Exploring the Ruins of Roman Paris

The history of the city of Paris begins with the small Roman settlement of Lutetia (Lutèce in French) which was built on the hill that now houses the Pantheon the Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in the first century BC. Later in the Roman period the settlement relocated across the Seine to the Île de la Cité.

Paris today has very little left to remind us of its Roman past . However, there are still some signs of the ancient city hidden in the Paris we know today. We’ve put together this list of the ruins around the city that you are still able to visit.

Roman Baths

The ruins of the city’s roman baths can be found at the Musée de Cluny, although the museum itself is largely dedicated to the medieval period. Known as the Thermes de Cluny in French, they constitute about one-third of a massive bath complex that is believed to have been constructed around the beginning of the 3rd century. The best preserved room is the frigidarium, with intact architectural elements such as Gallo-Roman vaults, ribs and consoles, and fragments of original decorative wall painting and mosaics. While you’re there check out the rest of the museum, you might be inspired to search for more of medieval Paris.

Arènes de Lutèce

In the 5th arrondissement by the metro stop Place de Monge, you can find the Arènes de Lutèce (Arenas of Lutetia). These listed monuments, built between the 1st and 2nd century, were able to hold up to 15,000 people. Visitors can still see the site where the actors stood, the stage platform and lapidary parts. Today they make up part of the Place Emile Mâle, and are a popular spot for relaxing or playing football or boules on a sunny day.

The City Walls

It was in the later Roman period, after a barbarian invasion in 285AD, that many of the residents of Lutetia moved across the Seine to Île de la Cité, destroying the bridges behind them. At that time, ramparts were constructed about 7 feet high. Today, only the outline of a small section of the Roman wall can be seen at 5 Rue de la Colombe and there’s a historic plaque on the wall to mark the place.

Remains of the archaeological crypt of Ile de la Cité © Pierre Antoine

Archaeological Crypt

Beneath the Notre-Dame Cathedral square lies the archaeological crypt of Paris containing the foundations and vestiges of buildings dating from the Gallo-Roman era through to the 18th century. These remains were discovered during excavations from 1965 to 1972, and were made open to to the public in 1980. The crypt offers a unique look at the urban and architectural evolution of the Île de la Cité.

Remnants of Ancient Aqueducts

You can find a piece of the old Roman aqueduct at 42 Avenue Reille, 75014 Paris, which was discovered and dug up during construction work in the area.

To learn more about the history of Paris, head to the Musée Carnavalet

Our Guide to the 13th Arrondissement, beyond la Bibliothèque nationale

Many of our Kent Paris School students will be spending a good deal of time at la Bibliothèque nationale, France’s National Library, especially as they work on their final papers and dissertations. But if you want to take a break from your research, Paris’ large 13th district has plenty of gems to discover. From street art to Chinatown and from former villages to thought-provoking contemporary architecture, here are our favourite things to do in the 13th:

Station F and La Félicità

Just next to the Library is the large co-working venue, Station F. Located within a former rail freight depot dating from 1927, since 2017 it has been home to the world’s biggest start-up “campus” or incubator. Many of the dynamic creatives who work there drift over to the restaurant part of the complex, La Felicità, a massive Italian food emporium where you can find great coffee, dine in a former train car or sip aperitivo on its terrace at the end of a long day.

Photo Credit: Cité de la Mode et Design

Paris Rive Gauche – Contemporary Architecture District

The 13th has positioned itself as a cluster of innovation – evidenced not only through the high concentration of start-ups, but also through its rapidly evolving architecture. Throwing off the Haussmannian rigidity, the 13th arrondissement contains a particularly rich collection of exciting contemporary buildings just to the east of the Bibliothèque nationale. Called Paris Rive Gauche, the district has a mix of residential, office and university buildings. You can explore these thanks to this useful article (in English) available on the Paris City Hall website.

Port de la Gare

On the quais just in front of the Bibliothèque nationale is one of the nicest – and coolest – sections of the Seine river banks within Paris. The pedestrian walkway is the perfect place to stretch your legs during a study break, for a picnic in balmy weather or to end your day. Its floating bars (known as péniches in French), including one on an old-fashioned boat, are very popular with eastend Parisians. From late spring to late summer, and especially on weekends, these péniches expand with quai-side seating and activities. There is also a CROUS (university canteen serving low-cost meals), the Le Cafétéria Pont supérieur, inside one of the barges.

Passerelle Simone-de-Beauvoir. Photo: AHert / CC

Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir

The newest of Paris’s 37 bridges, the footbridge was inaugurated in 2006 and named in honour of France’s great feminist philosopher and writer. It was designed by Feichtinger Architectes and constructed by the Eiffel company (yes, Gustave Eiffel’s company lives on to this day!). You can gaze up at the bridge from the Port or access it from the Library’s esplanade. Looking west, from the bridge you have a great view of the Pont de Bercy where métro line 6 zips by every few minutes.

Street Art

Over the last decade or so, the 13th has come to boast one of the highest concentrations of street art. Today the district’s large tower buildings are decorated with over 50 murals as well as scores of smaller works by French and international artists like Obey, Inti and C215. Although these are scattered around the 13th, you can see many larger ones as you walk down Boulevard Vincent Auriol and see smaller works around Les Buttes aux Cailles (see below). You can locate them with the help of this interactive map and you can learn more about top Parisian street artists in this blog post.

Butte-aux-Cailles

A stone’s throw from both Chinatown and busy Place d’Italie is one of the loveliest of Paris’s former villages. Once a small hamlet on the outskirts of the city, the Butte-aux-Cailles gradually became associated with the Parisian working class. Luckily, the neighbourhood escaped Haussmann architectural injunctions. Today, the quartier is lined with restaurants and bars popular with students from nearby campuses. A favourite neighbourhood haunt is Le temps des cérises, a cooperative-model bistrot. Opened in 1976, the bistro’s menu, prices, and operating model pay hommage to the working class (and the bistro’s name, the Time of Cherries, is a nod to the Paris Commune of 1871). Read more in our guide to the former villages of Paris at this link.

Les Olympiades, Jean-François Gornet

Chinatown

A section of the centre of the 13th district, the area around the modern high-rises of Les Olympiades, is well-known for its bustling Chinatown. The largest Chinatown in Europe, this can be found between Avenue d’Ivry, Avenue de Choisy and Boulevard Masséna. You can learn more about its history, as well as dining recommendations, in our guide to Paris’s Chinatowns.

Le Château de la Reine Blanche. Siren-Com / CC

Le Château de la Reine Blanche

The Château de la Reine Blanche, or Castle of the White Queen, (6 Rue Gustave Geffroy, 75013) is one of the arrondissement’s hidden gems. The structure dates back to 1290 and takes its name from Blanche de France who inherited the manor house from her mother. Parts of the building are from the 14th and 15th century. Today the castle is privately owned and unfortunately rarely open to the public (except on the Journées du Patrimoine held in mid September), but you can still view it from the street. Discover other lesser known medieval sites in Paris in this article.

photo: Sonia Yassa/ Ville de Paris

Square René Le Gall

The 13th arrondissement does not have an abundance of parks, but this pretty one is tucked away on a side street near the Château de la Reine Blanche. The Square René Le Gall is located next to where the Bièvre River once flowed, Paris’s second river that only exists underground now within the city limits. The park was built over a land mass in a fork of the river previously called Monkey Island; a little stream runs through the garden, tracing the path of the semi-defunct river. The perfect place to read on a sunny day, the park has some rose arbors, a quirky obelisque, fruit trees, sycamores and a huge Indian chestnut tree planted in 1894.

Renowned French Women Artists & Where to See their Art in Paris

All too frequently overshadowed by their male counterparts, women artists have gradually carved out their rightful place on France’s art scene. This foundation was laid by courageous women artists of the late-19th century, with more following little by little over the course of the 19th and into the 20th century. Here are ten of the most renowned artists who helped pave the way for today’s generation of women artists in France.

Portrait of Marie Antoinette, Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun © Château de Versailles, Dist. RMN : © Christophe Fouin

Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842)

Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun was one of the most renowned artists of the end of the 18th and first half of the 19th century. A child prodigy, her talent for drawing was noticed at a young age by her father, a pastel artist, who let her dabble with his supplies. After several years at a convent school, she began an apprenticeship with an artist. A professional artist by age 14, within only a few years she began painting high-level aristocrats and she was one of the first women accepted into a French painting academy, or guild. Her work soon attracted the attention of the royal court (then looking to rehabilitate the Queen’s reputation); she became the Queen’s official portraitist and painted her over thirty times. Fleeing during the Revolution, she was able to return to her artistic career under the Napoleonic regime.

Where to see her art: Musée du Louvre (French Painting Department), Versailles (le Petit Trianon)

Portrait de Rosa Bonheur dans son atelier au château de By
©Chateau de Rosa Bonheur

Rosa Bonheur (1822-1899)

Also the daughter of an artist father, Rosa Bonheur’s love of animal paintings began as a child and continued throughout her career. She studied animals in the suburbs of Paris, the Bois de Boulogne and the National Veterinary Institute. Bonheur’s first major success was Ploughing in the Nivernais, on display at the Musée d’Orsay, and was awarded a gold medal in 1849. Adored by the US market, Bonheur was the first female French artist to be awarded the Legion of Honour.

Where to see her art: Musée d’Orsay, Chateau de Rosa Bonheur (near Fontainebleau)

Le jardin à Bougival (1884) Berthe Morisot, and top image: Self-Portrait (1889), Berthe Morisot, both Musée Marmatton-Monet

Berthe Morisot (1841-1895)

A rebellious artist from her early days, Berthe began painting alongside her sister. A close friend of Édouard Manet, the two exchanged frequently on art; Morisot would later marry his brother. She was one of the founding members of les “Artistes Anonymes Associés,” a group of innovative artists including Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Camille Pissarro, and Edgar Degas who would later be called the impressionists. Today her work features in many of the world’s most prestigious museums.

Where to see her art: Musée d’Orsay and the Musée Marmottan-Monet

The Blue Room (1923), Centre Pompidou – Musée National d’Art Moderne

Suzanne Valadon (1865-1938)

Interested in drawing as a child, Marie-Clémentine Valadon, later called Suzanne, came from a poor family and was obligated to begin work aged 11. After an accident at the circus where she was an acrobatist, she started modeling for artists including Berthe Morisot, Renoir, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. These encounters encouraged her to pursue her own artistic career. Known for her bold nudes as well as portraits, still lifes, and landscape, she became the first woman painter admitted to the Société nationale des Beaux-Arts. Valadon and her son, the notable painter Maurice Utrillo, are celebrated at the Montmartre Museum, part of which comprises their former studio.

Where to see her art: Musée d’Orsay, Centre Pompidou and Musée de Montmartre

La Répétition (1936), Marie Laurencin, Centre Pompidou
Marie Laurencin (1883-1956)

A multi-talented artist born in Paris, Marie Laurencin got her start in art by learning the trade of porcelain painting at the École de Sèvres before she moved on to the Académie Humbert. It was here where she met Braque and Picabia, steering her in the direction of modernism. A fauvist before becoming a prominent cubist, Laurencin became a popular society portraitist after the Great War. She also dabbled in theatre set design and costumes.

Where to see her art: Musée de l’Orangerie and Centre Pompidou

Louise Bourgeois, Spider (Araignée) (1995). Don de la SAMAM en 1995 © The Easton Foundation / ADAGP, Paris 2020 / Julien Vidal / Parisienne de Photographie

Louise Bourgeois (1911 – 2010)

One of the most renowned artists of the 20th century, Louise Bourgeois might be best known for her large-scale sculpture and installation art, however, her work evolved dramatically over her long career. After her mother’s death, Bourgeois abandoned the study of maths to pursue art, first at the École des Beaux-Arts and the École du Louvre, before moving on to independent academies in Montparnasse and Montmartre. It was after moving to New York with her husband, an art scholar, in the late 1930s that her career and individual style began to flourish, especially when she joined the American Abstract Artists Group in the 1950s.

Where to see her art: Centre Pompidou and the Modern Art Museum of the City of Paris

Stravinksy Fountain ( 1983), Niki de Saint Phalle, Photo: Clement Dorval / Ville de Paris

Niki de Saint-Phalle (1930-2002)

Born in France and raised in the United States, Niki de Saint-Phalle is best remembered for her monumental, curvaceous and colourful sculptures. Nevertheless, Saint-Phalle was also a painter, filmmaker and illustrator. The self-taught artist portrayed her traumatic childhood through violent assemblages shot by firearms, which caught the attention of the international art world. She collaborated with other notable artists like Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg and Jean Tinguely. Her sculptural commissions decorate public spaces around the world. In Paris, her most notable work on display is the colourful, nouveau realist Stravinksky Fountain created with her husband Jean Tinguely in 1983.

Where to see her art: Centre Pompidou.

Sophie Calle, Gallerie Perrotin, Paris

Sophie Calle (1953- )

Born in the Parisian suburb of Malakoff and raised in the South of France, Sophie Calle is one of the most prominent living artists on the international art stage. A globe-trotting feminist activist in her youth, Calle returned to Paris and turned towards art. Known for her very personal work exploring identity, Calle crisscrosses genres from writing to photography and from installation work to conceptual art. She frequently exhibits in contemporary art galleries around the world.

Where to see her art: Gallerie Perrotin (75003)

Graduate Profile: Art Gallery Director Lorenzo Barone

In the latest edition of our Graduate Profile series, we are pleased to introduce an alumnus who is still living in Paris. Originally from Italy, Lorenzo Barone came to Paris to pursue our History and Philosophy of Art Master’s Degree Programme, the first step to broadening his horizons and career path in the Paris and international art scene. Learn more about Lorenzo and his current activities in our interview.

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?

I first came to Paris to study at PSAC in order to raise the level ofmy education in an international foreign language like English, as wellas learn a new language like French, and live in a wonderfulinternational capital as Paris.

What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?

What attracted me the most was the difference between PSAC’suniversity approach and my past experiences in Italy. More concretely,the debate and free exchange of ideas between professors and students,which I firmly believe is a more solid method for the academicmaturation of the students.

What were some of the highlights of your experience?

Not only is the environment magical at PSAC, where you can reallybreathe history, but I also had the opportunity to express mystudy proposals, and my creativity in front of professors and alumniduring lectures and events. The best moment? The tango lessons!

What are you currently doing and how did that come about?

Right now, I am director of the PIGMENT art gallery in Paris. Ibecame director after several internships in art galleries in Paris andworking in an international gallery in Milan as an in-house curator andlogistic manager.

Do you think that your studies at PSAC helped with your career orcreative endeavours?

Absolutely. The open-mindedness, the language, together withextensive studies, and the support of professors toward my interest incontemporary art, what I call “living art,” allowed me to develop acreative sense and rigorous approach, now indispensable in my work. Butalso, the contemporary poetry course, has spurred me to keep expressingmyself creatively and keep writing!

Would you recommend PSAC to potential students and if so what would you tell them?

I would absolutely recommend PSAC to all students who want tocontinue an excellent education in a stimulating environment and amagnificent city that offers not only culture but opportunities forcreative self-expression. If I had to give advice to future students, itwould be to not only think about getting an excellent education, but tomake the most of everything that staying at PSAC can offer, because thetime is not only books and classes, but human and cultural relationshipsthrough the city and events!

Merci Beaucoup, Lorenzo!

You can connect with Lorenzo on LinkedIn or Instagram. Learn more about PIGMENT art gallery and its exhibits on its website or Instagram.

Discovering Paris’s Little India

Although it might not be as large as in some other global cities, there is a vibrant diaspora from the countries of the Indian Subcontinent in Paris. Different waves of immigration from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh arrived in France, mainly in the 20th century, after India’s Independence in 1947 and as of the 1980s as a result of Sri Lanka’s Civil War. They settled principally in the 10th arrondissement where today you can find a wonderful array of “cash and carry” food markets, good value eateries and shops displaying beautiful Indian clothing and accessories.

Passage Brady

Originally built in 1828, this picturesque historic passageway has both a covered section, between rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis and Boulevard de Strasbourg, and an open air section which carries on until rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin. Overflowing with ambiance and aromas, it’s lined with Indian shops and restaurants, one more tempting than the next. You can get some great deals by making a reservation at one of these on The Fork website a day or two prior, we’re rather fond of New Delhi and la Reine de Kashmir!

Little India

Although Passage Brady is very charming, there is a larger concentration of the Indian community in what is called “Little India,” an area located between Gare du Nord train station and métro La Chapelle. The higher you rise on rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, the more shops and restaurants you’ll pass. These continue on rue Cail, Louis-Blanc and rue Perdonnet.

Little India is great to visit any time of year (come with an empty stomach!), however, the neighborhood truly comes to life during popular festivals like Holi (March, and another festival is taking place in the Jardin de l’Acclimatation in Bois du Boulogne on May 14), Ganesh Chaturthi (August/September, see temple information below) or Diwali (October/November).

Here are some restaurants we recommend in Little India:

Krishna Bhavan (24 Rue Cail, 75010): A must for vegetarians is this restaurant exclusively serving meat-free Indian cuisine. They also have a branch closer to the University in the 5th (25 Rue Galande, 75005).
Le Petit Veg (23 Rue Cail, 75010) – For completely vegan Indian food, come to this delicious restaurant.
Pondichery Restaurant (3 Rue Perdonnet, 75010) – In business since 1993, this cantine has some of the best prices in the area.
Muniyandi Vilas – From the outside this looks like a tiny takeaway place, however, you can also enjoy their great value and delicious Sri Lankan and South Indian specialities in their no frills dining area.

Manicka Vinayakar Alayam Temple

Built by Sri Lankan Tamils in 1985, this temple in the 18th district, north of métro La Chapelle, is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the Hindu God of knowledge who has an elephant-like head and a human body. Lord Ganesha is celebrated during Ganesh Chaturthi, a lively festival held in August or September which includes a parade through the streets of the area and with activities at the temple.

Maison de l’Inde

Located at the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris, the international student complex found in the south of the 14th district, la Maison de l’Inde was established in 1968. In addition to housing Indian and other international students, it organizes events open to the public throughout the year especially for traditional celebrations including the four-day Autumn Festival (Durga Puja), the Festival of Lights (Deepavali, held in October/November) and International Students’ day (Saraswati Puja).

if you’re looking for further places to discover the multicultural facets of Paris, have a look at these other articles from our blog:

Top Photo: 15ème Fête de Ganesh, Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / Flickr

Call for applicants for Paris Writer’s Residency 2023

From 1 February 2023, applications are invited for The Paris Writer’s Residency, sponsored jointly by The American University of Paris (AUP), the Centre Culturel Irlandais (Irish Arts Centre), and the University of Kent Paris School of Arts and Culture (PSAC). The Residency will take place from 1-31 October 2023.

The appointment is non-stipendiary but accommodation is provided at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in the heart of the Latin Quarter (5e arrondissement). In addition, there is an expenses allowance of 1,500€ to cover travel and living costs.

There are three main obligations:

A day of interaction with undergraduate Creative Writing students at AUP;
A reading and workshop with Master’s students at PSAC;
A joint public event at the Centre Culturel Irlandais.

The writer appointed to this position may be a practitioner in poetry, prose or another genre. We are interested in someone who offers interdisciplinary possibilities and who would relish the opportunity to engage with students.

Please submit your application via Interfolio here. Please note that you will be asked to create an account.

Applicants are asked to submit:

a letter explaining in no more than 250 words why Paris is an appropriate location for their residency and how they would plan to work with the students.
a CV
a short sample of current work not exceeding 3,000 words

Applications close on 15 March 2023 and the successful candidate will be notified in May 2023.

The Paris Writer’s Residency has previously been held by writer and translator Daniel Hahn (2018), poet and author Sampurna Chatterjee (2019), poet and novelist Sophie Mackintosh (2021) and poet and translator E. Tracy Grinnell (2022).

Questions related to the residency may be addressed to paris@kent.ac.uk.

How to register for French health insurance (if eligible)

Student visa holders of any nationality and EU nationals

If you are either

A student visa holder (“visa étudiant”)
A student who is also a European Union national

You can register for the French national health insurance scheme (known as l’Assurance maladie, or Ameli).

Registering with the French national health insurance scheme will unlock the right to be reimbursed for most (though not all) of your medical costs when seeing practitioners in France.

In practice, you must pay all medical practitioners for consultations at the time of the consultation. The national health insurance scheme will automatically reimburse you once you are fully registered (until that point, you will need to submit your orange feuille de soins for reimbursement). Reimbursement always takes place after the medical consultation has happened.

In doing this, you are simultaneously registering for la Sécurité sociale and will receive a Social Security number and a green carte vitale*.

Generally speaking, you will be required to upload

Proof of your student status (please contact the Kent Paris office for a status letter; do not use the status letter you used to apply for your visa)
Identification (passport, national ID card)
Your student visa (for visa holders)
Your bank account details (RIB/IBAN)

If you are not an EU national, you may also be required to upload

A copy of your birth certificate
- You may be required to include an official French translation
Proof that you have registered/validated your visa upon arrival in France
- Once you have a permanent address, you can register your visa here: https://administration-etrangers-en-france.interieur.gouv.fr/particuliers/#/vls-ts/demarches/etape/numero-visa

EU nationals who are in possession of either an S1 form or their EHIC card will have slightly different prompts. If you are an EU national who has neither an S1 form nor an EHIC card, you can still register for French social security.

*Once you are in possession of your green carte vitale, reimbursement will take place automatically. Until then, you will receive an orange feuille de soins from each medical appointment/consultation. The feuille de soins acts as a form of receipt. You will need to physically post this to your local CPAM in order to be reimbursed. Once you receive your carte vitale, you will present the carte vitale at all medical appointments, and will no longer receive the feuille de soins.

UK nationals who are not student visa holders

If you are

a UK national normally resident in the UK
coming to France to study but do not hold a student visa

You should apply for a GHIC (formerly EHIC) card prior to coming to France. Due to high demand, you should apply as early as possible.

You can use your GHIC (formerly EHIC) card to access medically necessary state-provided healthcare when you’re visiting an EU country or Switzerland.

Medically necessary healthcare means healthcare that cannot reasonably wait until you return to the UK. Whether treatment is necessary is decided by the healthcare provider in the country you’re visiting.

In France, routine GP visits are not normally covered by GHIC/EHIC, though visits to A&E will be covered, so remember to bring it along should you require emergency care.

Please read the following for a comprehensive summary of health care protocols whilst abroad: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

Everyone else

If you are not a student visa holder nor a UK national, you may wish to consider obtaining medical insurance while abroad or check to see if your normal health insurance policy covers trips abroad.

You are not required to have medical insurance to see a medical professional in France, and medical costs are very reasonable compared to some other countries. With that said, you may wish to consider medical and/or travel insurance based on your specific health care needs. Practitioners charge different rates; we advise you to enquire about rates or costs before reserving a consultation or medical procedure.

Please note that University of Kent Paris School staff can advise students on routine health care practices and policies; however, staff cannot advise on matters concerning an individual’s health and wellbeing.

Original things to do over the festive season in Paris

The end-of-year festive season is one of the loveliest times of year in Paris. The shops put out their finest wares, the city streets are decked in lights and holiday markets pop up around the city. While the lights on the Champs Elysées and the window displays of les grands magasins are world famous, there are a lot of other ways in which we can suggest enjoying the festive season in Paris.

REcyclerie (and top photo) Credit: Adrien Roux

Alternative Holiday Markets

Paris has dozens of holiday markets, however, you can get some eco-friendly and sustainably minded gifts at these alternative markets. Two former stations on La Petite Ceinture railway in the 18th arrondissements (cool hangouts in their own right!) are hosting marchés de Noël éco-responsables. La REcyclerie is hosting three on-going markets daily through December 18th and Le Hasard Ludique’s market is taking place on Sunday December 11th and 18th. Another great option is The Foundation GoodPlanet which is organising a Christmas “supermarket” with environmentally-friendly and “solidaire” gifts, plus they are also giving you the opportunity to make your own gifts during workshops held on the weekends of December 10th and 11th and 17th and 18th.

Marché de Noel de Provins

Marché de Noël de Provins

A highlight of the holiday season in the Ile-de-France region is the famed Medieval holiday fair of Provins. This year it’ll be taking place the weekend of December 10th and 11th. Over the course of the week the picturesque town east of the capital takes a journey back to Medieval times with costumed performances, music, artisans stands and food. If you have a Navigo pass, you can easily and freely get to Provins from Gare de l’Est station. ore information on the festivities (in French) here.

Credit: Musée des Arts Forains

Le Festival du Merveilleux – Musée des Arts Forains

The holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to visit one of the most unique museums of Paris. The Musée des Arts Forains is a private museum of vintage funfair rides and related objects. If you saw Woody Allen’s film Midnight in Paris, then you’ve already seen the venue, used for a party scene in the movie. The museum doesn’t hold regular opening hours, but instead is usually open over the holiday season when it holds a magical event: Le Festival du Merveilleux. From December 26th to January 2nd 2023, the museum (located near Bercy Village, another great place over the holidays!) will be open every day from 10am-6pm. It is beautifully decorated in festive flare, there are special performances food stands and the chance to try out some of the vintage rides.

Unique Illuminations

The light show put on during the holiday season doesn’t only take place on the streets of Paris, this year there are two alternative “light shows”. Parc de La Villette is hosting a light festival which involves an immersive path through this modern park, lit by the illuminated creations by artists. It is taking place evenings from December 15th to January 1st, 2023 and on December 10th, you can get involved yourself during the lanterne festival (free event). The Jardin des Plantes is once again holding a special illuminated exhibition. On through January 15th, 2023, this historic park comes to life in the evening via giant illuminated animals. This year’s theme is mini-insects in extra large size. Learn more at this link.

Restos du Coeur

Get involved!

If you’re in Paris over the holiday season and would like to get involved in a spirit of giving back to the community, there are various ways to do this. Les Restos du Coeur, an association which provides meals and other support to those in need, is looking for different types of volunteers, including gift-wrappers (for which people give a donation, sign-up here). Another association which provides meals, la Mie de Pain, is often looking for volunteers for their Christmas Eve dinner service, which could be a nice option if you’re alone for the day. You can send them an email to check at: benevoles@miedepain.asso.fr or here. The Salvation Army tends to need extra assistance over the holidays, see more on their website.

Wishing you all a joyeux and safe time over the holiday season!

Graduate Profile: Digital Content Producer Nina Starner

In this edition of our Graduate Spotlight series we meet Nina Starner. A graduate of our Creative Writing Master’s programme in Paris, Nina’s current position as a Digital Content Producer for Static Media began during her time at our Paris School. Discover how her time in Paris, even during the difficult era of COVID, was transformative for her in our interview with her below.

Where are you from and what originally brought you to Paris?

I’m from Philadelphia, and before enrolling at PSAC I had visited Paris three times. One of my closest friends and I came up with a scheme to move abroad in 2018 or so, and ultimately, we both found graduate programmes in fields we wanted to study in Paris (my friend studied at Institut Français de la Mode and now works in fashion). Thankfully, I was accepted into PSAC’s programme and began my time there in January of 2020 (what timing!).

What attracted you most about studying at PSAC?

Paris – no question! I had always wanted to live in Paris, and the history of PSAC’s space (I loved Reid Hall) as well as its Montparnasse location drew me in. I looked at other creative writing programmes in other cities but applied to PSAC first before even finishing the other applications, as it was my clear first choice.

What were some of the highlights of your experience?

I may have been seriously impacted by COVID during my time at PSAC, but I still made friends I am still close with to this day. My very first Fiction class, taught by Amy Sackville and Yelena Moscovitch, was a real highlight, as the chemistry during workshops was fantastic. Graduating at Canterbury Cathedral in 2022 was also an unbelievable, unforgettable experience!

What are you currently doing and how did that come about?

I moved back to Philadelphia and work for a company called Static Media in one of their companies called Looper, where I’m a digital content producer. I appear in and help write a show called Okay, So Basically, where a colleague and I use cartoons and snark to explain pop culture properties to each other. I was working part-time as a freelancer for Static during my time at PSAC and was offered a full time position after I completed my thesis.

Do you think that your studies at PSAC helped with your career or creative endeavours?

The big reason I wanted to study creative writing was to learn more discipline about writing and take time for myself to be required to write creatively; since I write for a living, it can be hard to get creative projects going after the workday ends. The creative writing program at PSAC definitely taught me a lot about my own writing process, and it also helped me seriously grow as a writer, since I was able to pinpoint specific issues and hurdles in my writing and work to overcome them. I left PSAC as a better writer without a doubt.

Would you recommend PSAC to potential students and if so what would you tell them?

Don’t hesitate: apply right now. The opportunity to study writing in what is, in my opinion, the best city on the planet is absolutely incredible. Despite COVID and crazy visa issues and the normal adjustment of moving to a foreign country, I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. Even if moving to Paris feels impossible, it isn’t — I moved back and forth several times with my dog in tow, and if I can do that while surviving on an initially rough French skillset, you can too. Also, living in Paris is not at all like Emily in Paris. That show is not realistic in the slightest… to say the absolute least.

Merci beaucoup, Nina!

If you would like to get in touch with Nina or learn more about her work, see her website www.ninastarner.com or follow her on Twitter.

Exploring Paris’s Little Africa

One of the best aspects of Paris is its melting pot of cultures. In our previous articles on cosmopolitan Paris, we discovered the city’s North African heritage, the historic Jewish district and Chintatown. In this latest article, we’re traveling back to la Goutte d’Or neighborhood, the hub of the city’s vibrant African community, also nicknamed “Little Africa.”

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