Chopin concerts in Paris in July?
Jun 14th, 2004, 08:28 AM
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Chopin concerts in Paris in July?
I've found a lot of information about classical music concerts in general from this site and elsewhere. Does anyone know of a likely spot to hear a Chopin concert sometime during the period July 11-18?
Jun 14th, 2004, 08:39 AM
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Will, you're in luck. There's a Chopin Festival that ends July 14. Here's the link:
http://www.paris.fr/fr/environnement...in/default.asp
http://www.paris.fr/fr/environnement...in/default.asp
Jun 14th, 2004, 08:52 AM
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I've been to the Chopin festival a couple times, it is a traditional in July and has been going on quite a long time. The performances are excellent, and it is nice being in the Bagatelle park. However, that is a problem regarding transportation, as you really need a car somehow or taxi. I went there by public bus which is do-able (but a chore and takes a long time and a bit of a walk from the stop), but the bus stopped running before the end of the concert, so you can't count on returning that way. It is somewhat inconvenient.
Getting there would be easy with a taxi, but you might need a cell phone to call a cab to return at the end. You could walk a ways, of course, if you want. I was alone and did not want to do that in that area late at night.
Getting there would be easy with a taxi, but you might need a cell phone to call a cab to return at the end. You could walk a ways, of course, if you want. I was alone and did not want to do that in that area late at night.
Jun 16th, 2004, 11:16 PM
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I will be alone also. I am a little unnerved by going to one of the concerts that start at 20:45 because it would end so late, so I'm thinking of going to the final concert on July 14, which starts at 18:00.
I went to the French ratp.fr site and put the itinerary in to get from Parc de Bagatelle PARIS-16EME back to central Paris. I used a departure time of 21:00 on July 14 (which seems reasonable to me, although perhaps the concert is shorter).
It suggests that I walk from the park to Station de SNCF Puteaux (a 26-minute walk) and take the train to Gare St. Lazare (and of course I can then take the metro from there back to Montparnasse). I'm not particularly keen on that long walk in an unknown area. I won't have a cell phone. Perhaps this is logistically not possible. If there would be numerous other people heading to the train station at the same time, it wouldn't bother me.
I went to the French ratp.fr site and put the itinerary in to get from Parc de Bagatelle PARIS-16EME back to central Paris. I used a departure time of 21:00 on July 14 (which seems reasonable to me, although perhaps the concert is shorter).
It suggests that I walk from the park to Station de SNCF Puteaux (a 26-minute walk) and take the train to Gare St. Lazare (and of course I can then take the metro from there back to Montparnasse). I'm not particularly keen on that long walk in an unknown area. I won't have a cell phone. Perhaps this is logistically not possible. If there would be numerous other people heading to the train station at the same time, it wouldn't bother me.
Jun 16th, 2004, 11:29 PM
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I will have to find out if I decide to go, but just in case anyone else is thinking of going, other festival information sites say that the July 14 concert starts at 17:00 instead of 18:00.
However, I get the same poor results when I do a transit search for a departure at 20:00 (as I did for 21:00).
However, I get the same poor results when I do a transit search for a departure at 20:00 (as I did for 21:00).
Jun 16th, 2004, 11:33 PM
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The festival sites say to either go to the Porte Maillot metro stop and then take Bus #244, or to go to the Neuilly metro stop and then take Bus #43. It seems ridiculous if this won't work in reverse.
Jun 17th, 2004, 10:01 AM
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That was exactly my problem. I went to Porte Maillot and then did a bus (244, I guess). First, Porte Maillot is a zoo if you haven't been there, and you have to traverse lots of traffic to get to the bus stop which may not be clear where it is (as there are many bus stops around there). Then, they don't run that often, maybe each 30 min.
That wasn't the worst part, however, as I had planned plenty of time for all that, figuring I would just walk around the gardens if I got there early, which I did.
The problem was the return. You can do that in return, I did, but the last bus is before the concert ends. There is no way I wanted to be walking around Bois de Boulogne at 11 pm if I missed the bus, so I had to leave the concert early. That was the only solution I had for the problem. I really wanted to stay for all of it, but I did enjoy the part I went to, and the experience, and the tickets were not too expensive.
I think the last bus left at 10 or 10:30 or something like that (I believe it is noted on the bus stop), and you have to plan for the 10-15 min walk from the place the recital is. I think the concert I went to started around 8 pm, though. One starting at 5-6 would be perfect, probably, that should work okay.
Just allow plenty of time to figure out the bus when going.
It is possible there aren't as many buses running on July 14th, though, although I wouldn't think the RATP site would be that efficient. Maybe it is. I know when I went, they ran until 10 pm-ish, as I said.
That wasn't the worst part, however, as I had planned plenty of time for all that, figuring I would just walk around the gardens if I got there early, which I did.
The problem was the return. You can do that in return, I did, but the last bus is before the concert ends. There is no way I wanted to be walking around Bois de Boulogne at 11 pm if I missed the bus, so I had to leave the concert early. That was the only solution I had for the problem. I really wanted to stay for all of it, but I did enjoy the part I went to, and the experience, and the tickets were not too expensive.
I think the last bus left at 10 or 10:30 or something like that (I believe it is noted on the bus stop), and you have to plan for the 10-15 min walk from the place the recital is. I think the concert I went to started around 8 pm, though. One starting at 5-6 would be perfect, probably, that should work okay.
Just allow plenty of time to figure out the bus when going.
It is possible there aren't as many buses running on July 14th, though, although I wouldn't think the RATP site would be that efficient. Maybe it is. I know when I went, they ran until 10 pm-ish, as I said.
Jun 17th, 2004, 10:14 AM
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I just thought of something, they close some metro lines and other things on July 14th at night because of the holiday and the fireworks. It is possible you might have problems with the public bus for that reason.
If the concert is over by 8, it will still be light at that time. IN that case, I might not worry so much about just walking to the closest RER/metro stop which is probably the yellow RER line (ave Henri Martin). That is about 1500 m, from my map, or about 3/4 mile. It is a little farther just to walk back to Porte Maillot (about a mile), but certainly possible, and that is along a major road, not in the park.
I had to get off the bus from Porte Maillot around the Route de Lacs a Bagatelle. This is also not that far from that famous restaurant there, the Pre Catalan. It is conceivable you could go to that restaurant and have them call a taxi, also.
If the concert is over by 8, it will still be light at that time. IN that case, I might not worry so much about just walking to the closest RER/metro stop which is probably the yellow RER line (ave Henri Martin). That is about 1500 m, from my map, or about 3/4 mile. It is a little farther just to walk back to Porte Maillot (about a mile), but certainly possible, and that is along a major road, not in the park.
I had to get off the bus from Porte Maillot around the Route de Lacs a Bagatelle. This is also not that far from that famous restaurant there, the Pre Catalan. It is conceivable you could go to that restaurant and have them call a taxi, also.
Jun 18th, 2004, 12:04 AM
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I went to this site and found the schedule for the #244 bus:
http://www.citefutee.com/horaires/in...4&dem=dem1
The Sundays and holidays schedule indicates the last bus would be around 21:30. Similarly for the #43 bus. So it would almost certainly be possible to catch either of those buses after the concert. However, if it is a straightforward walk to either the RER or Porte Maillot, that might be easier, even if more than a mile.
I found this bus route map of the region, which is of limited help:
http://www.citefutee.com/picts/plans...r/secteur5.pdf
http://www.citefutee.com/horaires/in...4&dem=dem1
The Sundays and holidays schedule indicates the last bus would be around 21:30. Similarly for the #43 bus. So it would almost certainly be possible to catch either of those buses after the concert. However, if it is a straightforward walk to either the RER or Porte Maillot, that might be easier, even if more than a mile.
I found this bus route map of the region, which is of limited help:
http://www.citefutee.com/picts/plans...r/secteur5.pdf
Jun 18th, 2004, 12:07 AM
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None of that explains why the RATP Itineraries site doesn't give the routes involving #244 and #43. But I have observed that similar trip-planning programs in other cities are not foolproof.
Jun 18th, 2004, 09:13 AM
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no, that doesn't explain RATP, but sometimes they give convoluted directions on there, I think. Walking to a SNCF station would be below other options, for example.
If the last bus is around 9:30, that should work out fine.
Those tickets do sell out, as it is a very popular festival. I bought my ticket in advance at www.fnac.com where they don't charge any service charge, as I recall (or very little, I was surprised). You really should buy that in advance as they get sold out, and surely will for that night.
FYI, there are a lot of Chopin recitals at St Julien le Pauvre in Paris during your time period, also, will surely will be easier logistically (although I would go to the one in the Bagatelle if the bus works out). There is one on 7/11 at 6:30 pm (Teresa Czekaj, a Polish pianist) and one also on 7/14 at 8 pm (Jean-Christophe Millot).
The program at the Bagetelle is superb, though, as he is playing the fourth scherzo, which I love, as will as the opus 69 fantaisie. I'm sure he is a good pianist or they wouldn't have booked him for the ending night.
If the last bus is around 9:30, that should work out fine.
Those tickets do sell out, as it is a very popular festival. I bought my ticket in advance at www.fnac.com where they don't charge any service charge, as I recall (or very little, I was surprised). You really should buy that in advance as they get sold out, and surely will for that night.
FYI, there are a lot of Chopin recitals at St Julien le Pauvre in Paris during your time period, also, will surely will be easier logistically (although I would go to the one in the Bagatelle if the bus works out). There is one on 7/11 at 6:30 pm (Teresa Czekaj, a Polish pianist) and one also on 7/14 at 8 pm (Jean-Christophe Millot).
The program at the Bagetelle is superb, though, as he is playing the fourth scherzo, which I love, as will as the opus 69 fantaisie. I'm sure he is a good pianist or they wouldn't have booked him for the ending night.
