National Qi Gong Day in France

Since it's not so common to see this in Paris' streets we'll have to do with one day a year. Sunday 8 June is the 14th national Qi Gong Day. In major cities in France there will be demonstrations, workshops and conferences to inform and show what Qi Gong is all about and you can experience for yourself the good it can do for your mind, body and spirit.
In Paris it's from 10am-6pm at la Grande Pagode du Bois de Vincennes, 40 route circulaire du lac Daumesnil, 12e. Metro : Porte dorée. Price for the whole day: 8 €, reduced price: 5 €, free for licensees of the Féderation de Qi Gong et Art Energétique and kids under 12 years.

Nocturnal swimming pools in Paris

Do you like swimming? Do you especially like swimming in the dark? Well, your dream will come true!

Amongst all the swimming-pools in Paris, about 20 of them stay opened until midnight.
Picture yourself at the Josphine Baker Pool, for example, the one in the 13th arrondissement. That's the one where you can enjoy a midnight bath in the Seine! Yes, the wimming-pool is on the Seine River, what else could you ask for, hu?
You will find a late open one in almost every arrondissement.
Here is the list of swimming-pools opened until midnight.

Thanks to gonzo for the picture.

An eco-Trail in Paris

A team of enthusiasts has risen to challenge the Parisians on February 16, 2008.

Goal: To enhance the natural and cultural environment of the Ile de France region.

Two courses are proposed for this first edition.
1st choice, the trail of 80 km bringing together 1000 individual advanced participants leaving from Saint Quentin en Yvelines (78).
But also a 21 km not timed in pairs, the Twin Santé whose start will take place at the Parc de Saint Cloud (92), a journey to make friends.

For the trail, expected arrival on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower after crossing through fields and woods. For the Twin Santé, the arrival takes place on the Champ de Mars where the people will travel at their own pace.
In short, the idea was to borrow up nature to discover unusual places and too unknown.

Via Doukyo

Tai Chi for free in Paris

Paris could be a stressfull city: the metro, the people, the pollution so why not trying a martial art, known for promoting health and longevity:Tai Chi Chuan.
Their training forms are well known as the slow motion routines that groups of people practice together every morning in parks around the world. And guess what, we have it here in Paris!
If course these classes are free. Go to Buttes Chaumont (metro station: Laumiere) at 9am. Vietnamese Master Thoi conducts a one-hour class and anyone can join.
This class is one of the things you can do for free in Paris. So why should we avoid it, hu?!

Thanks to Candlemaker for the photo.

Rugby....what is it again?

For those who have lived in a cave for the last years or decided that they shouldn't have any contact with medias and people, probably don't know the Rugby World Cup 2007 is in France this year. Yeah!!!!! And in Scotland too but ... the Rugby World Cup is in France, yeah!!!(again).
Tonight at 9pm (French time) is the first match France/Argentina. Don't even think of doing something else than watching television at that time!
Of course may the best team wins (and we know who it's going to be hu?)
Have a lot of fun and I hope your favorite team will win!
Allez la France!! (sorry...couldn't help it)

Paris Plage

From July 20th to August 29th, Paris has a beach right inside the city. the manmade beach along the river Seine, now opening for the third year running.
Deck chairs, sun-loungers and colourful parasols have sprung up everywhere.
And by lunchtime, it was impossible to find a free chair. The biggest novelty this year, though, is a 28-metre swimming pool, installed after complaints last year that there was nowhere to cool off properly during August's heatwave.Once again, the French flair put into organising petanque and picnics along with Seine, sea and sand just shows what Paris can do - something that won't go unnoticed in the battle with London for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Full article, HERE.

Picture, thanks to happybene.