4th of July in Paris

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4th of July in Paris
Nothing to do in Paris on the 4th of July?  Au contraire. July 4, 2009 was packed with interesting and unique Parisian festivities, albeit completely unrelated to the American Independence Day.  First, the annual Chasse aux Trésors, or scavenger hunt, began at 10am.  This event has been organized by La Mairie de Paris for the past four years and is hosted by a number of arrondissements, which this year included the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 19th, and 20th.  Teams could register on the website or in person, between 10 and 1, in front of the mairie (town hall) of their chosen arrondissement. I chose the 11th, an area I knew little about, aside from as the home of the Bastille and in the vicinity of Père Lachaise cemetery, and opted to attempt the hunt in English, after skimming the dense French clue book (each arrondissement offers one English route, so the event is very tourist-friendly).  Despite the fact that I was working in a group of four and all of us had some working knowledge of French and of Paris, the scavenger hunt was not at all easy. It seemed as though we managed to finish it out of sheer luck. The clue book began with a fictitious back-story about a missing record hidden somewhere in the neighborhood, and proceeded to give clues — some straightforward and others terribly cryptic — about the whereabouts of the next.  The narrative of the clue book gave small hints buried in the text about the route we were supposed to take through the neighborhood and what landmarks we should see to know we were on the right path (for example, a church, an engraving on a plaque, a playground).  This trail eventually led us to four different local businesses (a florist, a bakery, a bookshop, and a tailor), where we had to ask the shopkeeper for a clue and sometimes answer a riddle of their choosing to earn it.  When these four clues were finally gathered, they indicated on the map where the finish was; where we entered our names for the prize drawing. (The grand prize was entrance to an exclusive party for all the winners.) Despite not winning a prize in the end, I felt pretty accomplished just to have finished the clever game and it certainly served its purpose — an intimate introduction to the arrondissement. After backtracking and hunting for landmarks for several hours, I felt very familiar with the 11th, from the rainbow mural down the alley in Ménilmontant, to the hidden alcove of apartments and art studios where we reached a dead end. Following the Chasse aux Trésors was a celebration of a completely different sort.  Stating at Place de la Nation and ending at the Porte de Pantin was a festive parade, part of the Carnaval Tropical, beginning at 2pm.  Parisians, tourists, and unsuspecting passersby alike lined the streets far in advance as the policiers put up barricades.  When the parade finally approaches you could hear it long before your could see it. The sound of approaching drums seemed to make the whole road pulsate with their rhythm. The parade consisted of a seemingly endless stream of talented and energetic music and dance groups from all over the tropical world: Colombia, Martinique, Indonesia, Guyana, and Guadeloupe to name a few.  Their energy was infectious despite the intense heat. Dancers shimmied and shook while musicians pounded their drums and blared their trumpets enthusiastically. All while wearing costumes.  The crowds along the street bobbed their heads in time. The costumes were almost as impressive as the music and dance.  The first group wore head to toe suits made of tons of scrap fabric which hung loosely. As they danced, their bodies became whirlwinds of color and movement.  Other groups were color-coordinated, others wore traditional garb from their country of origin, and still others wore face paint and dressed as dragons and gorillas.  The judge’s podium was set up near the mairie of the 11th so each group stopped here to perform their full dance routine. The best part of this festive 4th of July in Paris?  Both exciting events were completely free so my entertaining Saturday didn’t cost a single centime.  Practical information: Chasse aux Trésors Website: www.tresorsdeparis.fr Annual event–check the website as summer 2010 approaches for the date, registration, and a list of participating arrondissements. Carnaval Tropical Website: http://en.parisinfo.com/show-exhibition/1138667/carnaval-tropical-de-paris Check the Paris tourism website (parisinfo.com) as summer 2010 approaches to see when the next event will be held, and for more details.
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