PARIS FITNESS
FLASH ON FITNESS
The Fitness Fundraiser for the victims of the Haiti earthquake, Saturday, 6 February, raised 1300 euros to be used by GOAL in their humanitarian efforts in Haiti. Thanks to all who participated and contributed!
Public ice-skating rinks: The ice rinks at the Hotel de Ville and Montparnasse are open for skating until 6 March, free to the public, skates for a 5€ fee.
Vélib': Over 16,000 bicycles at 1,200 stations for quickie use all around Paris! Pick up a bike near the Hotel de Ville and drop it off half an hour later near that restaurant next to Porte Maillot where you're meeting friends. A year-long subscription to the 24/7 service costs 29€, for 30 minutes at a time. For visitors, two short-term subscriptions are available, by the week for 5€ or better yet, daily for 1€. Here are practical details in English.
Parisinfo.com: A good site for Paris activities in general. Also www.Paris.fr is good for the list of swimming pools and tennis courts. Or try calling the city's hotline (French-speaking) by dialing 3975. Looking for guided tours? Here's a list.
Paris Respire: It's year-round! The city closes the quais and a number of roads to cars on Sundays, from 9h-17h, opening them to cyclists, bladers and pedestrians.As of 5 October, a chunk of the marais is also only open to pietons, cyclists and rollers, see: http://marais.evous.fr/Le-coeur-du-Marais-pietonnie-le,3227.html
Weekly bicycle randonnées: Every Friday night, night, a group bicycle ride through Paris starting at 21h30 from the Hotel de Ville, with a different itinerary each week, posted at the website Paris Rando Velo or tel: 06.63.71.20.30. Also the 3rd Sunday of each month, a group ride starting at 10h30 from the Hotel de Ville. Or if you want to take a bike tour of Paris, try this city-provided list.
Roller bladers: Paris Rollers have been skating for over 10 years! The meeting point for the weekly Friday Night Fever skate is at Gare Montparnasse. Time: 21h45 for a distance of approx. 25kms or 3 hours. Beginners not encouraged, and it's cancelled if raining. For info and route map, see www.pari-roller.com or in English, here. For those less experienced, join the ride on Sunday afternoons at 14h30 at Place de la Bastille - for route map, consult the Rollers et Coquillage site, see www.rollers-coquillages.org. Or check out the tourism office resources at www.parisinfo.com, click on "Excursions".
And now the 7th arrondissement has its own expat yoga centre, hurrah! Oliver Bell has opened YogaYoga just off rue Cler, reviews are good.
Anyone in St. Germain-en-Laye looking for a personal trainer or yoga teacher? Just discovered Nick Marshall, who teaches at the yoga centre at 5, rue de la Procession. Looks interesting, lots of classes available and he also offers a combo yoga and running/biking class. Check the site: www.yoga78.fr
If you are looking for a sports partner for tennis, running, squash, etc, post a short ad by sending an email to awbenney@parisfitness.com, and it will go up below. Or sign up to the Paris Fitness and Martial Arts Meetup Group. Craigslist also has some notices, under fitness activities, see paris.craigslist.org.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Sunday, 7 March
Paris Semi-Marathon - The 21.1km run through Paris, limited to 25,000
runners, starts and finishes at the Chateau de Vincennes. Info and registration at www.semideparis.com.
Monday, 8 March
International Women's Day
12-14 March
Salon mondial body-fitness - Get your French fitness fix here, at the Porte de Versailles. Best info is here for the moment.
Sunday, 14 March
"Danse et energie feminine" - Women-only workshop offered by Maggie Boogaart, 14h30-17h30, all levels, 43€, at the Centre de Danse
du Marais. To sign up, email www.maggieboogaart.com or tel: 01.4272.1542.
Sunday, 14 March
Rugby - France vs Italy at the Stade de France.
Sunday, 14 March
Randonnée du Paris Printemps - Annual community hike in optimistic hopes of seeing signs of spring. Meet between 8h30 and noon at the Gymnase Henry de Montherlant,
32 blvd Lannes, 16eme, and take a 12km circuit through the Bois de Boulogne. Details here:
www.godillot-familial.com.
Sunday, 15 March
Last day to sign up for the "Paris mythique" randonnée, for 21st March, at www.rando-paris.org/.
Thursday, 18 March
Like history? Like to walk? This is for you, a group hike on the theme of "A l'ombre des grandes courtisanes… du Second Empire". Meet at the Place des Ternes before 19h, finish at Concorde at 22h. See www.rando-paris.org/.
Saturday, 20 March
Used books sale - Annual fundraiser for SOS Help, noon to 16h, information: www.soshelpline.org/.
Sunday, 21 March
Puerto Rican Salsa - Workshop offered by Wilson Sither, 16h-18h, beginners, 30€, at the Centre de Danse
du Marais. To sign up, email info@parisdance.com or tel: 01.4272.1542.
Sunday, 21 March
"Paris mythique" - take a 7km hike around Paris today with EcoTRAIL, leaving from the Sacré-Coeur at 10h and arriving at the Eiffel Tower between noon and 14h.
Need to sign up by the 15th, costs 10€ - that gets you a t-shirt and buffet compagnard. For more community hikes, see www.rando-paris.org.
Wednesday, 22 March
World Water Day
Sunday, 28 March
Hip Hop/street dance - Workshop offered by Dominique Mallard, 14h-17h30, all levels, 50€, at the Centre de Danse
du Marais. To sign up, email info@parisdance.com or tel: 01.4272.1542.
Sunday, 28 March
Comédie Musicale - Workshop with Jocelyne Giani, 11h-14h, all levels, at the Centre des Arts Vivants, 48€, info: http://lecentredesarts.com/.
Wednesday, 31 March
QLIC Cafédie – Fundraiser, with performance by Jim Denison, followed by discussion on reality, sanity and the meaning of life, organised by Jane Grey, 18h30, on blvd Montparnasse. For more info, www.hopeinparis.com/qlic_café.
9-11 April
Fitness Mania - fun SaraCity fitness convention in San Francisco! More
info at www.scwfitness.com
Sunday, 11 April
Paris Marathon - This is the Paris Marathon's 34th edition. 37,000 competitors will meet at the starting line at 8h45 on the Champs-Elysées,
finish at avenue Foch. Info and registration at www.parismarathon.com.
22-25 April
IDEA Fitness Fusion - fitness convention aimed at professionals,
but fun for all, near Chicago. More info at www.ideafit.com/events.asp.
23 May - 6 June
Roland Garros Tennis Open, the celebrated tennis tournament on clay courts,
check out the
site (check back for updates to 2010). Good tickets are hard to come by, so reserve in
advance! Tel: 01.47.43.48.00.
Sunday, 13 June
Randonnée Moulin Rouge - Community hike of 11km around Montmartre and an optional hike of 11km around to the Canal St Martin and La Villette. Family fun. Meet between 8h30 and noon at the Stade Léon Biancotto, av. de la porte de Clichy. Details here: www.godillot-familial.com.
Sunday, 3 July
Tour de France - The best-known bicycle race in the world takes to the road in Rotterdam.
LOOKING FOR A SPORTS PARTNER
Join the Paris Lacrosse team. Training every Saturday at 2pm at SAC Club in Meudon. For more information: www.paris-lacross.fr or email: paris.lacrosse@gmail.com.
A female soccer club, ES16, is recruiting soccer players of all ages to play competition soccer matches in the Paris league. For information call Patrice Bardin, tel: 06.10.37.66.05, or email pbardin@club-internet.fr.
Paris Sunday Softball, fun, friendly, multilingual, in its 29th year, seeks new and experienced players, female and male. If interested, send a note with your phone number to David Curtis at curtis@msh-paris.fr.
The ACBB Rugby club in the Bois de Boulogne is recruiting players. It is a team of 30-something guys who train on Wednesday evenings and generally play one match a month. For more information, see www.acbb-rugby.com or contact binksfamily@aol.com.
FAQ
Q: I am coming to Paris for a week and a half. I am a triathlete and I teach Pilates and Spinning. I want to run outside while I am there, as well as possibly taking a spin class or two. I did find a Pilates option already. I am staying near Odeon and was hoping to be able to run around Luxemburg Gardens.
Can I hope to run a longer run at least once--I will need one 10+ miler for a race I am training for in Feb. Is there an indoor lap pool I could pay a daily use fee? Are there any Spin classes at a local club that also has a daily fee, and do I need my Spin shoes???
A: For running, a lot of people now run in Paris, and you could do a longer run in one of the two parcs on either side of Paris (Bois de Boulogne or Bois de Vincennes). If you are looking for a running partner I could put your email on my website.
The city has lots of public pools for laps swimming that are inexpensive. Here's a list. On the other hand, you are staying right around the corner from one of Paris's most historic public pools, the Piscine Pontoise. The address is 19 rue de Pontoise, off bvd St. Germain, in the 5th, near Metro Maubert-Mutualite. It's part of the Club Quartier Latin, www.clubquartierlatin.com, but you don't need to be a member to use it.
Spin classes - the Club Med Gym and Vit'Halles chains both offer spinning, and they do have day passes, but it's not very cheap. If you go to each of their sites you can see at which facility they offer what is probably called cycling. There should be an email contact and you can ask about fees - even in English. Just make sure you ask whether they're open the dates you will be here.
Q: Being new to Paris, I was wondering if you might be able to point me in the direction of a good fitness equipment store (free weights, etc.)?
A: When I need sports stuff I generally head to Decathlon, a sports chain with a few outlets in Paris, at metro Wagram, metro Madeleine and metro Balard (Aquaboulevard), good value for money. If you want something really serious for weightlifting, you might try Bodytrading, a store near Porte Maillot: Bodytrading, 159, Av. Malakoff, 75116 Paris, tel: 0825 032 076.
MORE
If you like to work out, you probably also like to eat. I love to browse David Lebovitz's website - it's not only pretty, he has lots of useful information, restaurants, tips for newbies, etc.
Looking for metaphysics, Reiki, meditation? Jane Grey has been providing good vibes for the Paris community since 1984.
Found yet another good personal trainer in Paris, Damon de Berry, originally from New Zealand. He's been in Paris since 2003, certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, with lots of experience working with individuals, teams and elite athletes. He offers one-on-one boxing and kickboxing classes. Call him at 06.88.51.34.03 or damon @ optimumstudio.com.