Canal Saint-Denis is by far, my favourite spot of this stunning city. Oui, the gorgeous buildings that dot inner Paris may not be present but the splendour of the area is held together by the colourful ribbon of cutesy cafes, grungey street art and public spaces around Canal Saint-Denis.
Dance the night away in a circus tent? Yes please! Neatly tucked away into a far corner off the canal is the art scene, wooden dance floor mecca that is Cabaret Sauvage. This mixed space, complete with a glorious circus-shaped cabaret tent has an events programme to make you applaud the Paris social scene even more; dance , theatre, music, concerts, and mini-festivals. This particular festival was French themed naturally as it was Bastille Day so there was a mini Palace of Versallie in the shape of a DJ Van, and a grand blow up pool with a small spray painted gold fountain in the middle, complete with horse.
As the French are all over their arts in more ways than one and bless them for that , there were other colourful attractions at this festival that included a blowing bubble area, pimp my hat and dress ups arena.
La Villette is the place to chill on a nice sunny day and to get a dose of life beyond concrete jungle of Paris. Despite being the third-largest park in Paris, it seems to be the most hip and happening. Located in the 19th arrondissement, it is also home to one of the largest clustering of cultural spaces in Paris. Hard not to miss is the big, shiny mirrored sphere that sits in the middle of the park, The Geode.
Inside the dome is a theatre that makes for pretty epic viewing. With its bright red bridge walkways overlooking the canal, its perfect for a Sunday stroll. Want to feel like a full-blown Parisian? Grab a shopping trolley and head down to Joinville Market.
