Events in Paris during 2012

Be sure that Paris is full of entertainment, you just have to know where to look for it. The aim of Economy Car Rentals is to help you locate the most notable events and festivals in Paris.
Have an overview and plan everything properly. Visit our Videos Page for a short "tour" through Paris.
While visiting Paris, you will discover that it is full of surprisingly notable events. Explore the events of France while being pampered by the comfort of a car rental. Take home the best memories from your trip in Paris. Gather remarkable memories from the events taking place in Paris. Participate in the most fascinating festivals to discover the culture and life of Paris. Whether in the city center, just outside or close to the next event, you will find what you're looking for easily and conveniently. The Economy Car Rentals pages have also compiled the latest news about Paris in order to give you the opportunity to combine all important information.
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January

January Sales - Many shops offer up to 70% discount for their previous season’s collections and also some stores extend their opening hours in the evening and also open on Sunday. (www.shoppingbyparis.com)
International Circus Festival of Tomorrow - This festival in Paris hosts the world's finest circuses that compete according to age groups and professions. It is held at Pelouse de Reuilly. (www.cirquededemain.com)
Paris Fashion Week - It is a fashion industry event in Paris where fashion designers display their latest collections.

July

July Sales - Many shops offer up to 70% discount for their previous season’s collections and also some stores extend their opening hours in the evening and also open on Sunday. (www.shoppingbyparis.com)
Bastille Day (July 14th) - It is a national holiday of France that celebrates the start of the French Revolution. The oldest and largest military parade in Europe is held on the Champs-Élysées Avenue in Paris.
Paris Plage (around July 20th, lasts four weeks) - It is a program of temporary beaches with white sand and deckchairs.

February

Rétromobile - This is an exhibition devoted to vintage cars and the history of locomotion. It takes place at the exhibition center of Porte de Versailles. (www.retromobile.com)
Open GDF Suez - It is a professional tennis tournament for women played inside Paris's Stade Pierre de Coubertin. (www.opengdfsuez.com)
Nouveau Festival (Feb - Mar) - This event in Paris is held at the Pompidou Centre or modern art and showcases the multidisciplinary intentions of artists.

August

Rock en Seine - It is a two or three days music festival in Paris held in the Saint Cloud park just outside the city. (www.rockenseine.com)
Moonlit Cinema in Paris - This is a festival in Paris where the Forum des Images invites you to outdoor film projections that are free and open to the public.
Silhouette Festival - It is an outdoor short film festival in Paris with free entrance held in Buttes Chaumont Park.

March

Salon du Livre Paris - It is an event dedicated to books and writing, created in 1981, held each spring in Paris. (www.salondulivreparis.com)
Art Paris - This Paris event brings together 120 International Galleries from 16 countries at the Grand Palais to offer art lovers and professionals a selection of contemporary art. (http://artparis.fr)
Banlieues Bleues - It is one of the biggest jazz festivals in Paris. (www.banlieuesbleues.org)

September

Paris Autumn Festival "Festival d’Automne à Paris" - It is a Paris festival of contemporary arts. (www.festival-automne.com)
Techno Parade (second Saturday in September) - It is a very big music festival in Paris which attracts 400,000 participants. (www.technoparade.fr)
Festival Ile de France - Paris celebrates the end of the summer with many concerts. (www.festival-idf.fr)

April

Foire de Paris (between the last week of April and first week of May) - It is a trade event held in Paris since 1904. It takes place in exhibition center Porte de Versailles. (www.foiredeparis.fr)
Foire du Trone (April - May) - It is the largest temporary funfair in Europe. (http://foiredutrone.com)
Paris Marathon - It is one of the most popular long-distance annual running events in Europe. (www.aso.fr)

October

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (first Sunday in October) - This event in Paris is a horse race held at Hippodrome de Longchamp. It is the most prestigious horse race in Europe. (www.prixarcdetriomphe.com)
Nuit Blanche - It is a night arts festival in Paris where museums, art galleries, and other cultural institutions are open to the public and free of charge.
Salon du Chocolat - It is a trade fair for the chocolate industry held in Porte de Versailles. A heaven for chocolate lovers. (www.salon-du-chocolat.com)

May

Nuit des Musées - It is a cultural event in Paris where a group of museums and cultural institutions remain open late into the night.
Villette Sonique (last week of May) - It is a music festival that takes place in Parc de la Villette in Paris. (www.villettesonique.com)
French Open (between late May and early June) - This event is a major tennis tournament in Paris held at the Stade Roland Garros.

November

Paris Photo (early November) - It is an international art fair of photography held in Paris.
Christmas and New Year at Disney - Disneyland is worth a visit during Christmas period which lasts from November until January. Christmas decorations appear everywhere and there are many events!
Champs-Elysées Christmas Lights (Nov - Jan) - The most popular shopping avenue of Paris sparkles with stunning Christmas lights for the holidays.

June

Paris Jazz Festival (June-July, weekends only) - It is a music summer event in Paris held at Parc Floral. (www.parisjazzfestival.fr)
St Denis Festival - It is a music festival that you can enjoy mostly classical music but also, Irish folk, gospel and jazz. (www.festival-saint-denis.com)
Paris Chopin Festival (June - July) - It is a music festival in Paris where artists from all around the world are invited to perform.

December

Great Wines Fair - This event in Paris is held at the Carrousel du Louvre. (www.grandtasting.com)
Basketball All-Star Game (end of December) - The crème de la crème of the French National Basketball League are selected to compete in a one-off All-Star game in Paris.
Paris' Christmas Markets - You should definitely visit Paris during Christmas period. Christmas markets spring up in a variety of places and make Paris festive.