Le blog de homeexchange

Our apartment is in Boulogne-Billancourt, which, along with Neuilly sur Seine, is the “ chic” suburb of Paris, about half a mile from Paris.

We have all the advantages of the "big city" without the bad sides.

Located next to the fancy 16th district of Paris (Auteuil, Passy, Trocadéro neighborhoods), Boulogne is lying in a curve of the Seine river (a block away from my apartment), it is called the 21st district of Paris as it is really stuck to Paris.

Boulogne, stuck inbetween the Parc de Saint Cloud and the Bois de Boulogne, two wonderful large parks great for jogging and bike rides with their miles of trails and paths, as well as lakes. This means the air in the neighborhood is fresher and cleaner than in downtown Paris. The two main Parisian horse tracks (Hippodrome d’ Auteuil and Hippodrome de Longchamp) are a few minutes away, as are Roland Garros (site of the Tennis French Open) and the Parc des Princes (soccer Stadium). 

Our town is really well known and pleasant city to live. It's comfortable, affluent, safe and quiet. Boulogne has a very active shopping area with all the neat and trendy stores in the Galleria. Our apartment is just 10mn walk to central Boulogne plaza with theaters (some movies are in english), many shops and restaurants . A very nice and large indoor/outdoor public swimmingpool and the icerink are generally open all year long.The area is mainly brand new with lots of nice restaurants, public garden, walkable areas...

Champs Elysees are direct in 15mn and all the main parisian attractions in less than 1/2 hour.

Bus stop to "Chateau de Versailles" is 5mn walk from our apartment.

Many bus lines and two different subway lines run thru Boulogne (9 and 10), one of them (9, the safest) with a station (Marcel Sembat) about 7mn walk from our apartment. It's a 15 minutes ride to the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees and Opéra, 25 minutes to the old center of Paris (Saint Germain des Prés, le Marais, le Louvre, Montmartre…).

Located at the foot of the Pont (bridge) de Sèvres and the Pont de Saint-Cloud, you have direct access to all highways heading west (Versailles 10 minutes, Normandy 2 hours, Brittany 4 hours) and many other things to see and places to go in less than 1 hour around Paris. 

Aquaboulevard (also called the parisian beach) is 10mn via tramway access.

Disneyland Paris, seaquarium and "La Vallée"outlet shopping center are 45mn.

Les quatre temps La défense shopping mall is direct access with tramway in about 15mn

Summer is a great time to visit Paris in a totally different way, eventhough it's more quiet, it is much more fun an enjoyable as some parisians (and cars) are away. Paris Plage is organized every year from end of july to mid august, it is really great as the main part of the Seine right sides are closed to cars and reserved for pedestrians from The Louvre to Sully Morlan (level end of Saint Louis island, which is quite a great promenade) it allows to visit Paris in a really different way...It's a long walk above the Seine with plenty of activities and/or rest places.

 Once more, due to foreign visitors, many cultural attractions and activities are generally organized. It's a totally different way of visiting Paris...

I also attache some maps and additional photos so that you can have a better idea...

Paris Plages

Enlarge the picture

The summer transforms Paris. The cityscape dons greenery and the riverside thoroughfares become car-free resorts. The Paris Plages (Paris Beaches) operation kicks off on or around 20 July and lasts four weeks. It began in 2002.

A Seine-side holiday. That, in a nutshell, is what Paris Plages is all about – complete with sandy beaches, deckchairs, ubiquitous ice cream sellers, and concerts for French and foreign guests. Holidaymakers at the Bassin de la Villette (Paris 19) can also borrow books free of charge, play beach volley, take an aquagym class in a mini pool, or kayak around the lake – or, of course just chill and enjoy. The Seine’s banks become pedestrian and the beaches are spread across three spots (Louvre/Pont de Sully, Port de la Gare and Bassin de la Villette). 

From the Louvre to Pont de Sully

This was the first beach that opened in 2002. It spans three kilometres through historical Paris, and features a swimming pool, concert stage, and open-air attractions (rollerblading, tai-chi, wall climbing, boules etc.). Refreshment areas, play areas and deckchairs are available for your time out unwinding by the river.

Bassin de la Villette

This is the latest addition to Paris Plages, and opened in 2007 round Bassin de la Villette (Paris 19). It stretches from Rotonde de Ledoux (nearest Jaurès Metro station) to the former Magasins Généraux (in Rue de Crimée) and features a proper water-sports complex (with rowing boats, kayaks, pedal boats and dinghies) alongside quaint quay-side restaurants and boules courts.

Every year, Paris Plages begins around 20 July and lasts four weeks.

All Paris Plages beaches are open non-stop from 8.00 am to midnight.

2012 : Paris Plages will start around July 20.