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Friday, November 22, 2024

Celebrating the Chinese language New Yr in Paris’ thirteenth Arrondissement ⋆ Secrets and techniques of Paris


In 2024, the Chinese language New Yr is on February tenth. Often known as “Chunjie”, or the Spring Competition (“Fête du Printemps” in French), it’s not simply the most important annual occasion in China, but in addition celebrated in Vietnam, South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia. It’s now the Yr of the Dragon, which in Chinese language astrology represents well being, energy, luck, and success. Festivities in Paris happen over a number of weeks from February third by way of the twenty fifth, together with the well-known Chinese language New Yr Parade in Paris’s largest Chinatown within the 13th arrondissement. However you may get into the spirit of the vacation anytime with a go to to this energetic Parisian quartier.

2024 New Year sign in Chinatown

The place is Chinatown? The “Triangle de Choisy”

Paris really has a number of Chinatowns, which is kind of distinctive on this planet, however the largest and best-known one is within the “Triangle de Choisy” a pie slice of the 13th arrondissement bordered by the Avenue d’Ivry, the Avenue de Choisy, and the Boulevard Masséna. You will get right here by way of metro Tolbiac (line 7), metro Olympiads (line 14) or metros Porte d’Ivry and Pore de Choisy (each line 7 and Tram 3a).

Chinatown map
The blue triangle of Chinatown with the huge Olympiads complicated in pink.

There are different well-established Chinatown districts within the third arrondissement (a couple of streets round Rue au Maire) and within the nineteenth/twentieth arrondissements (throughout Rue de Belleville). There are additionally a couple of giant Chinatown districts simply exterior of Paris, in Aubervilliers and Marne La Vallée (the “new” city constructed close to Disneyland Paris). The populations of those districts are usually from China straight, versus being from a mixture of neighboring international locations such as you’ll discover within the thirteenth (extra on that beneath).

What to Count on

Whereas there are some sometimes Parisian house blocks nonetheless left over from the 19th century, what is going to catch your eye quicker are the huge residential tower blocks constructed within the Seventies, and the soulless public housing blocks constructed within the Eighties. To understand your go to, you’ll must look previous the architectural prepare wreck and search for the little patches of magnificence. They’re there to find if you may get previous the shock of leaving the postcard excellent middle of Paris! If it was clearly beautiful, it will be filled with vacationers, proper? 😉 And through the Chinese language New Yr the pink banners and lanterns adorning each mild pole, restaurant and storefront are a pleasant pop of coloration throughout what’s often a reasonably dreary time of 12 months in Paris, post-Christmas, pre-spring.

Chic Parisian apartments at the corner of Rue de Tolbiac and Ave de Choisy
Stylish Parisian flats on the nook of Rue de Tolbiac and Ave de Choisy

A Very Brief Historical past of Chinatown

The 13th arrondissement turned part of Paris, like many of the outer districts, in 1860 through the Second Empire annexation of the suburbs. On the finish of the 19th century, the realm now referred to as Chinatown was house to the Panhard et Levassor automotive manufacturing facility, which constructed the primary Parisian automotive. The manufacturing facility had a couple of thousand Chinese language immigrant employees within the Thirties, among the many first to inhabit the 13th. When the manufacturing facility was closed down within the Sixties, the whole neighborhood turned an industrial wasteland till the Metropolis of Paris had it razed within the Seventies to construct the trendy highrise house blocks you see in the present day, notably Les Olympiades.

These new flats have been too costly for poor Parisians and too “trendy” for wealthier Parisians, however have been excellent for the waves of ethnic Chinese language refugees fleeing Southeast Asia within the Seventies and 80s – notably struggle in Vietnam (the previous French colony of Indochina), pressured labor below Communist Laos, and the Kmer Rouge genocide in Cambodia. Though Chinese language and Vietnamese companies dominate the district, Chinatown within the 13th has an amazingly numerous mixture of Asian cultures mirrored within the retailers, eating places, markets, and temples. In the event you’re used to visiting Chinatowns the place many of the inhabitants are from the identical a part of China and converse the identical language, you’ll in all probability be shocked to see (and listen to) Thai, Kmer, Korean, Taiwanese, Cantonese, Laotian – and naturally French! – influences all through.

Within the Jardin Baudricourt (14 Rue de la Pointe d’Ivry), you’ll see a WWI monument inaugurated in 1998 to the reminiscence of Chinese language employees and fighters who died for France. These immigrants have been presupposed to return to China on the finish of the struggle by ship from Marseille, by way of the Gare de Lyon prepare station in Paris. Those that didn’t need to return established one of many oldest Chinatown districts in Paris across the Gare de Lyon, which disappeared when that complete neighborhood received the “modernization” therapy within the Eighties.

WWI Memorial

WWI Memorial stone in the Jardin Baudricourt
WWI Memorial to the Chinese language who died combating for France, within the Jardin Baudricourt

The inscription in French reads, “A la mémoire des travailleurs et combattants chinois morts pour la France pendant la Grande Guerre 1914-1918” (In reminiscence of the employees and Chinese language troopers who died for France through the Nice Battle, 1914-1918).

The Chinatown Gateway

On February 1st, 2020 (simply after the Chinese language New Yr Parade was canceled due to Covid for the primary time) Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and the Chinese language Ambassador to France inaugurated the brand new Arche de la Fraternité, a 3-D sculpture of the Chinese language image for “door” created by artist Georges Rousse with neighborhood neighborhood funds to “thank the capital and France for having welcomed many refugees from Southeast Asia within the Seventies” in line with Jerôme Coumet, Mayor of the thirteenth. It’s a reasonably cool sculpture that appears completely different relying on the place you’re standing. It stands on the intersection of the pedestrian Rue des Frères d’Astier de la Vigerie, the Avenue de Choisy, and the Rue Baudricourt.

Road Artwork in Chinatown

Up to now ten years, the 13th arrondissement has develop into well-known for its monumental murals painted by a number of the world’s most famous road artists. Among the first have been created within the coronary heart of Chinatown. The Portuguese painter Pantónio created the tallest fresco in Europe, 66 meters tall, a whirlwind of fish on the facet of an house block at Place de la Vénétie (20 avenue de Choisy).

Fish whirlwind mural by Patonio
“A Fish Whirlwind”

Subsequent door is the majestic blue heron, Le Héron Bleuté, by the French artist STeW, in conventional Japanese type. On the foot of this one is a ground-level mural “La Petite Fille aux Ballons et le Panda” by the French artist from Martinique, Doudou Model. The prolific road artist Invader created “Area Noodles” on the nook of Avenue d’Ivry and Rue Baudricourt.

Folks come from throughout Paris and the suburbs to buy on this district, as lots of the largest importers of Asian merchandise in Paris will be discovered right here. Among the typical retailers promote a mixture of something from house decor and clothes to jewellery and electronics. They vary from very cheesy to much less cheesy by way of boutique aesthetics (the bar is excessive right here in Paris, in spite of everything). However that doesn’t imply the gadgets themselves are at all times low cost. If you understand what you’re searching for yow will discover some beautiful issues of higher high quality than the storefront could have you ever suppose.

Chinese gift shop
One of many retailers on the Rue des Frères d’Astier de la Vigerie

L’Empire des Thés (101 Avenue d’Ivry) is among the extra well-liked retailers in Chinatown, promoting over 200 styles of Chinese language teas and equipment, “with out being snobby about it.” A small tearoom inside additionally serves their teas in conventional vogue. The “tea flowers” are at all times a terrific buy right here. For books on Chinese language tradition (principally in Chinese language or French, after all), try the You Feng Bookshop (66 rue Baudricourt). In addition they promote stationery and calligraphy equipment. The Japanimation boutique, Manga Loisirs (134 rue de Tolbiac) is subsequent door to ACE Mart, a small store promoting Korean and Japanese meals.

The World of Les Olympiades, aka La Dalle

As talked about earlier, Les Olympiades was a part of a large housing undertaking within the late Sixties/early Seventies referred to as “Opération Italie 13,” closely influenced by Corbusier’s vertical cities. Les Olympiades is a collection of residential towers — every named for a metropolis that hosted an Olympics sport: Anvers (Antwerp), Athènes (Athens), Cortina, Helsinki, Londres (London), Mexico, Sapporo, and Tokyo — on a raised esplanade, or “dalle” much like La Défense, one stage above the road site visitors and parking.

The retailers and eating places within the middle of this esplanade have white “tented” rooftops that many individuals assumed have been made to resemble stylized Asian pagodas, nonetheless they have been really presupposed to resemble the tents of the Parisian market stalls. Evidently, the Parisians needed nothing to do with these trendy monstrosities (you possibly can say it’s one of many few constructing initiatives that Parisians haven’t modified their minds about all these years later), in order that they have been bought at rock-bottom costs to the newly-arrived immigrants from South East Asia, who instantly made themselves at house.

Postscript: as a result of the true property plan was such a catastrophe, they ended up solely (!!) constructing 30 of the 55 deliberate towers within the district, and as an alternative began rehabilitating the older Parisian house buildings nonetheless standing within the neighborhood

Along with the tall residential towers (from 16 to 35 flooring tall) and retailers on the esplanade, there’s a shopping center, a neighborhood backyard, and a number of temples. Lots of the new immigrants arrange companies as importers, shopkeepers, restaurant homeowners, and native bankers, investing of their neighborhood. And as ugly and run-down Les Olympiades seems (particularly the shopping center we’ll see in a second), it does have its charms.

pagoda community center
A neighborhood middle for Les Olympiades

For instance, the Olympiades neighborhood affiliation opened a “Bricothèque” in 2021 within the renovated “Pagode”. A bricothèque comes from the French phrase “bricolage” (do-it-yourself), a spot the place you’ll be able to borrow energy instruments or ladders, or different gadgets for fixing up your house. In addition they have handymen and ladies who will be employed to make small repairs or house enhancements for you (these providers are solely open to the locals who’re members).

A Temple on La Dalle

The Amicale des Teochew en France is an Asian neighborhood middle and Buddhist temple tucked right into a nook of the esplanade, based in 1986 by the Teochew neighborhood, the primary neighborhood of Chinese language origin in France, from the south of Guangdong province.

Altar with flowers
The altar within the temple entrance

Though I reside close by and have visited Les Olympiades many occasions, I had by no means dared to step inside earlier than, pondering it wouldn’t be open to vacationers, however on a guided tour of the neighborhood with #ExploreParis, our information Donatien reassured us that so long as we eliminated our sneakers, guests have been welcomed (plan on sporting your cutest socks in preparation). “You may even discuss and take photographs, simply don’t block these making an attempt to hope.”

Simply as we arrived, there had been a bunch of 20 different guests surrounding a lady in prayer, incense sticks held in entrance of her (there are aluminum-foil-covered trays in entrance of the cushions to catch the ashes). There are three altars piled excessive with fruit and burning incense. The three statues are referred to as the Three Jewels. Those on both sides look Thai, supposedly it’s as a result of there aren’t any Thai temples in Paris, in order that they use this one.

There are 18 of larger-than-life statues representing the Luohan, or Guardians of the Regulation. Every has a job indicated on a small signal at his toes: “the one who holds the bowl”, “the one who tames the dragon”, “the one who makes the lions snort”, “the one with the lengthy eyebrows” (on the left!), “the one who cleans his ears”, and so forth.

You might even see a wall coated in numbered pink slips with textual content printed on them. Our information defined that Buddhists making an attempt to make necessary life selections come right here and shake the picket jar of what appear like lengthy matchsticks, considering their dilemma till one of many sticks falls out (undecided what occurs if a couple of falls out!). Every stick has a quantity on it that corresponds to the numbered items of “recommendation” on the pink slips. “The recommendation needs to be imprecise sufficient to have the ability to reply all types of questions, so there’s numerous private interpretation concerned,” defined Donatien.

They promote brochures in English for €2 that profit the neighborhood middle, and there are additionally donation bins, “troncs” all through the temple for those who’re feeling beneficiant for his or her hospitality. Among the Chinese language New Yr decorations embrace pink envelopes with the animal representing the Chinese language zodiac signal (the photograph right here is from 2022, Yr of the Tiger!) which are historically used to offer cash to kids.

Again out on the esplanade, to the left of this (now closed) dance faculty, you’ll see stairs going up, freshly painted pink this 12 months. Take the escalator for those who’re legs are already pooped out. Up right here you’ll be handled to some good views over Les Olympiades (if the climate is good), and in your left, slightly neighborhood backyard.

The Jardin Partagée des Olympiades was created in 2017 and is open to anybody who lives, works, or goes to highschool within the thirteenth arrondissement for a membership payment of €15/12 months.

The (Ugliest) Buying Mall (in Paris)

Keep in mind again on the dance faculty you went up the pink staircase? Okay, for those who go to the best of the varsity, you’ll see the doorway to what seems like is an deserted, derelict shopping center from the 70s. Besides that it’s open. It’s the Olympiades Centre Commerciale Oslo, aka Galerie Oslo. Brace yourselves for some ugly photographs, no filters are gonna save this one.

ugly shopping mall
Galerie Oslo, the Olympiades buying middle

It was really fairly calm on Sunday once I took this photograph, about half of the retailers have been closed, however many of the cafés have been open. The youthful clientele have been hanging on the bubble tea retailers, which have actually multiplied in recent times. The older crowd hold on the café bars that appear like they haven’t been redecorated for the reason that 70s opening date. I might have taken pics for enjoyable, however they have been packed full of people that didn’t appear like they needed their photographs taken.

In any other case there are the same old clothes, jewellery, magnificence provides, (Okay-Pop) music shops, and electronics retailers, in addition to numerous hair salons, a butcher store, and a pharmacy. The Japanese and Korean retailers are a comparatively new factor on this buying middle. Querencia, a type of Japanese house decor and gadget store, additionally has Chinese language New Yr decorations on the market.

Chinatown Olympiades Restaurant is on the far finish of the buying middle, and is often the place the large celebratory meals happen (suppose marriage ceremony receptions or birthdays). They’re serving a particular 11-course Cantonese New Yr’s menu with two bottles of Bordeaux on February ninth and tenth, with reside music and dancing (€698 per desk of 10). They’ve reside music, karaoke, and dancing all year long on Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm-2am, however I’ve by no means really come right here at evening to test it out (I’ve received it on my listing…)

The Tang Frères Empire

Tang Freres new year sign

On the backside of the buying escalator you’ll discover the doorway to Tang Frères. The Tang brothers, initially from Laos, personal this neighborhood. They’re each importers and shopkeepers and deli homeowners (and doubtless extra). In the event you go to Chinatown within the thirteenth, it’s important to cease at the very least in one of many Tang Frères institutions.

The Galerie Oslo entrance at 44 Avenue d’Ivry for the Tang Frères grocery store doesn’t appear like a lot, however clearly a scarcity of any aesthetical magnificence isn’t hindering enterprise. Inside, you’ll discover just about something you want in your Chinese language recipes (and, I presume Vietnamese and Cambodian and Laotian dishes as properly…I’m not an professional on meals from Asian international locations, so simply benefit from the photographs…). There are additionally a couple of acquainted gadgets, like corn starch (which I often don’t see in French supermarkets), non-dairy creamer (referred to as Espresso Whitener, oddly) and Quaker “White Oats” (I’m seeing a development). The Tang Frères branded natural part is comparatively new, together with the stylish bulk bins you see in numerous Parisian supermarkets now.

A bit additional down at 48 Avenue d’Ivry is one other fancier Tang Frères, “Tang Gourmand”, in addition to a rotisserie stand and a florist kiosk that additionally has Chinese language New Yr decorations.

Tang Feres Happy New Year Banners
Chinese language New Yr Banners on each mild pole in Chinatown

Different Chinatown Meals Markets

On the opposite facet of the Tang Fères grocery store on the Galerie Oslo (once more, at 44 avenue d’Ivry) is the extra fashionable façade of the competitor, Paris Retailer. That is the place most Parisians know to go to get cool dishes and bamboo meals steamers, along with any substances you may not discover subsequent door. They’ve an entrance straight into the Galerie Oslo from their second flooring (though generally it’s blocked off).

Paris Store
Paris Retailer in Chinatown

Along with the 2 huge supermarkets Tang Frères and Paris Retailer, there are a lot of smaller meals markets in Chinatown for these nonetheless feeling crowd-phobic. Throughout the road at 81 avenue d’Ivry is the Paragon “Huge Retailer”, a terrific place to select up recent produce.

Right here you’ll discover mangos, pomelos, papayas, mangosteens, pomegranates, kumquats (particularly for Chinese language New Yr), buddha’s hand, dragon fruit, and the spiky, smelly durians from Thailand…for those who actually should attempt one, go away it in your balcony, not in your kitchen!

One other Hidden Buddhist Temple

Buddhist temple entrance

The Autel du Culte de Bouddha is formally positioned at 37 Rue du Disque, which runs beneath Les Olympiades to a parking storage and Lidl, however you’ll discover the doorway simply after Tang Frères at roughly 68 Avenue d’Ivry. It seems all creepy, however simply stroll alongside the facet so that you don’t get run over, and simply inside you’ll see the temple entrance on the best. There’s a small altar for choices and burning incense simply exterior the doorway. That is so far as you’ll be able to go together with your digital camera, no photographs or speaking inside (but in addition, they don’t require you to take away your sneakers).

This Buddhist temple is among the most necessary within the Chinese language neighborhood, and is the place the annual Chinese language New Yr Parade departs from after making their choices. It’s run by the Affiliation des Résidents en France d’Origine Indochinoise ( A.R.F.O.I ), whose headquarters are upstairs in Les Olympiades. Inside, altars are devoted to the deity Bodhisattva Guanyin, the genius of justice, and even a Cambodian Buddha.

In contrast to the neighborhood middle, it’s quiet aside from one girl (wearing what I consider is a marriage robe, however with a coat over it) shaking the sticks to get a solution from the spirits for her dilemma — to point out up for the marriage or elope together with her lover as an alternative? You may also discover fireworks on the market right here for €5 (frowned upon in France as a result of somebody inevitably shoots their hand off or shoots into an open house window, however not unlawful).

Chinatown Sweets

As talked about earlier, Chinatown within the thirteenth isn’t simply Chinese language. You’ll additionally see eating places serving delicacies from Vietnam, Korea, Cambodia, and Thailand (and generally they combine a number of cuisines collectively in a single restaurant). You’ll additionally discover loads of choices for sweets.

Molle Pâtisserie makes their bread, pastries, and truffles on-site in two areas, right here at 99 Avenue d’Ivry and likewise within the Chinatown district of the third arrondissement (27 Rue au Maire). This one has a couple of tables exterior (with a view of the pastry cooks working inside) the place you’ll be able to get pleasure from a bubble tea together with your pastry.

Vivien and Kele Zhang concentrate on “unique” tackle conventional Chinese language pastries. You’ll discover some fairly elaborate themed truffles (try their Instagram web page for another enjoyable concepts they do as customized orders), in addition to conventional Chinese language pastries with pink bean filling, cheesecakes, cupcakes (in sq. containers!) and some French fusion confections just like the Matcha Opéras. In contrast to a number of the older pastry ships within the neighborhood, this one has a recent, trendy inside decor that basically stands out on the road. I see giant crowds right here each time I go by.

One other nice pastry and sandwich store is Pâtisserie de Saison (65 Avenue d’Ivry), which can look new due to the lovable decor (try the portray on the ceiling), however they’ve been open since 1983, and actually have been one of many first Asian pastry retailers in Chinatown.

On the candy facet, they do these enjoyable themed truffles (there’s extra ornament than cake, haha!), in addition to lotus brioche, egg tarts, and “perles de coco” or Lo mai chi (which appear like snow balls). The feuilleté pastries are filled with both candy (“sucré”) or savory (“salé”) fillings equivalent to durian, lacquered pork, taro, pink beans, or pandan (a tropical plant well-liked in Southeast Asian delicacies). In addition they make recent banh mi baguette sandwiches. Vegan choices are often fairly scarce, however they will do a fried tofu banh mi for €6 (make sure that to ask for it with out the mayo for those who don’t eat eggs).

Xing Fu Tang (63 ave de Choisy) is a bubble tea chain from Taiwan that may be discovered everywhere in the world, however is comparatively new to Paris, though there are actually a number of areas. Their specialty is caramelized brown sugar tapioca pearl milk drinks, sizzling or chilly, with many extra taste choices. Notice there’s no precise tea in these, it’s mainly candy milk (extra data right here for these of you want me who didn’t find out about this beverage development). There are additionally the normal bubble teas made with tea, and ones made with fruit. There are traces down the block on good days.

I noticed they’ve soy and almond milk choices, however solely in a couple of of the drinks. I ordered a sizzling one with pink bean paste. It was fairly tasty, however every part clumped on the backside after a couple of minutes, so I’d advocate grabbing a spoon (it was freezing chilly and beginning to rain, so I took mine house to complete it). As a lot as individuals love them (with this a lot sugar, no surprise persons are addicted), it’s onerous to disregard how a lot plastic there’s (cup, lid, a “seal” and the immense straw). “Bubble tea is for younger individuals, isn’t it?” asks Donatien to the teenagers hanging exterior as we handed by on our tour. They laughed however agreed.

Extra Eating Suggestions

There are such a lot of — sooooo many — restaurant in Chinatown. So how are you aware which is sweet? I’ve been informed up to now that it “should be a superb Chinese language restaurant if there are Chinese language individuals consuming there,” however a Chinatown native informed me that’s absurd. “Parisians eat at McDonald’s; that doesn’t imply vacationers ought to assume McDonald’s is a good Parisian restaurant.”

So…again to how to decide on? I often go by phrase of mouth, and Fleurs de Mai (61 Avenue de Choisy) has been a trusted favourite now for some years for “typical Hong Kong delicacies.” It’s fairly small, even with the additional seating upstairs, so get there early if you need a spot! Vegan word: virtually every part comes with XO sauce, which is made with dried seafood.

Fleurs de Mai facade
Fleurs de Mai

Two different extremely beneficial Cantonese eating places for purists who don’t need to see nems or pineapple hen on the menu (not that there’s something incorrect with that if that’s what you want!):

Impérial Choisy (32 Avenue de Choisy)

LiKaFo (39 Avenue de Choisy)

Sinorama (23 Rue du Dr Magnan, close to the nook of Rue de Tolbiac and Avenue de Choisy)

Sinorama facade
Sinorama, embellished for the New Yr

In the event you ARE searching for good pho soup and nems (what People are inclined to name spring rolls), attempt certainly one of my favourite Vietnamese eating places, Pho Bahn Cuon 14 (aka Pho 14, at 129 ave de Choisy). They really have three different areas in Paris and Marne la Vallée.

Pho dish
My pho at Pho 14

The door element beneath is from Paradis Thai (132 rue de Tolbiac). Notice that the French have very delicate palates. Regardless of how spicey they are saying it’s, for those who’re searching for the identical stage of sizzling you’d get in Thailand, you in all probability received’t discover it in Parisian Thai eating places!

Thai door decor

Some Suggestions…en français

Many of the guides I comply with are in French (they are usually probably the most up-to-date), which isn’t handy for those who solely perceive English. In the event you’re keen to do the Google translate (or simply word the names of the eating places as a jumping-off level in your analysis), attempt:

Chinese lion statue

Chinese language New Yr 2024 Occasions

Listed here are a number of the Chinese language New Yr occasions occurring round Paris — not simply within the thirteenth — in 2024. This part will likely be up to date as extra occasions are introduced all through the primary few weeks of February.

The Huge Chinese language New Yr Parade in Paris

The largest Chinese language New Yr parade takes place yearly within the thirteenth arrondissement. This 12 months it falls on Sunday February 18th, from 2:30-5pm. The dragons, lions, dancers, drummers, and historically costumed members will do a full loop of the neighborhood, beginning at 44 Avenue d’Ivry, then clockwise down Avenue de Choisy and Boulevard Masséna earlier than lastly ending at Avenue d’Ivry.

Folks begin gathering from as early as midday, so for those who hope to get a spot so you’ll be able to really see, you’ll must get there early! There’s a respectable overlook from the highest of the escalators on the Olympiades buying middle, the steps of St-Hippolyte Church, and — for those who’re feeling sporty — atop bus cease shelters. The police put up traces to maintain everybody on the sidewalk, however actually nobody pays any consideration to them. Even for those who’re standing or sitting proper on the entrance alongside the route, count on a LOT of individuals strolling in entrance of you to get photographs, particularly when the dragons and the lion dancers arrive.

The Conventional Lion Dance!

In the event you can’t make the parade or don’t need to courageous the crowds, there are a couple of alternatives to see the well-known Lion Dance all through the month:

  • In entrance of Tang Frères retailer (48 avenue d’Ivry) at 7pm on February ninth.
  • In entrance of the Paris Retailer (44 avenue d’Ivry) at 9am on February tenth.
  • The Chinatown Olympiades Restaurant simply above may also have Lion Dances on February ninth and tenth (Friday and Saturday) throughout their Chinese language New Yr dinners.

Veritable athletes, these dancers animate their costumes in pairs, one balancing on the opposite’s shoulders whereas shifting the top, mouth, eyelashes, and ears in time to the percussionists. It’s numerous enjoyable! In the event you’ve by no means seen a Lion Dance, right here’s one I occurred to catch exterior a restaurant within the neighborhood once I was operating final October (I feel there’s a marriage reception inside):

You may comply with the numerous completely different Lion Dance (or Danse de Lion) teams in Paris on social media all year long, such because the Lion Dance Franco Asiatique (LDFA), the Royal Lion Dance crew, and the Paris Lion Sport Affiliation.

There are lots of Chinese language New Yr occasions and humanities expositions happening on the Mairie du 13ème, the City Corridor of the thirteenth arrondissement on the Place d’Italie, together with a creative efficiency in conventional Han type costumes on February ninth from 7-9pm; a live performance with the GUO Gan Erhu grasp and his famend worldwide quartet composed of Chinese language lyrical artists on February sixteenth from 7:30-9pm; the Compagnie de Danse Chinoise de Paris performs a classical Chinese language dance present for the Fête des Lanterns on February twenty second at 6:30pm and once more at 7:30pm; and the Fête du Printemps spring competition with stands of native Asian cultural organizations and artisans on Saturday February twenty fourth from 2-7pm. See the total schedule right here.

Different Chinese language New Yr Occasions Round Paris

  • By means of February twenty fifth: Shanghai’s well-known Dragon and Lanterns Competition, created in 1550, involves Paris’s oldest amusement park, the Jardin d’Acclimatation (Bois de Boulogne, sixteenth) for the primary time. There will likely be a whole bunch of spectacular lanterns and illuminated sculptures created by Yuyuan Backyard artisans, in addition to a Chinatown Market, demonstrations of Chinese language craftsmanship, delicacies, and folks performances. Tickets €18 for anybody 12 and older, €12 for youths 4-11, free for youths below 4. Buy tickets right here.
  • February third: The primary Chinese language New Yr Parade in Paris for 2024 takes place within the Belleville district (the intersection of the tenth, eleventh, nineteenth, and twentieth arrondissements), departing at 2pm from 56 rue de Belleville (twentieth), and an enormous road meals competition from midday till 9pm.
  • February 4th: There will likely be an distinctive Dance des Dragons (a bit just like the Lion Dance, however in dragon costumes) in the present day on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées from 3pm in entrance of Fouquet’s Paris (99 Avenue des Champs-Élysées). A reminder that that is additionally the primary Sunday of the month, which suggests the avenue is “car-free” and open to pedestrians all day lengthy!
  • February thirteenth: There will likely be a small parade of lions, dragons and lanterns on the nook of rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré and rue Royale within the eighth arrondissement from 1:30-3:30pm, hosted by the Comité du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
  • February fifteenth: Chinese language New Yr Meals Market – 6-10pm on Boulevard de Belleville between Menilmontant Couronnes, twentieth
    Le Meals Market is a month-to-month meals occasion the place native eating places serve their dishes on the market at reasonably priced costs, and shoppers can eat on the giant tables arrange alongside the boulevard. For this 12 months’s annual Meals Market celebrating Chinese language New Yr, there would be the typical dishes from the Belleville Chinatown restaurant homeowners in addition to a efficiency of the well-known Lion Dance. Extra data on their FB web page: https://www.fb.com/occasions/1000249551070128/



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