Activities and sports
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Aviron

If you've had enough of following crowds through museums or wandering through the city in the blazing sun or pouring rain, then it may just be time to do like the Parisians do. There are saunas to soak in, ice-skating rinks to fall on, vintage wines to taste, dance halls to tango in, libraries to peruse, and swimming pools to dive into. You can rent a bike, go on a boat trip or view the city from a helicopter. If you're feeling especially bold, try your hand at learning the tricks of the gourmet chef at a cookery school or toss a few rounds of boules and bring home the souvenir of a new skill.

Pariscope has useful Listings of sports facilities, pools, hammams and so on (under "Sport et bien-être"). Information on municipal facilities is available from the town hall, the Mairie de Paris; you can pick up their free 500-page tome Parisports at the Hôtel de Ville and at any individual arrondissement's Mairie; alternatively, call 08.20.00.75.75, or check the comprehensive website www.paris.fr.

For details of current sporting events, try the daily sports paper L'Équipe. A major venue for all sports, including athletics, cycling, show jumping, ice hockey, ballroom dancing, judo and motorcross, is the Palais Omnisport Paris-Bercy (POPB), 8 bd Bercy, 12^e (tel 01.40.02.60.60, www.bercy.fr; M° Bercy). The highlight of the calendar is, of course, the triumphal arrival of cycling's Tour de France in July.