VINGT Paris News

Club Quartier Latin and Piscine Pontoise

The Club Quartier Latin gym offers access to one of the most legendary pools in Paris.

Built in the 1930s, this historical landmark has attracted stars such as Commander Cousteau and swimming champion Johnny Weismuller (also known as Tarzan).
More recently, Juliette Binoche swam here on the set of Kieslowski's "Bleu," and Issey Miyake held a fashion show.

Nowadays, you can work off your stress with a formule nocturne (pool entry, gym, cardio and sauna from 8:15pm to 12:45pm). Other activities include squash, yoga, French boxing, and Tai Chi among many others. Full schedule available here.

Fornarina Beauty Show

Fornarina will be hosting a "Beauty Show," a chance to party in their vision of the world Monday May 12th, at the Carrousel du Louvre.

A mélange of music, installation and visual art, bubble gum pink, and the Über trendy will come together to spawn the Fornarina atmosphere.

Numerous prestigious collaborations will take place at the event, including: US painter Glenn Barr, the Spanish-Dutch illustrator Mijn Schatje, the French Graffitist Miss Van, Simone Legno for Tokidoki, the Japanese artist Junko Mizuno, the tattoo artist Angelique Houtkamp...

Music involves Nu Rave stars New Young Pony Club and Simian Mobile Disco.

Free entry; invitations to be printed out off their site.

Vélo Vintage - Ride in Style, On the Cheap!

Paris' Vélib service is great, but for some, owning a bike is the only option. And spending 115 euros on Decathlon's entry level bike just isn't very appealing.

For a while, the only other options have been haggling with sketchy bike shops or braving the classifieds of kijiji and vivastreet, potentially spending a whole afternoon haggling over the price of a broken or stolen bike.

Putting an end to all this fuss is Vélo Vintage in the 18ème.

Blondes have no damn fun in Paris.

From our archives, a post from back in 2024.

It's something I've struggled with for almost three years. A problem of magnitude. I've explored every possible way round it. I promise you I'm not really that demanding...........but from what friend's tell me, I'm not alone.

According to foreign hairstylists with snob clients who make Paree home it's a common complaint.

Can anyone cut and dye hair in this town?

I've tried 7 or 8 hairdressers and/or colorists. They range in price and by arrondissement, some have salons, empires, celebrity clients, some even do selected home visits.

New yoga centre opening

ANJALIOM IYENGAR YOGA CENTRE and LABEL PENSEE CENTRE are opening their doors to the public Thursday 13th, Friday 14th and Saturday 15th September. Free trial classes for the mind and the body include yoga, meditation, relaxation and dance. For further information and times please consult their website

Prun Eclat!

Prissy Mag alerted me to a fab new mascara (and cheap to boot);
"We were in dire need of new mascara one day while at Monoprix and made a mistake and bought this mascara in color #42 which is Prun Eclat, not black as we intended. Boy are we overjoyed! Prun Eclat looks much more natural on our lashes and we love natural. This amazing mascara doubles the volume of your lashes. It instantly volumizes and is enriched with Vitamin B and opthalmologist tested. Other than Monoprix, you can find it at Sephora, of course.

Viva La Contrex!

French Women Don't Get Fat? It's apparently due to the fact that they are all drinking this high-mineral content bottled water (which kills your appetite).  When getting married most people seem to start their régime 5 or 6 month's ahead of time.  I've left it until 5 weeks so I am pounding round the Jardins du Luxembourg, racing up and down the pool in Saint Germain des Prés (might swim into Made in Rive Gauche doing the aquarobics. Is it her? Or her?)and last but not least swigging this stuff during all other waking hours. 

"STOP - put that 40% fat content Coulommiers cheese DOWN!"

Irony of Ironies

First day of the "wedding diet". Things don't go as planned.

I arrive at the swimming pool for the first time since joining about a month ago. It's closed, Monday. I should have known. Never try to do anything on a Monday, it's like a Sunday but more confusing. About 50% of services are closed.

Next I cross the street onto rue Bonaparte past Pierre Herme to find he has declared 20th March "Jour du Macaron" and we can pick 3 flavours for free! My fave French treat no less. I've already marked it in my calendar for next year when I will be able to partake.

I have an appointment at Musée du Luxembourg and afterwards console myself with a tour of the Phillips collection currently on show.

If I was the Musée Luxembourg I'd be worried about the average age of the audience. I was the youngest person in the expo buy about 40 years. It's very hard to navigate too as everyone was wearing those little guide headphonee. There is no space to move, when you say "Pardon", no one hears so there is a bit of unseemly shoving.