Next Saturday, October 4th of 2014 will be the thirteenth edition of the Nuit Blanche (litteraly « the alnighter ») ! Signed this year by José-Manuel Gonçalvès, director of the cultural center « le Centquatre » since 2010, the Nuit Blanche is an annual event that broadcasts Art in the museums, galleries and streets of the French capital. It hosts exhibitions and animations that last the whole evening, until midnight, two o'clock, and even until dawn for the more nocturnal or courageous of you. A nice opportunity to put your Saturday night to good use and discover artists and places that are particularly on trend in the Art scene today, and why not even make some tracking to prepare for the FIAC (International Contemporary Art Fair) that will take place in Paris at the end of October. Have a few gulps of a nice cup of coffee in one of the many Parisian terrasses in the soft indian summer air, and you are good to go !
What to do ?
The 6 special routes
The Art director of this 2014 edition of the Nuit Blanche José-Manuel Gonçalvès has imagined six routes of different styles, spread from the center to the south of the capital. He has thought this edition as a grand artistic hike. Those in a hurry will pick their favorite option between these, but you can always decide to go for a nocturnal Parisian expedition and go from one route to the other as you desire.
1 – Les futurs composés (« The composed futures »)
Hôtel de Ville / BHV (4°)
This exhibition will broadcast the work of 3 artists (Tsai Ming-Liang, Hicham Berrada & Motoï Yamamoto) revolving around the theme of the construction of new worlds. Playing on the line that separates natural and supernatural, they make room for contemplation and daydreaming in urbanism.
2 – Ceux que nous sommes (« Those we are »)
Sainte Geneviève library / Panthéon (5°)
There again, 3 artists are broadcasted (Antony Gormley, Imran Qureshi & Johann Le Guillerm) and will use various Art forms (performance, sculpture, installation) to question what it means to be human. One will particularly appreciate the incongruity of the pieces within their context.
3 – Open musée street-art (« Street-art open museum »)
Austerlitz train station / Cité de la mode et du design (Fashion and design center) / Old Masséna train station (13°)
Mixing contemporary and numeric Art within the streets of the 13rd arrondissement, this route will help you realize that Street Art is definitely not dead !
4 – Je perf', ils perf' … Nous dansons (« I perf', they perf' … We're dancing »)
Georges Brassens park / Petite Ceinture / André Citroën park (15°)
Those who like performances and installations will particularly enjoy this route. Having fun and defying the laws of physics, the artists will show hypnotic dances and atypical installations. The cherry on top ? The performances are interactive : everyone can join in on Jeff Mills' choregraphies.
5 – À la lumière des arbres (« The light from the trees »)
Montsouris park (14°)
In the Montsouris park, artists will give trees a minute of glory by projecting tremendous lights and colors on them, creating a magical atmosphere.
6 – Ascensions magnétiques (« Magnetic ascensions »)
Montparnasse tower / Necker hospital (7°/15°)
There, you will find a selection of gigantic pieces that give an impressive physical presence to numeric, and inside of which you will be able to wander freely.
A few other options
What makes the Nuit Blanche unique is not only the « official » part of the event, but its « off » part. Various museums, galleries and cultural centers are free to join the feast and offer special animations and exhibitions, performances, or perhaps just open their doors for longer than usual … and for free ! Here is a miscellaneous selection of ideas to keep you occupied during the night, picked from the many « off » plans of the Nuit Blanche.
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Une plongée en apesanteur (« Gravity diving ») at the Piscine des amiraux (18°) : isn't a swimming pool a very interesting place to broadcast projections of dancers and acrobats ? Do not miss ! (open from 7 p.m to 2 a.m)
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Max Papeschi musical exhibition at the Point Éphémère (10°) : do you ever feel like listening to live music while visiting an exhibition ? On top of the exhibit devoted to the Italian artist, the Point Éphémère is offering a concert, DJset and a choregraphic happening (open until 2 a.m)
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« Nocturne » at the Centre Pompidou (4°) : until 10 p.m (free entry)
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The Grand Palais by night (8°) : until midnight (free entry)
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And for kids … the Bal des petits (« Bal of the little ones ») at the Centquatre (19°) : a bal especially made for our younger ones... while the grownups enjoy the Nuit Blanche elsewhere ? (from 7 p.m to 12.30 a.m)
Transportation
For the Nuit Blanche, the RATP (Parisian Transportation Service) is going to leave two metro lines open all night on saturday. Line 14 will be open from one terminal to the other (as in daytime), and line 4 will be open between Châtelet and Mairie de Montrouge (south section). Moreover, on top of the usual « Noctilien » lines (night bus), you will be able to hop on lines N01 (interior bypass) and N02 (exterior bypass). More information here : http://www.sortiraparis.com/arts-culture/balades/articles/65663-nuit-blanche-2014-a-paris-les-transports-en-commun
You can get a daily Pass for 1€70 and hop on and off as you wish for the whole evening and the whole night.
Otherwise, as usual in the Parisian night-time, you can always use the vélib' (public bicycle service) and taxis, and of course, your feet, that might still be the best way of enjoying tremendous nocturnal views in the capital for the more contemplative and/or fit of you !
Where to grab a bite during the night ?
Your best option probably is the food trucks that will be installed all around the city, close to the various points of interest of the Nuit Blanche. Some restaurants, bars and cafés will also stay open for longer than usual (some of them all night). Here is a selection of some of the places to grab something to eat according to the 6 different « routes » of the Nuit Blanche (source : http://www.sortiraparis.com/hotel-restaurant/restaurant/articles/65680-nuit-blanche-2014-les-food-trucks-et-restaurants-ouverts-en-nocturne )
« Les futurs composés » route :
La Comète : 6 rue des archives, 75003 Paris
« Ceux que nous sommes » route :
Le requin chagrin : 10 rue Mouffetard, 75005 Paris
Loulou Burger : 90 bv. Saint-Germain, 75005 Paris
Le Polly Maggoo : 3 rue du Petit-Pont, 75005 Paris
La Gueuse : 19 rue Soufflot, 75005 Paris
L'innévitable : 22 rue Linné, 75005 Paris
« Open Musée Street Art Contemporain » route :
Gare Messéna : accès boulevard Masséna
4 Food Trucks : Black Spoon, TRISK'AN, Le Canard Huppé, After Eleven
Le Nuba : 36 quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris
Le Wanderlust : 34 quai d'Austerlitz, 75013 Paris
Le 72 : 72 rue du Chevaleret, 75013 Paris
Yuman : 70 rue du Chevaleret, 75013 Paris
Kumukera : 113 rue du Chevaleret, 75013 Paris
Les Bottes de 7 lieues : 2 rue Duchefdelaville, 75013 Paris
« Je perf', ils perfs',... Nous dansons » route :
Parc André Citroën : 6 rue de la Montagne de la Fage, 75015 Paris,
Foodtrucks, etc, le village : Cantine California, La Brigade, Bugelski, Breizh Truck, El Taco, Camion Bol, Caravan Shop, T-Truck, Le Boudoir des Cocottes.
Petite Ceinture :
5 food trucks : Le réfectoire, Mozza & Co, Le tricycle, Fifi la Praline, Classico Argentino
Le Diplomate : 252 rue de la Convention, 75015 Paris
« À la lumière des arbres » route :
Le Fleurus : 10 bv. Jourdan, 75014 Paris
« Ascensions magnétiques » route :
Le Milou café : 10 rue du Maine, 75014 Paris
Brasserie à St-Malo : 2 rue d'Odessa, 75015 Paris
La Tour de Nesle : 114 rue de Sèvres, 75015 Paris