Pariscope
The Paris entertainment guide
By Rick Steves
Newsstands sell weekly magazines listing all the events and happenings in Paris. Pariscope is cheap and essential if you want to know what's happening. Pick one up and page through it.
The magazine, all in French, begins with culture news, then lists "Théâtre" and what's playing at all key theater venues). "Musique and Concerts Classiques" follow, listing each day's events (program, location, time, price), including both opera houses if performances are scheduled. Remember that some concerts are free (entrée libre).
"Visites et Promenades" covers outdoor events, including outdoor theater, flea markets, sound-and-light shows (son et lumieres), key monuments such as the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, river cruises, parks, zoos, and aquariums.
The "Enfants" section covers myriad possible children's activities. "Spectacles" are shows (like magic shows); you'll also see many "Marionettes" shows and "Cirques" (circuses) — both are fun, even for non-French speakers.
A third of the magazine is devoted to "Cinéma" — a Parisian forte. The "Films en Exclusivité" pages list all the films playing in town. While a code marks films as "Comédie," "Documentaire," "Karaté," "Erotisme," and so on, the key mark for tourists is "v.o.," which means version originale (original language version). "Dessin Animé" means cartoon. Films are listed alphabetically, by neighborhood ("Salles Paris") and by genre. To find a showing near your hotel, simply match the arrondissement. "Salles Périphérie" are out in the suburbs.
The next section, "Arts," lists current hours for temporary expositions and all the museums (tlj = daily, sf = except, Ent = entry price, TR = reduced price — usually for students and children).
The "Sport et Bien Etre" section lists public pools, hikes, steam baths, and sporting venues.
For cancan mischief, look under "Paris la Nuit."