As the days get longer and sunnier, Paris thrills one and all with a tempting programme of cultural events: a variety of concerts, big exhibitions, musicals, ballets, must-see trade fairs … here are the top things to do and see in March.
The spotlight is on the new Olympic sports at ‘SPOT24 - the Olympic Exhibition, sport and urban cultures’, which is being held in the capital’s new must-see venue a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower: SPOT24.
The Cultural Olympiad, a programme of events blending art and sport, offers an opportunity – on 8 March, at the Carreau du Temple – to attend one of a series of talks by the journalist Lauren Bastide titled ‘Bonnes joueuses’ (Good female players), about sport and its values, gender and discrimination.
The Cité de l'Architecture & du Patrimoine focuses on a symbolic venue in the world of sports, the stadium, in its exhibition ‘Once upon a time there were stadiums’ (March 20 to September 16, 2024). The Musée du Luxembourg examines the role of design in the evolution of sport and sporting performances in the exhibition ‘Match. Design & sport – a story geared towards the future’ (March 13 to August 11, 2024).
In March, the art scene in Paris will be very exciting, with an excellent selection of fascinating exhibitions.
The Musée d'Orsay will place the spotlight on the creative universe of the nascent Impressionist movement with the exhibition ‘Paris 1874. Inventing Impressionism’ (March 26 to July 14, 2024) and the immersive experience in virtual reality ‘Tonight with the Impressionists. Paris 1874’ (March 26 to August 11, 2024).
The Musée de l’Orangerie is paying tribute to the American artist Robert Ryman – a leading figure in the world of contemporary painting, famous for his square canvases using a single colour, white (March 6 to July 1, 2024).
From 27 March to 1 July 2024, the Pompidou Centre is hosting a major retrospective of that genius of modern sculpture, Constantin Brancusi. Nearly two hundred pieces have been sourced for the occasion and Brancusi’s atelier, which he viewed as a place to live and create, has been reconstituted.
At the exhibition titled ‘Le monde comme il va’ (March 20 to September 23, 2024), the Bourse du Commerce is presenting a set of iconic works from the Pinault Collection, created from the 1980s to the present day.
Finally, the new edition of 100% L'EXPO 2024 at the Grande Halle de la Villette (March 28 to April 28, 2024) will showcase works by recently graduated young artists over an area of 3,500 m².
Another artistic highlight is Drawing Week, which returns in March 2024! On this occasion, numerous venues in Paris and the Île-de-France region celebrate drawing in all its forms. Not-to-be-missed events include Drawing Now Art Fair, Europe's first contemporary art fair dedicated to drawing, which takes up residence at Carreau du Temple (March 21-24, 2024) and the Salon du dessin, also devoted to drawing, at the Palais Brongniart (March 20 to 25, 2024).
Paris is a veritable open-air museum, inspiring artists and delighting visitors alike!
The gardens of Parisian museums are verdant settings in which to stroll and admire singular works of art. The garden of the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain for example is regularly dotted with works by contemporary artists. The three-hectare garden of the Musée Rodin in Paris is decorated with some of the sculptor's major works. At the Musée Bourdelle, monumental sculptures seem to emerge from the plants.
In March, it won’t be long before the children start their spring holidays! A show is a good way to entertain them in the meantime. The month’s programme features ‘Voyage dans le Temps’ (A Journey in Time) at the Cirque Bormann; ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’ at the Théâtre des Mathurins (until May 8, 2024), and ‘Peter and the Wolf’ at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées (March 24, 2024). And for children who’ve already developed a taste for music and concerts, a visit to the Chorus festival at the Seine Musicale is a must-do, as they can enjoy the special children’s programme created with them in mind (March 20 to 24, 2024).
And on Sunday, March 31, 2024, it's Easter! To mark the occasion, a number of egg hunts and other activities are being organized throughout the capital. Don't forget your baskets!
On 3 March 2024, the Harmonie mutuelle half marathon will have participants running along a 21.1-km route that goes through the Bois de Vincennes, the banks of the Seine and Paris City Hall.
On 16 March 2024, it’s time for the Ecotrail in the western suburbs of Paris with a number of trails through natural surroundings (80 km, 45 km, 10 km, Nordic walking etc.). Saut Hermès, the prestigious equestrian competition, returns to the Grand Palais Ephémère with three days of one-off shows (March 15 to 17, 2024). The Adidas Arena will host the matches of the Yonex French Open for badminton (March 5 to 10, 2024).
On 24 March 2024, the Course des cafés returns to the capital after a thirteen-year absence. The challenge for the waiters and waitresses taking part in the event is to run 2 kilometres, in traditional costume, through the streets of the Marais district and finish first without dropping anything from their tray loaded with a glass of water, a coffee and a croissant. Start and finish of the race in front of the Hôtel de Ville.
Women are in the spotlight with two events in the early spring of 2024: the Carnaval des femmes - a large-scale parade in the center of Paris - on March 3, 2024, and the Festival international de films de femmes (March 15-24, 2024), which has been showcasing the work of women filmmakers from around the world since 1979 at the Maison des arts de Créteil.
The Mondial du Tourisme at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles brings tourism sector professionals together to help you plan your future trips (March 14 to 17, 2024). Hiking enthusiasts can meet likewise at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles (March 14-17, 2024), at the Destinations Nature trade show, to make sure they don't miss out on any of the latest trends in the field. A new ecotourism area brings together a wide range of environmental players who defend and protect the planet.
Pet owners, or those wishing to adopt one... or more, head to Paris Expo Porte de Versailles on March 9 and 10, 2024 for Expozoo - Paris animal show. In addition to a large adoption center, you can discover products and innovations, and attend animations and workshops for the well-being of our little friends.
MedInTechs, the world's leading healthcare innovation show, takes place at the Parc Floral on March 11 and 12, 2024. With 140 stands and 10,000 visitors, the show offers the general public the chance to find out more about the world of healthcare and new technologies.
Japan Party and the Salon Fantastique, two fairs devoted to cosplay, manga and video games are both being held (March 30 to April 1, 2024) in the events space of the Parc Floral. Aerocollector, the not-to-miss event for aviation enthusiasts, is taking place at the Espace Charenton (March 16-17, 2024).
Spring also brings concerts... the choice is yours.
The big names in the music world will be joining us for some highly anticipated concerts: Depeche Mode (March 3 and 5, 2024), Patrick Bruel (March 14 and 15, 2024) and the pop music dandy Mika (March 25, 2024) onstage at the Accor Arena, Zazie (March 22, 2024) as part of her Nouvel Air Tour at the Grand Rex and Calogero (March 9, 2024) and Michel Sardou (March 16 and 17, 2024) at the Défense Arena.
The Seine Musicale will have Bernard Lavilliers performing at a symphony concert (March 28-29, 2024) and Grand Corps Malade (March 22-24, 2024). March 19 and 20, 2024, MC Solaar will be onstage at the Olympia to revive his 1990s rap hits and perform his latest compositions.
The Philharmonie de Paris is hosting the London Symphony Orchestra (March 10, 2024) conducted by Simon Rattle. The programme features the Violin Concerto by Johannes Brahms and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4.
In March, there is an exciting array of ballets, operas and musicals to choose from!
On the programme at the Théâtre du Châtelet (March 9 to 28, 2024) : the dance show ‘Romeo and Juliet’, under the masterful and acclaimed direction of Matthew Bourne. The tandem comprising the French choreographer Benjamin Millepied and the musician Nico Muhly will present their new creation performed by the L.A. Dance Project at the Philharmonie de Paris (March 29 to 31, 2024).
At the Seine Musicale, the ‘Beautés de la Danse’ gala event features the leading dancers from different classical dance troupes (March 3, 2024) while the Pietragalla – Derouault troupe is presenting a contemporary version of the ballet ‘Giselle(s)’ (March 14 to 17, 2024). The Palais Garnier offers an opportunity to see Frederick Ashton’s ballet ‘La Fille mal gardée’ (March 15 to April 1, 2024). A thrilling performance of Rudolf Nureyev’s famous ‘Don Quixote’ is onstage at the Opéra Bastille (March 21 to April 24, 2024).
The not-to-miss operas in March include ‘Pulcinella’ and ‘L'Heure espagnole’ (A Spanish Hour), composed respectively by Igor Stravinsky and Maurice Ravel, at the Opéra Comique (March 9 to 19, 2024), and ‘Simon Boccanegra’ by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi at the Opéra Bastille (March 12 to April 3, 2024).
As for musicals: the ‘Starmusical’ show at the Accor Arena is a compilation of some of the top international musicals of the recent past (March 27, 2024). Irish Celtic (March 15 to 17, 2024) at the Folies Bergère transports spectators into the heart of Ireland. The ‘500 voix pour Queen’ (500 voices for Queen) show pays tribute to the legendary rock band Queen and its charismatic lead singer Freddy Mercury at the Dôme de Paris (March 29, 2024).
