The greatest show on earth

The Paris What’s Up Day event in April focused on the theme of entertainment, culminating in a spectacular party at Les Pavillons de Bercy - one of the most exciting venues I’ve been to in some time.

We were accompanied along the five-minute walk to this extraordinary venue from the Pullman Bercy by stilt-walkers, bubble-blowers and a jazz band to enjoy a spring evening of music, dancing, Champagne and aerial acrobatics.

With strong ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ vibes, Pavillons de Bercy has been created from former wine stores originally designed by a contemporary of Gustave Eiffel and listed as historic monuments. Offering four magical spaces for events, it can accommodate from 40 to 4,000.

Revenue from events - the venue rental business is certified ISO 20121 - helps to support the preservation of its unique collection of merry-go rounds, heritage mechanical attractions, automata, games, curios and carnival and funfair paraphernalia. Designed to host events, there are few of the usual limitations on hosting in heritage locations. A family-run passion, it was originally created by Jean Paul Favand, who started in antiques, and is now run by his daughter Clémentine.

In December 2024, fairground culture was listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.

Perfect for a cabaret

But the best part is that guests can use the century-old rides and vintage attractions at all manner of events. In Le Musée des Arts Forains (Museum of Fairground Arts), a 20^th century Belle Epoque fairground, the Garcon de Café was a huge hit at our party with competitors throwing balls to race their waiter to the finish line. There are also billiards, swing rides and shooting. Pass through theatrical curtains, and you’re part of the show.

Le Théâtre du Merveilleux, popular in the early 1800s, made use of the latest discoveries from the Industrial Revolution to astonish the public – lighting and projection (magic lantern) played an important role and today these have been augmented by modern multimedia techniques.

Les Salons Vénitiens evokes a baroque palace prepared for a transgressive 18^th century carnival – think masks, automatons singing opera and a gondola carousel. While The Magic Mirror is an authentic travelling ballroom from the 1920s. One of only five originals left in the world, they brought dance and celebrations to villages. With lush boxes surrounding the stage, it’s perfect for a cabaret show.

Linking the four worlds of the venue is Le Théâtre de Verdure, a large garden of cobblestones, living walls and chandeliers providing a reception and gathering space.

Banquet in style at Musée des Arts Forains (Photo credit: Pavillons de Bercy)

Théâtre du Merveilleux des Pavillons de Bercy (Photo credit: Pavillons de Bercy)

The beautiful outside space Le Théâtre de Verdure (Photo credit: Pavillons de Bercy)

Paris map

“It was a vibrant, well-considered programme that gave meeting planners the opportunity to discover the destination and fall in love with the city – again!

“From a practical perspective, I liked the virtual meetings held the week before the event, which allowed us to get to know the suppliers and their services before we arrived. The suppliers accompanied us on the programme so we really got a lot of insider knowledge.”

Stephanie Ackland, MD of full-service agency Blue Sky, who attended this year’s What’s Up Day

Guests enjoying What’s Up Day Paris (Photo credit: Pavillons de Bercy)

Iconic venues, fascinating history

Paris je t’aime Convention Bureau chose to host this group of international event organisers and media in the east Paris district of Bercy. In the 19th century, Joyeux-Bercy was infamous for its nightlife. Beyond the borders of Paris proper back then, there was no tax on wine so guinguettes or dance-halls by the Seine developed alongside the main wine traders. Today, Bercy Village is a lovely pedestrianised area of former warehouses converted to bars, restaurants and boutiques. Close to the Gare de Lyon and Bercy stations, the area is within easy reach of the city’s iconic attractions.

Nearby is the 20,000-seater Accor Arena, host to large sporting events as well as big-name shows and concerts. Within walking distance is the Frank Gehry-designed La Cinèmatheque francaise, where our opening event took place. An iconic venue of global cinema, it was originally founded in the 1930s and has a fascinating history – hiding films from the Nazis and playing a part in the student revolt in 1968. Today it is a fantastic art house with four screens showing 2,000 films a year. With 600 sqm of reception space, it has a total capacity of 700 and is a wonderful venue and not just for film buffs.

We were hosted by the four-star Pullman Paris Centre-Bercy, which has an EVENTSA social hub designed by Tom Dixon. With 392 guest rooms, its convention centre seats 420 at a plenary, has an auditorium for 300 plus 26 modular meeting rooms. It also has a swimming pool and terrace.

On our first evening we travelled to the 9,000-seater Adidas Arena, which opened in February 2024 for the Paris Olympics, and were treated to the spectacle of a basketball match with cocktails and bowl food.

The Seine weaves its way through the city

The new Adidas Arena (Photo credit: Nicko Guihal)

Host a fashion show

Discover Notre Dame through the magic of VR

Host a reception in the amazing Atelier des Lumières

Film, fashion, culture and entertainment

The next day, we were divided into groups that each followed two of four tours. One was entitled: Paris Cinema – iconic movie set, and participants visited Pathé Palace with a walking tour and games. Another was Paris Fashion – the world’s fashion capital, during which participants visited the fashion museum Palais Galliera before being encouraged to create their own fashion accessories at a workshop demonstrating French artisanal crafts at Minime. Both were very popular.

I joined Live show & iconic cultural sites and the first stop was the beautiful Opéra Comique. Centrally located and founded in 1714 during the reign of Louis XIV, it is one of the oldest theatres and music halls in France. An architectural gem rebuilt following a fire in 1898, it is a listed historic monument. A truly magnificent venue, its main theatre seats 1,200 and there are smaller equally beautiful reception areas and conference rooms.

We also visited Atelier des Lumières, which featured in Emily in Paris. This hit Netflix series, which tells the story of a savvy young American arriving in Paris to work at a French marketing company yet not speaking the language, has caught the imagination of many. Featuring glorious cinematography showing Paris at its most gorgeous – along with many handsome locals and amusing cultural clashes – fans are increasingly looking to visit sites from the show. This reimagined foundry, now a vast amazing space featuring immersive, digital experiences, is one such site. It is also a fantastic venue for receptions and banquets.

The afternoon saw us embark on the Entertainment & VR tour. I loved our first stop at Listener. An endeavour set up by music geeks, they have created a small, cool café at the front and “a box within a box” for “the best listening experience” below. Seating up to 10 at a time, one of the owners explains with earnest and delighted joy the quality and rarity of their sound equipment – which, I’m afraid, went over my head - before demonstrating the sublime sound by playing familiar tracks. If you had one of these at home, you would never do anything else.

French touch and creativity

I can think of many men, in particular, who would love this venue. You’re welcome to bring your own vinyl, and wine-tastings can also be included. There are also two individual rooms where guests can lie in a darkened space with headphones listening to sounds created with the help of neuroscientists described as “wellness for the brain”. A 30-minute session is recommended but after just five minutes, I felt as though my head was entirely calm and clear. I would travel to Paris just to experience this venue again – and the fact that it’s also incredible value is merely a bonus.

The Éternelle Notre Dame VR experience was also a first for me. Here we donned VR headsets and were guided around a history of the magnificent Notre Dame. The technology is extraordinary and this is also highly recommended although we were warned that the odd sensations aren’t for everyone. We re-entered the real world blinking into the sunlight glittering off the Seine as Parisians began their Friday evening adventures to be joined by the team from Timescope. This is a company offering walking tours along the river with regular stops to don VR headsets and earphones for a spectacular history of the city – from its days as swampland through raging fires and sieges. Another fantastic experience and a wonderful way to explore more of this breathtakingly beautiful city on foot.

Our final stop was brunch at flagship Galeries Lafayette Haussmann. This iconic jewel among so many is the place for fashion shows, culinary workshops, personal shopping and guided tours. It also offers seven top restaurants so is ideal for a meal while allowing participants time for shopping.

Paris offers many excellent DMCs who can offer expert advice on these and many other tours and experiences. Elsa Renard, from Ikebana, is one. She says: “We only do tailor-made events with a brand approach and deep love for the destination, always infusing the French touch and creativity!”

Letting the train take the strain

The UK contingent travelled on the Eurostar, which was comfortable and very convenient, while many other attendees were able to travel by train from other European destinations.

"We have recently launched our conference fare range, which offers delegates a fantastic opportunity to travel to a conference at any destination on our network," says Nadege Bobelin, Eurostar sales support executive. "Delegates can enjoy discounted rates for travel in Standard or Standard Plus, with discounts of up to 15 per cent.

“For any MICE group, we also offer discounted fares and have some fantastic incentive ideas including hiring an exclusive coach with branding and an Onboard Experience for the journey. We can organise group travel for anywhere from 10 people up to a few hundred, including the option of chartering a train.”

Who to contact

*(Photo credit: MyrMuratet)*

*(Photo credit: MyrMuratet)*

parisjetaime/convention
[email protected]