Our Destinations

Europe

Europe

From Newcastle to Paris, Leeds to Lille, you can now book through-tickets to Europe with East Coast and Eurostar.

Jul/Aug/Sept

Make the most of the long summer evenings in Paris at a variety of open-air events. The Cinéma au Clair du Lune (4-22 Aug) stages free screenings of past and present cinematic masterpieces, projecting them onto natural backdrops such as walls and buildings in different sites around Paris. For music lovers, the Rock en Seine festival (27-29 Aug) features Massive Attack, Paolo Nutini, Blink-182, Cypress Hill and other top bands, while Jazz à la Villette (31 Aug-12 Sept) includes performances from Chick Corea, Alice Russell and Gil Scott-Heron.

Funfairs, fleamarkets and a giant playground dominate Lille this summer. The Gare Saint-Sauveur is transformed into a dazzling free play-area, housing an inflatable maze, 15m-high basketball hoops and loads of fun-filled activities for all the family (2 Jul-19 Sept, Wed-Sun). The Foire aux Manèges, one of the biggest funfairs in France, fills and lights up the Champs de Mars with 180 different rides and attractions (28 Aug-27 Sept). Also hard to miss is Lille’s flea market, the Braderie, which features an astounding 100km of stands, 10,000 sellers and around 2.5 million visitors (4-5 Sept).

Brussels may be landlocked, but that’s no reason not to enjoy a seaside experience. Pack your bikini and head off to Brussels Beach on the banks of the Willebroek Canal, with beach huts, sun loungers, barbecues, live music and plenty of sand (2 Jul-22 Aug). Also in July, the funfair comes to town. Foire du Midi (18 Jul-23 Aug) takes place on the Boulevard du Midi and includes big wheels, merry-go-rounds, carousels, rides and waffle stands. Festival Bruxellons (13 Jul-25 Sept) is a popular theatre, music and cabaret festival that takes place in the stunning setting of Karreveld Castle.

Charles Van der Stappen

Charles Van der Stappen


2 July-26 September

A major exhibition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the death of the acclaimed Belgian sculptor, who created works for the city’s Botanic Garden as well as contributing decorative features to many monuments and facades. Drawings, preparatory sketches, plans and archive documents complement the sculptural works on show.

fine-arts-museum.be

Lille Clef de Soleil

Lille Clef de Soleil

4 July-26 August

During this period, each Thursday at 6.30pm concerts by internationally renowned musicians take place at historic sites around Lille. The theme for this year is Chopin and Schumann.

clefdesoleil.com

Claude Monet (1840-1926)

Claude Monet (1840-1926)

22 September-24 January 2011
The biggest exhibition on Claude Monet for nearly 30 years features almost 200 works encompassing his career from his beginnings in the 1860s to his last paintings relating to the Water Lily cycle. Curated by Guy Cogeval, president of the Musée d’Orsay.

monet2010.com

5 top tips for a trip to Paris

5 top tips for a trip to Paris
  1. Top ticket

    Peterborough / Retford / Newark / Grantham to Paris or Brussels
    from £87.70 return. Book now for the best fares. Subject to terms and conditions.

     

  2. Top hotel

    Hôtel Favart, 5 rue Marivaux, +33 1 42 97 59 83 (€€). A quiet, friendly hotel offering a great location close to the city’s main theatres and concert halls. Good value for families, its rooms are elegantly cosy and come with flat-screen TVs and free Wifi.

  3. Top restaurant

    Le Bistrot Paul Bert, 18 rue Paul-Bert, + 33 1 43 72 24 01 (€€). This heart-warming bistro, serving generous portions of delicious, rustic fare, is a favourite among Parisians.

  4. Top spot

    Paris Plages, (free, except for certain activities). The Seine’s banks are transformed into sandy beaches from 20 July and August, complete with deckchairs, ice cream sellers and sports such as volleyball and kayaking.

  5. Top shopping

    Printemps Haussman, 64 blvd Haussmann, +33 1 42 82 50 00. The elegant department store has launched a new luxury and accessories space with Boucheron, Tiffany, Van Cleef & Arpels et al all exquisitely represented.

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Friday 26 November 2010

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