Thanks to an undertaking by the Mayor’s office, The City of Light now has something new to offer visitors touring Paris alongside its vibrant historical landmarks, talented artists and delicious food – a beach!

Paris Plages is a free, city-wide event that takes place in Paris every summer, during which over 5,000 tons of sand are deposited on the walkways along the Seine to create artificial beaches. These beaches are open to the public from 9am to midnight every day. And it isn’t just sun-bathing that Parisians and tourists alike can partake in – the festival offers a huge range of free events, from tango lessons to free concerts, go-carting to film screenings. The city even provides deck chairs, umbrellas and books to those spontaneous event-goers who show up woefully unprepared!

The festival runs through August 15, so if you’re in town be sure to stop by its two sites, Voie Georges Pompidou and Bassin de la Villette in the 19th arrondissement. And, if you’re looking for more sites to see while in Paris, be sure to check out our new official EF Paris video.