Those looking for some summer fun need look no further than Paris. Paris offers a myriad of summer activities of all shapes and sizes. Many Parisians leave the area for summer vacations which leaves more room for tourists. Each year on the 21st of June, Paris holds The Fête de la Musique. This popular event brings hundreds of street performers to the city streets. Many different types of music are played during the festival including jazz, hip hop, electronic, and rock. The festival gives tourists the chance to enjoy free shows as they explore the area.

July comes fun filled with Bastille Day on the 14th where a huge parade ends with fireworks at the Eiffel Tower. The Paris Cinema International Film Festival spans between the 2nd and the 14th of July. During the festival, tourists can see those new to the film scene as well as meet their favorite movie stars. In 2009, the festival will be held in arrondissement 5. The Summer Arts Festival also begins in July. This festival starts July 15, 2009 and ends on August 9, 2009. The four week long festival allows visitors to enjoys all types of art from dance to film to painted works. Located in the Latin quarter, tourists can enjoy the Bohemian feel of the area while enjoy many different types of art.

Also starting in July, is Paris Plage, which is a beach that is created especially for this festival along the banks of the river Seine. At Paris Plage, visitors can have fun in the sand while enjoying live music. Many vendors set up in the area where food and drinks can also be purchased. Paris Plage starts on July 20th and ends on August 20th. The Open-Air Cinema Festival at the Parc de la Villette runs from July 15th to August 16th, 2009. This is located at the Parc de la Villette. Visitors can come out here, spread out a blanket, and watch one of around 35 movies that are played on the large outdoor screen.

In August, besides enjoying the last parts of many festivals, many tourists can enjoy Shakespeare’s Garden Theater Festival where visitors can enjoy many of Shakespeare’s plays such as Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth, and Hamlet in a romantic, open-air setting. Located in arrondissement 16, this festival is best enjoyed in August but actually starts in May and ends in October. It gives a great end to the wonderful summers that Paris offers.

When you take a trip to Paris it soon becomes quite evident there’s just too much to see, too much to do. One of the things you have to do when you go Paris, is to indulge yourself in a shopping spree. Shopping is everywhere in Paris, and so is the need to get your hands in some must-have merchandise, whatever it might be. When it comes to clothing, for example, there’s always some fashion show going on, sponsored by various world-famous brand names, whether it be Emporio Armani, Hermès or Louis Vuitton; the offer is always there, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. So, let’s take a quick tour on Paris shopping.

Now, if we’re talking about shopping, we’re probably starting at Boulevard Haussmann, where most of the city’s big stores are at. You can get there either by public transport, or metro, and once there you’ll have two major options to choose from: the world famous Lafayette Galleries, and the Le Printemps.

HOT COUTURE

The Foubourg-Saint-Honoré is one of the most prestigious shopping streets of Paris; located near Concorde, it offers immediate access to firms such as Valentino, and Gucci.

Avenue Montaigne hosts some of the major fashion designer’s main storehouses, such as Yves Saint-Laurent, and Christian Dior.

Saint Germain des Pres is a beautiful part of the city, and it’s worth your time there not just because of the many high quality stores, but also for the reason that it makes for an enjoyable ride, and you can always slow down a little bit and relax, have a Parisian coffee while making up your mind where to go next.

PLACE VENDOME

This is in the neighborhood of the Louvre Museum, the Concorde and the Madeleine church, and it’s the heaven of diamond lovers. Actually, it has been said this is like Paradise on Earth for women… and Living Hell for husbands, especially if they’re the ones unfolding the bills. Cartier, Armani, Chanel, Bulgari… are all there. Le Eclaireur and Jil Sander are also there, and are very popular clothing stores among tourist.

As a curious note, some Arabic banks and the Ritz Hotel have their posts at the Vendome too.

FRENCH WINE

Needles to say, a stay in Paris would not be such unless you take a moment to truly enjoy the national wine.  It is one of the many autochthonous treasures of France, and connoisseurs will surely delight on tasting some of the numerous brands they have. For this, you’d probably want to go to a “Nikolas” store, which are specialized in wine and other alcoholic beverages.

A side note about “Foie Gras”, though… it is not worth it to buy in Paris: you can get it MUCH cheaper in other parts of Europe, such as Spain.

FURTHER SHOPPING

While it is true that going for a Paris shopping spree can be quite expensive and painful to your wallet (and / or your pocket) it is also an unavoidable desire once you’re there. The city calls for it every second of the way, and you have to take the time to recognize the quality and the cost of the merchandize at hand; this includes you keep in mind the V.A.T., or Value Added Tax, which is added to most products in Europe.

Opening hour is 10h to 19h Monday through Saturday for most stores; although Hypermarkets are usually open until 22h.

So, if you’re planning on a Paris trip, do not panic about the shopping thing: you’ll find some of the world’s most eminent brands and storehouses there, but there is always something waiting for you, and… at a price you can afford. Paris is THE place to go shopping.