May, 1st is a national holiday and the celebration of spring. It is also called Labour Day "la fête du travail in French", spring and lily-of-the-valley. It also means time-off and a day when everything is closed… or almost! Here are some ideas of activities to do on this day-off near Paris.
Enjoy this public holiday to discover the Harry Potter exhibition at the Cité du Cinema and let yourself be transported back into the magical world of Harry Potter’s movies adapted from books by JK Rowling.
The Air and Space museum at Le Bourget is also open on May 1st. It is an opportunity to discover the secrets of aviation. Admission to the permanent collection is free. Prepaid-pass and tickets are available for activities such as : Planète Pilote, aircraft simulation: airplanes and planetarium.
Stade de France is open to the public on May 1st. It includes a 1 hour tour which you can book on the official website of Stade de France. Follow the guide behind the scenes of this huge mythical venue and discover the changing rooms, wander onto the pitch and visit the stands…
Glazart, located in Parc de La Villette will inaugurate the fifth year of the artificial beach on Lily of the Valley Day. Glazart beach opens on May 1st, and every week-end after from June to September. Enjoy open-air dancing on the sand all night long!
Wandering through « Vide-Greniers » (which literally means “emptying out the attics”) or fairs and large jumble sales is a must-do event ! come and browse and bargain and find great objects. Antiques in flea markets, second-hand articles in jumble sales, rare finds for collectors, you will find all sorts of merchandise, from kids clothes to bikes including kitchen utensils…
Most of the cinemas in Seine-Saint-Denis are open on the first of May. Browse through the list of cinemas open in Seine Saint Denis.
Most of the swimming pools in Ile-de-France are closed on the 1st May. In the north-east of Paris, Pailleron swimming pool in the 19th district and Georges Vallerey swimming pool at Porte des Lilas in the 20th are open.
The 1st May is the chance to picnic and stroll in one of the parks in Seine Saint Denis. Parc de la Villette is open 24 hours a day. If the weather is fine, you can go for a picnic, play football or simply sunbathe on the lawn near the sculpture of the buried bicycle or the submarine. On the 1st May, the garden « jardin du dragon », games for children and the merry-go-round are accessible.
