fanciest part. Expect to find beach stalls, sunbathing areas, and picnic areas but also playgrounds for kids and guinguettes for adults.
Activities open every day from 10 am to 6.30 pm
Top Things to Do in Paris Plages – Rives de Seine
The program of activities for this part of Paris Plages has not been published yet, but here’s the list of the activities that you could find during the previous years:
- Ludomouv’ – games and activities for kids
- Jardin de Brume – the perfect place for some freshness
- Shaded relaxation area
- Photo exhibitions
- Baby foot
- Ice cream stand
- Library out of the walls – readings for all the ages
- Pétanque
- Giant games
- Dancing
- Swedish Gym
- Batobus stop – hop-on hop-off Seine River tour
- Space bicycle repair
- Food & drinks
TIP: rent a boat for partying and sailing along the Seine River (skipper mandatory)
Paris Plages 2023 – Bassin de la Villette
This part of Paris Plages in the 19th Arrondissement is more focused on water games, with more choices for kids: water rollers, paddle boats, electric boats, kayaks. . . Here, it is possible to swim, with time slots of 2 hours to leave time to clean the water.
In Bassin de la Villette, there is a more relaxed atmosphere, with longer opening times and a more summer holiday feeling.
Activities are open from Monday to Friday from 10 am to 10 pm and on weekends from 10 am to 00 am.
Top Things to Do in Paris Plages – Bassin de la Villette
Here’s the list of activities that you usually find in this part of Paris Plages:
- Marin d’Eau Douce – electric boats (no boating license required)
- Cinema
- Baby foot
- Trampolines
- Kids Club
- Dancing
- Pétanque
- La Bédéthèque – library of comic strips
- Tai-Chi, Do-in, and Qi-Gong courses
- La Baignade – swimming and water games
- Ludomouv’ – games and activities for kids
- Floating climbing wall
- Base Nautique – kayak, stand-up paddle, Hawaiian pirogues
- Food & drinks
