France Sports and Fitness

There is no end of sports activities in Paris. Certain events such as the Roland Garros tennis tournament and the Tour de France bicycle race are national institutions. The only drawback is that many of the facilities are on the outskirts of the city.

For details regarding all sporting events in and around Paris contact Paris’s tourist office. The weekly entertainment guides L’Officiel des Spectacles, Pariscope, and the Wednesday edition of Le Figaro also have good listings of the week’s sports events. For in-depth sports coverage there is the daily paper L’Equipe.

OUTDOOR SPORTS

The annual Tour de France bicycle race finishes in July in Paris to city-wide frenzy, when the French president awards the coveted maillot jaune (yellow jersey) to the winner. For over twenty years now the final stage of the tour has taken place on the Champs-Elysées with the riders racing up the famous avenue. Traffic across the city grinds to a halt and sports fans and couch potatoes alike flock to cheer on the cyclists.

Finding a spot to watch can be extremely tough, it’s best to hunt down your spot several hours before the riders are expected.

For those brave enough to cycle through the city traffic, bikes may be rented through-out Paris, including at Vélo Paris in Montmartre and at around 1,500 locations across the city with the self-service Vélib’ scheme. Buy a one- or seven-day card at any bike parking station and for just €1

a day you can ride around Paris for 30 minutes. An additional fee must be paid after this at a rate of €1 for the next 30 minutes, €2 for another 30 minutes and thereafter at €4 for every additional 30 minutes. The Fédération Française de Cyclotourisme in the Rue Louis Bertrand provides information on over 300 cycling clubs around Paris.

Things are gradually improving for those who favor pedal power; the city council shuts down some of the quaysides on Sundays and national holidays to allow cyclists freewheeling next to the Seine. The city has also undertaken a program of expansion for its cycle lanes.

Be aware though that Paris traffic is heavy and Parisian drivers not especially two-wheel friendly. Those who can’t wait for the quais along the Seine to be closed on Sundays should head over to the Bois de Vincennes or the Bois de Boulogne for a leisurely bike ride through the woods. The more ambitious can pick up a copy of the free Paris à Vélo map from a tourist office to find details of all the city’s cycle lanes. If you’d prefer to take an organized cycle tour through the city, there are several organizations who run fun trips. Fat Tire Bike Tours in the Rue Edgar Faure are expensive but have daily trips in spring and summer in which knowledgeable guides shepherd cyclists around the streets while imparting interesting information on the city’s landmarks. Their partner, Segway Tours, also offers guided tours on motorized scooters (over 12s only). Paris à Vélo c'est Sympa

runs multilingual tours to offbeat parts of the city.

In-line skaters can enjoy parades through the city on Friday nights. The police close off boulevards around the city allowing thousands of skate fans to join the trip every week. The parade usually starts at Place de la Bastille at 10pm, but you can join the route at any point if the whole circuit seems a little much. Contact www.pari-roller.com for details of the route. Beginners can enjoy free tuition prior to the departure of the parade if they arrive at the start point at 8pm.

There are many good outlets in the city for in-line skate rental. The parade’s website provides useful links to recommended outlets. As a safety precaution the trip is cancelled if the weather is inclement and the roads wet.

Parisians enjoy Sunday afternoon boating in the Bois de Vincennes, the Bois de Boulogne, and the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. Just line up to hire a boat.

All the golf courses are outside Paris. Many areprivate clubs, but some will admit non-members – for further information contact the Fédération Française du Golf in the Rue Anatole-France. Otherwise try the Golf de Chevry, Golf de Villeray, Golf de St-Quentin en Yvelines, or the Golf de Villennes.

Expect to pay at least €25 each time you want to play.

You can go horse-riding in both the Bois de Boulogne and the Bois de Vincennes.

For details, contact the Comité Departemental d’Equitation de Paris in the Rue Laugier.

Tennis can be played at municipal courts such as the Tennis Luxembourg in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Courts are available every day on a first-come first-served basis.

Tennis de la Faluère in the Bois de Vincennes has some of the better courts, but these must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.

INDOOR SPORTS

There are plenty of gyms in Paris that you can use with a day pass. Expect to pay €20 or more, depending on the facilities.

Club Med Gym is a well-equipped, popular chain of gyms with more than twenty sites in Paris and the suburbs.

Good choices include the branches in Rue de Berri and Rue de Rennes. Club Jean de Beauvais in the Rue Jean de Beauvais, is a state-of-the-art gym with personalized fitness programs. The Ken Club on

Avenue President Kennedy is an upscale gym complete with pool and sauna in the chic 16th arrondissement. Its proximity next to a major radio studio means French media personalities are often to be found there working out on their lunch break. In theory the Ritz Gym, which has the finest indoor swimming pool in Paris, is for guests or members only, but if the hotel is not too

full you can buy a day pass. Ice-skating is a cheap pastime and can be enjoyed year-round at the Patinoire d’Asnières-sur-Seine located on Boulevard Pierre de Coubertin.

Squash can be played at Squash Club Quartier Latin in the Rue de Pontoise, where options also include billiards, gym, and a sauna. Other good clubs include the Squash Montmartre and the

Jeu de Paume et de Squash.

SPECTATOR SPORTS

A day out at the races is a chance to see the rich in all their finery. The world-famous Prix de l’Arc de

Triomphe is held at the Hippodrome de Long champ in the Bois de Boulogne on the first Sunday in October.

More flat racing takes place at the Hippodrome de St-Cloud and Maisons-Laffitte, which are a short drive west of central Paris. For steeple-chasing go to the Hippodrome d’Auteuil in the Bois de

Boulogne. The Hippodrome de Vincennes on Route de la Ferne hosts the trotting races.

For detailed information on all of these, consult France Galop by phone or check their website.

The 24-hour car race at Le Mans, 115 miles (185 km) southwest of Paris, is one of the best-known road races in the world. It takes place every year in mid-June. Contact the Automobile Club de

l’Ouest for details. The Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy sports stadium in Boulevard Bercy is the venue for a vast range of events, including the Paris tennis open, the six-day cycling race, show jumping, world-class martial arts demonstrations, and tournaments in everything from figure

skating to handball, and major rock concerts.

Parc des Princes can hold 50,000 people. It is home to the main Paris soccer team, Paris St-Germain, and hosts the rugby internationals.

The colossal Stade deFrance is a major venue for soccer, rugby, and music concerts. Sports fans can go on a behind-the-scenes tour.

The Stade Roland Garros in Avenue Gordon-Bennett is famous for its international tennis tournament. From late

May to mid-June everyone lives and breathes tennis. Business meetings are transferred from

the conference room to the stadium. Apply for tickets several months ahead. Don’t miss a trip to the stadium’s excellent museum of tennis featuring everything from prototype rackets to a Bjorn Bjorg headband. Also, be sure to book a table at one of the swanky restaurants here, which are transformed into a place to see and be seen during the tournament. Tennis fans should also be sure to catch the mens’ masters series at the Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy in November and the womens’ Open Gaz de France tournament, which takes place at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin on Avenue Georges Lafont, in March.

SWIMMING

There is a massive aquatic fun park, known as Aquaboulevard, in south Paris. Besides an exotic artificial beach, swimming pools, water toboggans, and rapids, there are tennis and squash courts, golf, bowling, table tennis, billiards, a gym, bars, and shops.

Of the many municipal swimming pools, one of the best is the piscine des Halles in Place de la Rotonde, with an Olympic-sized swimming pool in the underground shopping complex. For a lovely 1930s mosaic decor with two levels of private changing cabins, a whirlpool, sauna, and water

jets, go to the Piscine Pontoise-Quartier Latin. This complex also has a small gym overlooking the pool, where fitness fans can pump a little iron before taking a dip. The Piscine Henry de Montherlant

is part of a municipal sports complex that includes tennis courts and a gym. The beautiful Art Nouveau pool in the Butte aux Cailles is a treat for serious swimmers and sunbathers.

A decent-sized indoor pool is perfect for laps while the two outdoor swimming areas are great for lounging. The villagey atmosphere of the surrounding area only serves to reinforce the feeling of

relaxing on holiday miles away from the city. The Piscine Josephine Baker near the Bibliothèque F. Mitterand is a pleasing addition which floats on the Seine. In the summer the rooftop terrace is

a good spot for sunbathing.

Some of the smarter hotels and gyms also have their own pools. It is possible to buy a day pass to the chic Sofitel Paris Club Med Gym in the Rue Louis Armand and have access to their 15-meter pool. Similarly at the Novotel Tour Eiffel, non-guests are welcomed to their health club and pool which

has a retractable roof for swimming under the sun in spring and summer. It is important to note that all municipal pools and some private ones insist that bathers wear swimming caps and that male swimmers wear swimming trunks rather than baggy shorts.

MISCELLANEOUS

Baseball, fencing, jogging in the parks, volleyball, windsurfing at La Villette, and bowling are just some of the other sports activities that can be enjoyed during your stay.

Fishing on the Seine is fast becoming a popular pastime with Parisiens. Due to a clean-up operation the Seine is now home to a variety of freshwater fish.

Tourism of France

Thursday, April 7, 2016

France Sports and Fitness

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