What’s happening in Paris: FT Globetrotter’s month-by-month guide to 2024
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
This article is part of FT Globetrotter’s guide to Paris
As Olympic fever ramps up ahead of the opening ceremony on July 26, the French capital and its cultural institutions are in the spotlight. The city’s galleries, concert halls and opera houses’ stunning line-ups for 2024 look set to rival Les Jeux themselves. At FT Globetrotter, we are particularly excited about the Pompidou Centre’s big Brâncuși show in March, the opening of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson’s Paris bolt-hole, Villa Windsor, in the summer and, in October, Mathieu Kassovitz’s stage adaptation of his era-defining movie La Haine. Book your tickets and accommodation now, while there are still a few hotel rooms remaining. Allez!
Art
‘Chagall à l’œuvre’ (Chagall at Work), Centre Pompidou
An assemblage of Marc Chagall’s many drawings and a small collection of ceramics and sculptures, which were donated to the museum in 2022. The works span the diversity of his artistic practice, including preparatory costume drawings for ballet productions and theatre sets. Until February 26; further information and tickets here
‘Corps à corps: Histoire (s) de la photographie’ (Body to Body: History/Story (ies) of Photography), Centre Pompidou
A show investigating how 20th- and 21st-century photography has represented and “seen” the human subject and asks how it contributes to the birth of identities and their visibility. The 120 artists represented include Dorothea Lange, William Klein and other giants of the medium. Until March 25; further information and tickets here
‘Antony Gormley: Critical Mass’, Musée Rodin
The British sculptor has described Auguste Rodin’s influence on his creative development as “a key source of inspiration and renewal”. Here, his work enters into dialogue with Rodin’s throughout the museum. Until March 3; further information and tickets here
‘Loading: L’art urbain à l’ère numérique’ (Loading: Urban Art in the Digital Age), Grand Palais Immersif
An exhibition exploring the evolution of urban art, from New York subway graffiti to paintings created using drones. Until July 21; further information and tickets here
‘Dislocations’, Palais de Tokyo
Fifteen international artists of different generations and backgrounds whose work is shaped by exile express their experiences through a variety of mediums. February 16 to June 30; further information and tickets here
‘Exteriors: Annie Ernaux & Photography’, Maison Européene de la Photographie (MEP)
An examination of the relationship between the work of the Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux and photography, combining excerpts from her book Exteriors (Journal du dehors) with 150 images from the MEP collection by photographers such as Daido Moriyama, Bernard Pierre Wolff and Issei Suda. February 28 to May 26; further information and tickets here
‘Vera Molnár: Speak to the Eye’, Centre Pompidou
A retrospective of the life and work of the Hungarian-born artist, who died aged 99 in December — one of the first women to use computers in art-making and a foremother of generative art. It traces Molnár’s shift from early drawings to digital paintings via photography. February 28 to August 26; further information and tickets here
Performance
‘Le Portrait de Dorian Gray’ and ‘Les Trois Soeurs’, Théâtre le Ranelagh
Thomas Le Douarec brings Oscar Wilde’s fantastical novel to the stage. Michael Winum, Fabrice Scott and Maxime de Toledo star. February 11 to April 13; further information and tickets here
Chekhov’s familial tour de force is staged by Noé Besin, with Lily Moreau, Clothilde Raskin and Alicia Popov. February 4, 11 and 18; further information and tickets here
Event
Paris Fashion Week
The women’s looks of autumn/winter 2024–25 will be revealed in a line-up of shows, and there will also be talks by some of the most eminent figures in fashion. February 26 to March 5; further information here
March
Art
‘Match’, Musée du Luxembourg
Tracing the relationship between sport and design — how sport sparks designers’ creativity and vice versa — this exhibition heralds the arrival of the Olympics to Paris in 2024. March 13 to August 11; further information and tickets here
‘Paris 1874: Inventing impressionism’, Musée d’Orsay
Monet, Renoir, Degas, Morisot, Pissarro, Sisley and Cézanne broke the mould in 1874 when they staged the first show of Impressionist art in Paris; 150 years on, this 130-strong exhibition of works examines and puts the event into context. An immersive VR experience, ‘Tonight with the Impressionists: Paris 1874’, runs alongside it. March 26 to July 14; further information and tickets here
‘Brâncuși’, Centre Pompidou
A major retrospective of 200 of Constantin Brâncuși’s sculptures, as well as photographs, drawings, films and archival material related to the Romanian artist — who, in the early 20th century, walked most of the way from Bucharest to Paris, where he lived until his death in 1957, and whose studio is being relocated into the heart of the Centre Pompidou. March 27 to July 1; further information here
Performance
‘Don Quixote’, Opéra Bastille
Rudolf Nureyev’s take on Marius Petipa’s choreography, which brought a distinctly Spanish flavour to the work. Conducted by Gavriel Heine. March 21 to April 24; further information and tickets here
‘Les Grandes Voix Lyriques d’Afrique’, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
In a fundraising evening of “singing, sharing and solidarity”, a cast of voices from Africa, France and the US, including Grammy-winning mezzo soprano Tichina Vaughn and Ethiopian-born soprano Mariam Battistelli, will interpret opera classics, traditional song and excerpts from a new work by the Africa Lyric’s Opera group, accompanied by the Republican Guard Orchestra and the French Army Choir. March 23; further information and tickets here
Festival
Cinema du Réel
The international documentary festival returns for its 46th edition, with special screenings, retrospectives dedicated to James Benning, Claudia Von Alemann and Jean-Charles Hue and the best of this year’s competition. March 22 to 31; further information and tickets here
April
Art
Art Paris 2024, Grand Palais Éphémère
This outing of the mammoth art fair will be the last to be held at the Grand Palais’ temporary home on the edge of the Champ-de-Mars. It will host some of the most important and impactful contemporary art in the world, representing 136 galleries from 25 countries. The event has two themes this year: “Art & Craft” and “Fragile Utopias: A Focus on the French Scene”. April 4 to 7; further information and tickets here
‘Film Cycle: Deborah Stratman’, Jeu de Paume
American artist and filmmaker Deborah Stratman tackles notions of power and control, investigating the dynamics between places, ideas and society. Experience her radical oeuvre at the Jeu de Paume media arts centre in the Tuileries. April 2 to 7; further information and tickets here
Performance
Norwegian National Ballet, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite has crafted a new work especially for the Nordic dance company, Light of Passage, which will premiere with music by Górecki. April 4 to 7; further information and tickets here
Opera Fuoco’s 20th anniversary, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
The Paris-based international opera company is turning 20 in true operatic style with a programme highlighting the best solo talent across the company’s four generations through favourite arias by Mozart, Handel, Offenbach and more. April 9; further information and tickets here
‘Dior habille les nuits’ (Dior Dresses the Night), Palais des Congrès
Giorgio Mancini’s Nuit Dansée and Angelin Prejlocaj’s Nuit Romaine will be danced by the Dior-clad ballet of the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, to music by Philip Glass and Schubert respectively. April 26 to 28; further information and tickets here
‘Elektra’, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
Swedish soprano Iréne Theorin sings the titular character in a concert version of Strauss’s opera, with Cornelius Meister conducting the Staatsorchester Stuttgart. April 29; further information and tickets here
Sport
Paris Marathon
Cheer on some of the 50,000 runners as they start at the Arc de Triomphe, weave through the city and cross the finish line on Avenue Foch. April 7; further information and route here
Festival
Festival du livre de Paris (Paris Book Festival), Grand Palais Éphémère
This year’s edition of the festival is dedicated to Quebec’s literary scene. The full programme is yet to be announced, but last year’s featured dialogues and roundtables across issues as varied as feminism in literature, robots and travel writing, as well as workshops and awards. April 12 to 14; further information and tickets here soon
May
Performance
Boston Ballet, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
The US company will perform three pieces from its repertoire by Jorma Elo, William Forsythe, and Jiří Kylián. May 27 to 30; further information and tickets here.
Sport
The French Open, Stade Roland-Garros
The red clay courts welcome the best in the game from all over the globe for this annual Grand Slam tournament. May 20 to June 9; further information and tickets here
Festivals
Festival Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church, the Odéon Theatre de l’Europe, Maison des Océans and Paris-Sorbonne and Panthéon-Assas universities are some of the venues hosting this springtime jazz festival, with concerts, talks and masterclasses on the menu. May 13 to 21; further information and tickets here
European Night of Museums
As part of a pan-European event, museums across Paris will be opening their doors for free for one evening, with access to permanent collections and special exhibitions alongside specific events for the festival. May 18; further information and tickets here
June
Art
‘Matthew Barney: “Secondary”’, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain
See US multimedia artist Matthew Barney’s latest video installation, Secondary, 30 years after the Fondation co-produced his film Cremaster 4. The five-channel video installation set is a retelling of a tragic sporting accident. June 8 to September 8; further information and tickets here
Performance
‘Così fan tutte’, Palais Garnier
Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker’s version of the Mozart comedy hovers somewhere between traditional opera and dance, with the Belgian choreographer pairing each character with an artist from her Rosas group. June 10 to July 9; further information and tickets here
‘La bohème’, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
Lorenzo Passerini directs Puccini’s truly Parisian opera, with Selene Zanetti as Mimi and Pene Pati playing Rodolfo. This is a new production, with the theatre working in tandem with other major French opera houses. June 15 to 24; further information and tickets here
‘Swan Lake’, Opéra Bastille
Rudolf Nureyev’s 1984 interpretation of Swan Lake, for which the great set designer Ezio Frigerio created an enclosed space in which the prince can live out his fantasies. Tchaikovsky’s score will be performed by the Paris Opera Orchestra, conducted by Vello Pähn. June 21 to July 14; further information and tickets here
Festivals
Fête de la Musique
Each year on the summer solstice, Paris turns into an all-night musical party with alfresco stages erected around the city — in gardens, squares and near iconic landmarks. A free event, from dusk to dawn. June 21; further information here
Event
Reopening of Villa Windsor
The former home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor is due to open to the public as a museum in summer 2024. The mansion in the 16th arrondissement with 14 rooms and a large tree-filled garden was once leased to the Windsors by the City of Paris for a nominal rent, and has also variously been the residence of Charles de Gaulle and the Renault family. Date to be announced; further information here
July
Sport
The Olympics
Hearing “Paris” and “2024” in the same sentence brings one thing to mind: the Olympics. They kick off with the opening ceremony on July 26, with each participating nation floating down the Seine on its own boat. The games run into August, with events across the city — at the Stade de France, Roland Garros and even Versailles. July 26 to August 11; further information here
Tour de France
If one major international summer sporting event wasn’t enough, the Tour de France returns for 2024. For the first time ever, it won’t be finishing in Paris, but it will still be within comfortable distance for those hoping to catch a glimpse of le maillot jaune, with stages in Troyes and Orléans. June 26 to July 21; further information and route here
Event
Bastille Day
For the anniversary of the day that revolutionaries stormed the Bastille in 1789, Paris typically goes all out with a military parade on the Champs-Élysées, free concerts, parties aplenty and fireworks (best viewed from the Champ de Mars). It’s also a national holiday. July 14; further information here
August
Sport
Tour de France Femmes
Just after the Olympics, the Tour de France Femmes starts in the Netherlands this year, followed by a stage in Belgium before the race heads for the French south-east. August 12 to 18; further information here
La Rentrée Littéraire
From late August until October, about 600 novels are released in France as part of the traditional literary season. An exciting time for bibliophiles to discover new works and new writers. Further information here
September
‘Tina Barney’, Jeu de Paume
The first European retrospective dedicated to Tina Barney, who in the 1970s started photographing the worlds of her family and friends who, like her, belonged to a moneyed east coast milieu. With a focus on portraiture, Barney’s work keenly explores social codes and the relationships between different generations. September 24 to January 19 2025; further information here
‘Chantal Akerman’, Jeu de Paume
This exhibition aims to retrace the places that the late Belgian filmmaker, artist and writer Chantal Akerman explored for her work while embracing the intersecting mediums of cinema, installation and writing. September 24 to January 19 2025; further information here
Events
Paris Design Week
The fair celebrating l’art de vivre this year promises “new concept stores, staged window displays, vernissages, stores that deserve a detour and meet ’n’ greet”. There will be exhibitions and installations at participating venues across the capital, alongside roundtables and design discussions. September 5 to 14; further information here
European Heritage Days
A key event in the autumn, the European Heritage Days take place every September. For one weekend, a wide variety of historic locations will be open to the public — from the Palais de l’Elysée (official residence of the French president) to the Palais du Luxembourg (seat of the French Senate). September 14 and 15; further information here
Paris Fashion Week
The shows look ahead to spring/summer 2025. With models, designers, journalists, brand ambassadors and influencers descending on the city, it’s a tricky time to book a hotel room. September 23 to October 1; further information here
Fête à Neu-Neu, Bois de Boulogne
The Fête à Neu-Neu or Fête au Bois is an annual funfair in the heart of Bois de Boulogne that dates back to 1815, with rides, shows, fireworks and galas. Join the more than 1mn people who attend every year. September to October; further information here
October
Art
Paris+ par Art Basel, Grand Palais
The French leg of the Art Basel machine and a major event in the international art calendar. This year will be only its third edition — Paris+ is still a fresh event for galleries and collectors alike. October 18 until 20; further information here soon
Performance
‘La Haine’ (Hate), La Seine Musicale
Mathieu Kassovitz’s César-winning landmark of 1990s French cinema will be adapted into a stage play this autumn, just shy of 30 years after the film’s original and utterly groundbreaking release. Kassovitz (also known for his roles in Amélie and the French TV series The Bureau) translates the movie’s raw energy into a live, immersive format comprising rap, dance and cinema, with a projection system that promises to take viewers on a ride across Paris. October 10 to 19; further information and tickets here
Events
Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre
An annual wine festival celebrating the new vintage, with five days of celebrations as varied and eccentric as the neighbourhood itself, ranging from food tastings to bizarre rituals including fake marriage ceremonies. Décibels Vendanges, the musical arm of the event, organises live performances. October 9 to 13; further information here
‘Paris, Cœur De Lumières’ (Paris, Heart of Lights) at l’Église Saint Sulpice
A light installation celebrating the grand yet intricate architecture of the church forms the backdrop to an immersive theatrical experience that aims to transport the audience through Parisian history. October 16 to November 23; further information and tickets here
November
Art
Paris Photo, Grand Palais
The largest international fair of its kind in Europe, Paris Photo brings up to 200 exhibitors together for a fresh look at the photographic world. November 7 to 10; further information and tickets here
Event
Beaujolais Nouveau
Fans of this easy-drinking young wine should join Parisian oenophiles pour fêter the arrival of a new vintage of Beaujolais at tastings held across the city’s restaurants and bars. A good bet is Le Café du Commerce in the 15th for a one-night knees-up of food and infinite Beaujolais consumption (until the barrels run dry, that is). November 21; further information here
December
Performance
Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’ & Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Orchestra Hélios’s ode to the festive season includes Vivaldi’s classic and Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso Op 6, No 8, often dubbed the “Christmas Concerto”. December 20 and 27; further information and tickets here
Event
Notre-Dame reopens
The medieval cathedral and Paris landmark will partially reopen at the end of 2024 for the first time after it was ravaged by a fire in 2019. Philippe Villeneuve has overseen the identical reconstruction of the building and spire — to the nth degree. From December 8; further information here
Please tell us in the comments below about any other 2024 calendar highlights for Paris that other readers might like to know about
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