The weather forecast is gray and I am a weather wimp. One option is to grab a coat and some practical shoes and tough out the inclement weather. A better choice is to accept that gray or rainy days are not the best time for outdoor adventures and revel in Paris’ accessible and spontaneous indoor pleasures. One of the most indulgent habits I have acquired in Paris is the expectation that no matter the weather or the circumstance, and with virtually no advance planning or reservations, the city will never fail to provide entertainment and gustatory delights.
One such sure thing is watching a film at an independent cinema like one of the Action theaters on the Left Bank. The French love the cinema and have a particular reverence for classic and foreign films. They also have a wonderful tradition of celebrating the cinema through themed mini-festivals. In Paris, a few old independent cinemas in the 5th and 6th arrondissements, change their thematic programming on a weekly basis. The salles (theaters) themselves are tiny and still have the red velvet chairs of bygone eras. They resemble private screening rooms more than modern cineplexes. An afternoon ensconced in a cushy armchair with three dozen other cinephiles is the ideal way to spend a rainy matinée, afternoon or evening. All the films are shown in the original language (usually English) with French subtitles.
This week’s festivals include the Seven Year Itch as part of a Billy Wilder retrospective at
ACTION CHRISTINE
4, rue Christine
75006 Paris
Tél. : 01 43 25 85 78
Métro : Odéon, Saint-Michel.
As well as, To Catch a Thief with Cary Grant, during the Cary Grant festival at
ACTION ÉCOLES
23, rue des Écoles
75005 Paris
Tél. : 01 43 25 72 07
Métro : Maubert-Mutualité, Jussieu.
This week’s programming http://www.actioncinemas.com/semainedu07.html.
N.B. The Action cinemas are particularly recommendable in the rain as they are easily accessible from the metro, which is the best transportation option in bad weather. It is typically very difficult to get a taxi in Paris on a rainy day.
